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
resource
authorisation/resou
rce allocation

Political institutions
Economic
institutions

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