Residuality and inconsistency in the interpretation of socio-theoretical systems

Bouzanis, C. and Kemp, S. (2019) Residuality and inconsistency in the interpretation of socio-theoretical systems. Sociological Theory, 37(3), pp. 282-292. (doi: 10.1177/0735275119869973)

Abstract

This article addresses the interpretation and criticism of theoretical systems. Its particular focus is on how to assess the success of theories in dealing with some specific phenomenon. We are interested in how to differentiate between cases where a theory offers an unsatisfactory acknowledgement of a specified phenomenon and those where a theory offers a deeper, more systematic understanding. We address these meta-theoretical issues by developing Parsons’s analysis of positive and residual categories in various respects including a focus on mutual support as the basis of positivity, differentiating synectic (reconcilable) and antinomic (irreconcilable) residual categories, and distinguishing divisions that are central to systems from those between centre and periphery. We also consider how this conceptual toolkit can be put into practice.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Bouzanis, Dr Christoforos
• Authors: Bouzanis, C., and Kemp, S.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Accounting and Finance
• Journal Name: Sociological Theory
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• ISSN: 0735-2751
• ISSN (Online): 1467-9558
• Published Online: 29 August 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © American Sociological Association 2019
• First Published: First published in Sociological Theory 37(3):282-292
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy