Universität zu Köln

Kalter, Frank and Kroneberg, Clemens ORCID: 0000-0001-8838-1087 (2014). Between Mechanism Talk and Mechanism Cult: New Emphases in Explanatory Sociology and Empirical Research. Koln. Z. Soziol. Sozialpsych., 66. S. 91 - 116. WIESBADEN: SPRINGER VIEWEG-SPRINGER FACHMEDIEN WIESBADEN GMBH. ISSN 1861-891X

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

The study of mechanisms has received increased attention in recent years and contributed to the formation of so-called 'analytical sociology' that has put the idea of social mechanisms at its core. We discuss the crucial characteristics of mechanism-based explanations and their relation to the longstanding tradition of explanatory sociology. Looking at the widespread and growing number of references to 'mechanisms' in the current research literature, we identify typical deviations from the ideal of a mechanism-based explanation. Many references come down to mechanism talk insofar as it is not explicated in detail how and why particular inputs tend to result in particular outputs. To this end, researchers have to give a detailed verbal account of how exactly a mechanism is thought to unfold under specified conditions, or to specify a formal generative model which can be analysed analytically or by simulation. This agenda has been at the core of methodological individualism, sociological rational choice theory, and explanatory sociology for some time, but has received a new coat of whitewash by analytical sociology. This more recent theoretical movement offers a fresh problem-centred agenda based on the well-known macro-micro-macro model and could inspire a new generation of research that places greater weight on analysing social dynamics than on developing theories of action. However, we submit that, rather than constituting a competing approach, these impulses should be located within the longstanding and multifaceted explanatory agenda in sociology. Avoiding any form of mechanism cult and

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Kalter, Frank UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Kroneberg, Clemens UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0001-8838-1087 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-431265
DOI:	10.1007/s11577-014-0272-7
Journal or Publication Title:	Koln. Z. Soziol. Sozialpsych.
Volume:	66
Page Range:	S. 91 - 116
Date:	2014
Publisher:	SPRINGER VIEWEG-SPRINGER FACHMEDIEN WIESBADEN GMBH
Place of Publication:	WIESBADEN
ISSN:	1861-891X
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Management, Economy and Social Sciences
Divisions:	Center of Excellence C-SEB Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Sociology and Social Psychology > Department of Scociology
Subjects:	Social sciences Economics
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY; MODEL Multiple languages Psychology, Social; Sociology Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/43126