Hi, Giddens would support a blending of these positions in his Theory of Structuration. He allows for creative individual agency within the context of these structures. IB ---- Original message ----

Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 07:18:11 +1000 From: "Kevin Tharp" <k.tharp@cqu.edu.au> Subject: [Air-l] structuration To: <air-l@aoir.org>

I suggested:

...

Similar to the concept of community (dare I use such word in educated company), it is not the infrastructure that makes the community, it is the people that make the community. The community is then supported by the infrastructure.

To Which Jonathon Marshall replied:

...

I'd suggest that the infrastructure is not quite that passive. The infra structure allows certain types of community to form, and is in turn shaped by the politics of that community and may reinforce those politics. The more permanent the structure the more it enstructures. But even a permanent shifting structure enables certain behaviours more than others.

I Absolutely agree! This is much in the vein of Giddens structuration, which is a balance between determinism and social shaping. I still stand by my conviction that it is not the infrastructure that makes the community it is the people. Without the people, there is no community. Perhaps it would have been better stated, "the community is then supported and shaped by the interaction of the people and the infrastructure."

Regards, Kevin W. Tharp

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