Free Agents versus Structure

The debate between agency and structure revolves around the relationship between an individual's free will and societal structures. Sociologists have proposed various theories, including Pierre Bordeaux's concept of 'habitus', Berger and Luckmann's social construction of reality, and Anthony Giddens' structuration theory. The discussion highlights the complexity of this debate, with some arguing that society shapes individual personalities and habits, while others believe that individuals are autonomous agents who collectively shape society.

Free agents versus Structure
Introduction
If human motivations were constant and universal, and if the opportunity structure were entirely
a product of human interaction, then all variation in human action would be determined by social
structures (Powell, 2014). The relationship between a society and individual is a twisted one.
Individuals are what together make the society and the society in turn is what shapes the
individuals. There have been a number of debates and theories as to whether human beings are
autonomous individual bodies, making one's own laws and exhibiting their own free will, or
whether it is the society that gives individuals a personality, a way of life, structure. However,
the fact that a society is what is actually made up of individual personalities is what brings the
twist. It is like a never ending loop. Many sociologists have put forth their point of views,
explaining why they think whether the case is the former or the latter.
Different views
As mentioned above, there have been a number of debates and discussions and writers penning
down their personal thoughts as to why their theories are better or more correct. Over the years,
both sociologists and anthropologists have been captivated by the debate; correspondingly, they
have developed a myriad of theoretical perspectives which seek to address these concerns
(Mellinger, 2012). Most discussions can be divided into 3 categories, the one that show structure
to be more dominant, the others that feel that it is the free will of individuals that collectively
shapes the society and the third that conclude that both the agency and structure are by products
of each other set in a continuous loop. Below are a few of the most famous personalities who
have been pioneers in their fields and have done their fair share of research regarding this debate.
Pierre Bordeaux- One of the most famous theories given by the very famous Bordeaux was that
of ‘habitus’. He explains in his book called the “Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment
of Taste” the relationship between an individual and society. He compares it almost to a set up
where an individual is an agent who is set up in a field where the society acts as what would
define the individual depending upon his actions. He believes that the more an agent

comprehends his or her role in the society or "field", the more he becomes accustomed to certain
relationships as well as expectations. These later on take the shape of an individual's personality
and become his habits, thus using the word ‘habitus’. Instead of saying it one way or the other,
Pierre actually came to the conclusion of discovering a new found relationship between an
individual and the society.
Berger and Luckmann- Berger and Luckmann were other famous personalities, who were of the
opinion that the relationship between the society and an individual is dialectic, inter dependent
and a continuous, never ending loop. They coined the phrase “social construction of reality” and
explain it as a theory which says that a human being’s social interaction with other human as
well as his life experience are what form the basis of how the individual presents himself or
herself to the society.
Anthony Giddens- Anthony is another sociologist who has moved away from the debate of
agency versus structure. He believes that structure is in fact a medium as well as an outcome. He
believes that society and agents are two separate entities that happen to be mutually constitutive
of one another. Anthony developed the ‘structuration theory’ which acknowledges the interaction
of meaning, standards and values, and power and posits a dynamic relationship between these
different facets of society (Gibbs, 2017).
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is quite clear that the debate between agency and structure is a
complex study in addition to being a very demanding tour of different theoretical perspectives on
organizations (Luckman, 2008). It is a complicated study. What is real depends on how
individuals perceive as and how it gets perceived collectively by a society. While some people
have been of the opinion that society is more dominant in shaping the nature, habits and
personalities of individuals and society is what renders the lives of human beings with structure,
others oppose this theory. Many people have been firm believers of the fact that human beings
are autonomous and free agents. It is the human beings that collectively form the society and not
the other way round. Therefore, it can be concluded that social relationships are densely

intertwined with reasons, emotion, commitments, beliefs, and attitudes -- the aspects of
consciousness that make up agency and action (Little, 2011).
REFERENCES
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https://plutopress.wordpress.com/2015/04/01/fredrik-barth-an-intellectual-biography/
Little, D. (2011, march 19). New ideas about structure and agency. Retrieved september 24, 2017, from
Understanding Society: http://understandingsociety.blogspot.in/2011/03/new-ideas-about-structure-
and-agency.html
Luckman, P. L. (2008). The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. The
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Sciences. Retrieved september 24, 2017, from Doing Modernity: Using Critical Interactionism to Study
Everyday Life: http://doingmodernity.blogspot.in/2012/03/understanding-structure-and-agency.html
Powell, C. (2014, march 14). Structure and Agency. Retrieved september 23, 2017, from The Practical
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