Structure And Agency
In the social sciences there is a standing debate over the primacy of structure or agency in shaping human behavior. Agency is the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices. Structure is the recurrent patterned arrangements which influence or limit the choices and opportunities available. The debate can be contrasted with the "nature verses nurture" debate, which questions whether biological determinism ("nature") or socialisation ("nurture") predominates in the formation of an individual's identity. In contrast, the structure verses agency debate may be understood as an issue of socialisation against autonomy in determining whether an individual acts as a free agent or in a manner dictated by social structure.
Read more about Structure And Agency: Structure, Socialisation and Autonomy, Recent Developments, A European Problem?
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