INTRODUCTION
Despite sociology’s wariness of simple utilitarianism,
the discipline is still informed by
unreflective ideas that interests determine
action. Sociologists regularly show how the
dominant impose or protect their interests
to the detriment of others throughout social
life and analyze subordinates’ challenge and
resistance. However, “interests” is typically a
fuzzy “proto-concept” in sociology (Swedberg
2005, p. 48; Barbalet 2012), so we have little
explicit understanding of the empirical contexts
in which interest-oriented action is normative,
or of realistic alternatives.
Sociological assumptions about interests are
often implicit and indistinct because the discipline
is profoundly ambivalent about the
topic (Martinelli 2004). Classical theorists saw
interest-oriented action (broadly conceived) increasing
at the expense of traditional and affective
action as capitalism rationalized social life.
But their work also challenges utilitarian individualism,
questioning its scope and necessity,
and critiquing its deleterious consequences. As
a result, contemporary sociologists vary in their
explicit emphasis on the explanatory power of
interests. [Political scientists and economists assume
more easily that action is oriented primarily
to pursuing interests (Connolly 1983, ch. 2;
Elster 1989b; Mansbridge 1990).]
Interest-oriented action and its mirror
image, altruism, are explored most directly
in several contemporary streams of socialpsychological
research, which treat them as
subjective determinants in micro-social processes,
but even in micro-sociology, other more
pragmatist theories deflate their significance.
And sociological approaches to interests in
larger-scale processes are often indirect, examining
them as outcomes of shifting cultural construction
and contingent practical action that
reshape goals and means. Sometimes interestoriented
action is implicitly dissolved as a theoretical
category (DiMaggio 1988; Swedberg
2005, pp. 73–74).
We endorse Swedberg’s (2003, 2005) call
for clarity about interests and interest-oriented
INTRODUCTIONDespite sociology’s wariness of simple utilitarianism,the discipline is still informed byunreflective ideas that interests determineaction. Sociologists regularly show how thedominant impose or protect their intereststo the detriment of others throughout sociallife and analyze subordinates’ challenge andresistance. However, “interests” is typically afuzzy “proto-concept” in sociology (Swedberg2005, p. 48; Barbalet 2012), so we have littleexplicit understanding of the empirical contextsin which interest-oriented action is normative,or of realistic alternatives.Sociological assumptions about interests areoften implicit and indistinct because the disciplineis profoundly ambivalent about thetopic (Martinelli 2004). Classical theorists sawinterest-oriented action (broadly conceived) increasingat the expense of traditional and affectiveaction as capitalism rationalized social life.But their work also challenges utilitarian individualism,questioning its scope and necessity,and critiquing its deleterious consequences. Asa result, contemporary sociologists vary in theirexplicit emphasis on the explanatory power ofinterests. [Political scientists and economists assumemore easily that action is oriented primarilyto pursuing interests (Connolly 1983, ch. 2;Elster 1989b; Mansbridge 1990).]Interest-oriented action and its mirrorimage, altruism, are explored most directlyin several contemporary streams of socialpsychologicalresearch, which treat them assubjective determinants in micro-social processes,but even in micro-sociology, other morepragmatist theories deflate their significance.And sociological approaches to interests inlarger-scale processes are often indirect, examiningthem as outcomes of shifting cultural constructionand contingent practical action thatreshape goals and means. Sometimes interestorientedaction is implicitly dissolved as a theoreticalcategory (DiMaggio 1988; Swedberg2005, pp. 73–74).We endorse Swedberg’s (2003, 2005) callfor clarity about interests and interest-oriented
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
