300011 What are social mechanisms? Theoretical and empirial approaches (S) (SoSe 2010)

Some sociologists have recently argued that a major aim of sociological inquiry is to identify the mechanisms by which cause and effect relationships in the social world come about. However, there are several concepts of how social mechanisms should be conceived of: observable versus non observable; palpable, situation-specific ones versus abstract general principles; formal versus substantive mechanisms. But all of them rely on some concept of actors, though not necessarily RC-based.
To discuss the possible benefits of the mechanisms approach in general and of specific variants we rely mainly on examples in the field of social inequality research.

Requirements for participation, required level

Participants are encouraged to present and discuss in English. However, you may switch between English and German if necessary. I would be pleased if as many students as possible will have the heart to try it out.

Bibliography

Reskin, B., 2003: Including Mechanisms in Our Models of Ascriptive Inequality, in: American Sociological Review 68, 1–21.
Gross, N., 2009: A Pragmatist Theory of Social Mechanisms. American Sociological Review 74:358–379.
Therborn, G., 2006: Inequalities of the World: New Theoretical Frameworks, Multiple Empirical Approaches. London: Verso.