Structuration and Convergence Theory (ePub)

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Communications - Theories, Models, Terms and Definitions, grade: 1,3 (A), University of Erfurt (Communication Science), course: Intercultural Communication, language: English, abstract: The main representant of Structuration Theory is Anthony Giddens who developed the
idea of structuration in his book "The Constitution of Society" written in 1984. The theory
wants to explain the ways in which social systems are produced and reproduced in social
interaction. In contrast to other social theories, structuration theory claims to explain the
relationship between the micro-societal and the macro-societal level. Giddens says that
social life is not only explained by individual actions but can on the other hand neither be
explained only by looking on macro-level social force. The central proclamation of
structuration theory is that the repetition of individual acts reproduces social structures.
This means, individuals act on the micro level in order to accomplish their intentions, but
these actions have "unintended consequences of establishing structures that affect our
future actions" (Littlejohn, 2002: 152). Like this, human beings can modify these structures
by replacing them or reproducing the structures in a different way. Thus, structuration
means studying the reproduction of individua l face-to-face interactions on the societal
level.
The reproductions of the structures is illustrated by Giddens¿ so called "stratification model
of the agent". At first, there is the motivation of the action, the reason why the agent acts. In the
rationalization process, the agent adapts his action to his general theoretical
understanding of the basis of his activity. Reflexive monitoring of action means that
individuals monitor continously and routinely the social and physical contexts of their
actions and the actions themselves. But this monitoring cannot prevent that the actions
has some unintended consequences. These can modify the structures the action was
placed in and then lead to new unacknowledged conditions of the action. These new
conditions influence the following actions and like this close the continous circle.