Social structure

Social structure is one of the most controversial, yet at the same time crucial, concepts in sociological theory. It is a “powerful yet mystical metaphor”, according to Crothers [1996: vii], which touches upon some of the issues most important to social scientists, like the ambivalence between social action and systemic action. Nevertheless, many challenges present themselves when seeking to systematically examine the issue of social structure, particularly with respect to theoretical aspects. First of all, in the absence of a common definition, it is necessary to establish the concept’s boundaries. Second, in every single theoretical perspective, the emphasis is placed on specific components of social structure, as well as on certain types of relationships that connect these components. Lastly, the choice of which components to consider and which relationships to identify within the social structure can be ascribed not only to the consistency with the theoretical reference paradigm but also to the historic reality and social environment that each academic is rooted in. Therefore, this paper will seek to create a synthetic outline and, by virtue of necessity, a partial review of the various attributes of social structure as well.