Societal Steering in Theoretical Perspective:
‘Social Becoming’ as an Analytical Solution
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1
The School of Advanced Social Studies
in Nova Gorica
2
The School of Advanced Social Studies in Nova Gorica
Publication date: 2011-12-14
Polish Sociological Review 2011;176(4):457-468
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ABSTRACT
The authors are tackling the issue of strategic steering ofmodern societies. Strategic processes are
social processes, eventuating in a special field between individual and collective actors and the emergent
social structures. The analysis must therefore take both micro and macro level into account. Social dimensions
of these processes can be explained by the “social becoming” approach to the analysis of social reality.
Within this approach strategy is located on the level of agency, between individuality and totality. This is
the reason for “path-dependent” nature of strategic processes and of development, implying “choice within
constraints” approach. Strategic actors have freedom of strategic choice, but this choice is constrained by
the social structures and culture.