Mirror Sites:
CSUDH - Habermas - UWP

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: January 16, 2002
Latest Update: January 16, 2002
Faculty:
jeannecurran@habermas.org
Olivier at tapcourse@yahoo.com
takata@uwp.edu

Exchanges with Our Virtual Community

Journal entry by jeanne

Copyright: Jeanne Curran, Susan R. Takata, Ade Thompson and Individaul Authors, January 2002.
"Fair use" encouraged.

Students the world over seem to be the same. When this message came in an exchange over structuration theory, I realized how very much we need this kind of site. The academy forgets that professional jargon is picked up slowly, that one trial learning doesn't work, that we forget over time, and that none of that means that we aren't interested and aren't bright enough to share in their concerns when we can find a free moment.

Just like my own students, Ade didn't tell me in the first communication that he was hunting for structuration and figuration theory. He just asked how dualism fit in with agency and structure. But in responding this time, he gave vent to his frustration and gave me a lot better picture of what he needed.

This illustrates better than simple words our need for a forum in which we can ask, explore, hear others express the same frustration. Then we can settle down to learn more effectively in this fast-paced new global order.

On January 16, 2002, Ade Thompson wrote:

Thanks for the weblink but it seems that you don't have any archives on Figurational theory, or at least none in the index displayed.

This essay is a real bastard. I mean, tell me if i'm wrong here, but Giddens' book on sociology that i have taken from the library on campus, has no mention on duality in the index, which i can just about cope with. However, what does start to agrivate me somewhat, is when I decide to read up on other theories such as structuration and figuration and all that is written is who first came up with the idea for it. The book in now way attempts to describe what either word means.

I have lecture notes that are more detailed and yet they were written by ME! a 21 yr old from Maidenhead!!! God, i mean, i appreciate the fact that if i hadn't left this so late to do, then perhaps my patience would be slightly more difficult to test, but then if we're looking at "IF"s then, IF Giddens had actually described what the hell it was that he was criticising, perhaps he'd have gone down in history as more of a great mind, rather than an author.

Maybe that's just the way these things work. Maybe it's not down to intelligence. From what i can see, the only intelligence illustrated in the sociology texts that i have read is that EVERY author writing their opinions conveniently forgets to describe the theory that they're reviewing, in a crude attempt to make their argument look stronger.

Any thoughts? Thank you once again for your time.
Yours Waiting for an 'F'
ADE THOMPSON~

For our reply, see Interdependence and Dualism

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