Theoretical Approach

1:
Structuration Theory

Mevit 3220 / 4220

Media and Globalisation

Sarah Chiumbu 20 September 2007

 Last Lecture

Discussed the political economy and

cultural studies approaches to global media
 This lecture
First in the series of the Theoretical approaches:
Structuration theory
Network & Information society theories
Global Flows theories
Time-space disjuncture
First part of the lecture: Introducing
structuration theory
Second part of the lecture: How it relates to
media studies
Third part: summaries from the the curriculum
 Theory of Structuration
Outlined by Anthony Giddens, Professor of
Sociology in a book The Constitution of
Society: Outline of a Theory of
Structuration (1984).
Theory attempts to reconcile the
theoretical dichomities of social systems:
Agency/structure
Subjective/objective
Micro/macro
 Theory of Structuration
Structuration theory aims to explain social practices across
space and time by viewing action and social structure as
linked by their interdependency
Human agency (human action) and social structure each act
as an enabling condition of the other
The balancing of agency (action) and structure is referred to
as the duality of structure: social structures make social
action possible, and at the same time social action creates
those very structures
Duality of structure is always the main grounding of
continuities in social reproduction across time and space
 Theory of Structuration II
Giddens identifies 3 types of structures in
social systems:
Signification: producing meaning through
discursive practices
Legimitation: produces moral order via societal
norms, values and standards
Domination: produces power, originating from
the control of resources
 Theory of Structuration III
Structural dimensions of social systems:
Structure(s) Theoretical Domain Institutional Order
Signification Theory of coding Symbolic
orders/modes of
discourse
Domination Theories of Political institutions
resource Economic
authorisation/resou institutions
rce allocation
Legitimation Theory of normative Legal institutions
legitimation
 Theory of Structuration IV
Knowledgeable agency:
People (actors) in structuration theory are
knowledgeable agents with the capacity to transform
situations. They are not merely passive or cultural
dopes of institutional or structural arrangements
As knowledgeable agents, humans use interpretive
schemes to constitute and communicate meaning and
then take action with intentional and unintended
consequences
 Theory of Structuration V
Allocative and authoritative resources:
Allocative resources:Material resources
involved in the generation of power, including
the natural environment and physical artifacts;
allocative resouorces derive from human
domination over nature.
Authoritarian reosurces:Non-mateial
resources, meaning the power to harness the
activities of other people.
 Theory of Structuration
Key Terms, Concepts & Definition
Institutions: the practices that have the greatest time-space
extension within societal totalities (Giddens, 1984: 17)
Structure: Rules and resources, recursively implicated in the
reproduction of social systems (p.6). Structure is the medium &
outcome of action.
Structuration: The production and reproduction of the social
systems through members use of rules and resources in
interaction (p.25)
Agency: Humans ability to take action; the specific behaviours
or activities in which humans engage
Rules: techniques applied in the enactment/reproduction of
social practices
Resources: anything that can be used as a source of power in a
social interaction
 How does this all relate to
media?
To understand the media as an institutional
and symbolic power, media theory must
be based upon general social theory. The
double character of the media institutions
both concrete enterprises of financial,
political and social significance, and
makers of products of symbolic character
requires theories with a corresponding
double character (duality of structure)
(James Lull, 1995, 2001).
 How does this all relate
to the media?
Ideology, hegemony, rules, power, popular culture, media
effects, the active audience, social institutions, technology
& globalisation can be analysed through the broad
parameters of structuration theory.
For e.g. ideological expression and power relations
contained in and suggested by large-scale structures,
intersect local environments, each with its own resources,
relations and rules
While people may select, interpret and use media
programming in clever ways socially and culturally, their
selections and interpretation, and uses are influenced by
their domestic relationships, social relationships and the
cultural contexts in which particular social relations are
embedded (James Lull, 1995:169-170).
 How does this relate to the
media?
Structuration theory useful to study mediated globalisation
across time and space. Giddens is concerned not only with
the experience of the individual, nor the existence of any
form of societal totality, but social practices. Hence media
and communication practices are essential in the process of
which the outcome is mediated globalisation. A focus on
mediated globalisation takes into account both global
awareness and experiences- focuses on both micro worlds
(peoples experience) and macro processes (globalisaiton).
(Rantanen, 2005: 12)
 Class discussion

How can structuration theory be used to

analyse new media use?
 Structuration theory
and new media
People interpret, integrate and use different forms of ICT for
the creation, storage & distribution of information &
knowledge across space and time
ICTs as a non-living resource, dependent on human agency
for incorporation into the structuring of human institutional
life
Interaction between human agent & technology -ICTs are
created and changed by human action, yet they are also
used by humans to accomplish some action (duality of
structure).
Communication technologies consist of and is reproduced by
rules and resources (Rasmussen, 2000:24)
The concept of time-space distanciation/compression useful
to study new social relations and new forms of interaction
made possible by ICTs.
 Mass Media & Society
Two chapters from Mass Media & Society
are relevant for this lecture:
Chadha & Kavoori
Hallini & Mancini
 Chanda & Kavoori
Globalisation and National Media Systems
Media and globalisation intertwined and their relationship
is not merely instrumental- the media play an important
role as drivers of globalisation, they simultaneously
engage with and transformed by its dynamics
Chadha & Kavoori focus on the interplay between the
processes of globalisation and the media systems in the
context of the nation states.
They move beyond the global-local dichotomy in
analysing national media systems
 Hallini & Mancini
Comparing Media Systems
Identifies and compares three media systems
models. Agents and structures can be
identified in the three models
The Polarised Pluralistic Model (Southern Europe)
The Democratic Corporatist Model (north/central
Europe)
The Liberal Model (North America)
 Messages
No lecture on 27 September
Lecture on 4 October Globalisation &
Hollywood has been moved to 8 November. So
no lecture on 4 October.
Opening of the Films From the South week on 4
October at 18h00 (running from 4 -11 Oct)
Guest lecture on 18 Oct by Elizabeth Eide has
changed to The Caricature Controversy: A Local
Media Event turning Global