Social Skill and the Theory of Fields

Abstract

The problem of the relationship between actors and the social structures in which they are embedded is central to sociological theory. This paper suggests that the "new institutionalist" focus on fields, domains, or games provides an alternative view of how to think about this problem by focusing on the construction of local orders. This paper criticizes the conception of actors in both rational choice and sociological versions of these theories. A more sociological view of action, what is called "social skill", is developed. The idea of social skill originates in symbolic interactionism and is defined as the ability to induce cooperation in other. This idea is elaborated to suggest how actors are important to the construction and reproduction of local orders. I show how its elements already inform existing work.Finally, I show how the idea can sensitize scholars to the role of actors in empirical work.

Exploring Identifications in the Transnational Social Sphere: The Potential of Social Fields

“…Intersubjective practice, which is based on an inter-subjective habitus (Bottero, 2010), seems to be close to the idea of a social skill proposed by Fligstein (2001). It means that actors have to motivate others to cooperate and express the ability to engage others in collective action.…”

“…Adams, 2006). The concept of social field has been recognised as holding the potential to efficiently confront the issue of agency and structure and it has also informed many empirical findings (Fligstein, 2001)…”

“…It also refers to micro-macro phenomena in the social reality and thus enables a more integrative perspective on social processes and social change. The unit of analysis can thus be simultaneously composed of social networks and other social forces and individuals or collective agents (Fligstein, 2001;Fløysand and Jakobsen, 2007;Beckert, 2010). It is also a useful concept for exploring identifications in a social world where social, economic and cultural connectivity has increased, and the nature of individual consciousness, people's motivation to pursue their ends and the extent of their freedom from external influences have become a challenging theoretical and empirical task.…”

“…Local order (cf. Fligstein, 2001) in which individuals take their actions and simultaneously produce meanings with regard to each other's behaviour emerges through a set of social forces. The focus is on the idea that different aspects of identity can be related to the features of situated intersubjectivity, while intersubjective practice is experienced not just in terms of dispositions to act but also as a relation to the expectations and influence of the concrete networks of others (Bottero, 2010:16).…”

Habilidades sociais no mercado de leite

“…Para Fligstein (1999), o objetivo básico da ação é obter a cooperação dos outros atores, sendo esse o resultado de identidades coletivas, mais do que de interesses individuais. A habilidade para obter cooperação pode ser vista genericamente como uma habilidade social cuja base cognitiva vem da psicologia social, em especial da corrente do interacionismo simbó-lico (Mead, 1934), segundo a qual os indivíduos agem conforme suas crenças e valores, sendo esses os princípios elementares de sua identidade.…”