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Reconceptualising Structure and Agency in the Sociology of Education: structuration theory and schooling

Shilling, Chris (1992) Reconceptualising Structure and Agency in the Sociology of Education: structuration theory and schooling. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 13 (1). pp. 69-87. ISSN 0142-5692. (doi:10.1080/0142569920130105) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:38510)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1392858

Abstract

Since the 1970s there has been considerable debate among sociologists of education about the macro-micro gap in educational analyses. However, educational research remains divided largely into the study of large- scale phenomena such as social systems and national policies on the one hand, and case-studies of individual schools and social interaction on the other. This split has had a number of unfortunate consequences for the development of the field. Most importantly, the dominant conceptions of structure and agency employed in the sociology of education are characterised by a dualism which makes it difficult to conceptualise adequately the processes involved in social change. In this paper, I briefly describe this structure-agency dualism before critically examining three attempts which have been made to address this problem. The ability of structuration theory to overcome this dualism is then examined, and I conclude by arguing that this approach offers an important new direction for the sociology of education.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/0142569920130105
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research
Depositing User: Mita Mondal
Date Deposited: 27 Feb 2014 12:28 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Mar 2023 11:33 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/38510 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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