Rule Systems Theory: Applications and ExplorationsHelena Flam, Marcus Carson Explaining the complexity of social life remains the central challenge of the social sciences. This book offers a variety of theoretical-empirical explorations and applications inspired by an important neo-institutional approach to tackling this complexity - the rule systems theory. Its point of departure is the assumption that institutions and cultural formations possess causal powers and relative autonomy, constraining and enabling people's social actions and interactions. Structural and cultural properties of society are carried by, transmitted, and reformed by human agents whose interactions generate, reproduce, elaborate and transform structures. The contributors are highly accomplished economists, sociologists and political scientists who come from the US and several European countries. The book is meant as a Festschrift for Tom Burns, a central figure in the development of the rule systems theory. |
Contents
Notes on contributors | 9 |
SOCIOECONOMICS AND A NEW SCIENTIFIC PARADIGM | 39 |
AN OVERVIEW | 57 |
NEGOTIATION IN THE CONTEXT OF GENERALIZED | 85 |
ROUGH RULEFOLLOWING BY SOCIAL AGENTS | 103 |
LESSONS | 119 |
DARE WE DREAM OF A FUTURE WITHOUT AIDS? | 151 |
POLICY PARADIGMS | 171 |
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AS AN ARENA | 191 |
OPINION POLLING ON INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL | 229 |
THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF THE UNITED STATES | 243 |
GERMANY AND MIGRATION A EUROPEAN CASE | 263 |
SOCIAL RULE SYSTEM THEORY AND | 285 |
COULD HOMO OECONOMICUS BECOME | 299 |
Common terms and phrases
actions actors agents agreement approach authority basic Borda count Burns Burns/Flam c-satisfied causal challenges cognitive cognitive dissonance cognitive-normative concept condoms Condorcet's paradox conflict constitutes context core countries Croatia cultural decisions defined democracy discourses dissonance economic elites Energy Charter Energy Charter Treaty environmental European Union explanation Flam formulas framework game theory GATT German global goals GomoliĆska groups individual industry initial institutionalized interaction interests issues Jeffrey Sachs judgment labour major mechanisms ment migrants monads negotiation networks norms objects organizational organizations paradox particular parties partnered governance perspective policy paradigm political politology polls principles problem professional reference regulation regulatory republics rituals role Rough Sets rule complexes Rule System Theory shift situation social phenomena Social Rule System social sciences society socio-cognitive socio-economic Sociology strategies structure theorem tion tional tive Treaty University Press voters voting voting paradoxes Yugoslavia