Concepts in Conduct in Social Worlds - Essay Example

?CONDUCT Table of Content Introduction Ideology of Agency ……………………………………………………………………………2 Structural Sociology…………………………………………………………………………… 3 Techniques of the body ……………………………………………………………………….. 4 Historical Sociology…………………………………………………………………………… 5 Governmental Rationality……………………………………………………………………… 6 Influences in Extremities……………………………………………………………………….. 7 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………… 8 References………………………………………………………………………………………9 Critically discuss the key concepts in Conduct that explain our agency in social worlds and the influences upon it. In doing so, draw upon three sources of material – from academic texts or ‘real life’ situations – external to the course texts. Ideology of a term: CONDUCT Conduct is a word which gives us a simple idea about a human behavior in different aspects of life but when considering under the study of sociology ,it tells us that how deep rooted this issue is. It not only builds a personality of an individual but highly contributes in developing a society. According to the theories of different sociologists, Conduct is something which gives us an argument about gestures, manners, norms, attributes and techniques of a human being according to which one leads his/her life individually or in a community. It not only refers to a manner in which people leads their life but also how ones behavior varies in a particular situations, circumstances, or occasions. For example conduct changes of an agency under extreme influences either happy or sad it depends on the extremity of a situation. Parallel issue of an agency In relevance to the topic of Conduct, there is an issue taken parallel is known as an Agency which is defined as a capacity or capability of an individual according to his/her free will. There are two major strategies of sociology to deal with this issue: Structural Sociology and Action-oriented Sociology. Structural sociology over inner principle Structural Sociological studies approaches with theories of action and agency nonetheless reproduce the idea of an individual and society as two different separate entities by proposing that social order and human conduct are the product of the interaction of fundamentally free human being without any external constraint or pressure. Here inner principle comes in consideration that how it operates an agency .Inner principle gives a major contribution of one’s conduct which is either polished by religious preaching or personality grooming through different institutions. The basic feature of the inner principle is self directed individual agent and is undoubtedly a real capacity but it is not the foundation of these abilities and it does not provide an explanation for the development of a social network. An example which can help us understand the term an agent influencing a conduct of a person is when a child delivers a message to a parent that your friend is there on the phone so the parent if unwilling to attend the call instruct a child to go and give an untrue reason, this is from where a parent acting as an agent starts spoiling an innocent mind. Relation between Structure and an Agency Furthermore, Structure and agency inter relates in a manner that when we analyze the teacher occupation to show how the agent influences the structure in society , the structure is both an outcome of agent action and shape agency action , in this case we show how the agent shapes the structure in the society with reference to the teacher role in the society .The agent and the structure :The teacher can be viewed as an agent of change , his role is to educate and also instill discipline to the students , a teacher is an important role in the society and actions performed in this role will determine changes in the structure .A teacher will make changes to the structure of education in order to achieve high levels of success for his students , the teacher will set rules and regulations in the education structure to achieve success , one example is where the teacher may make changes to the structure whereby he or she may require students to report early to school , giving internal exams to the students every week . These actions by the agent will change the system over time as his actions will be formalized and adopted by other institutions if these methods are seen to improve performance of the students .The teacher will also influence the social system in many other ways ,for example a teacher may incite others to demand higher pay , better working conditions , better housing and allowances , when the agents fight for the common goal they will make changes to the structure where teachers will now be paid higher incomes and be offered better working conditions .Conclusion :From the above discussion therefore it is clear that an agent may influence the structure in the society , an agent will seem to be controlled by the system but on another point of view the agent will determine the structure in the society . Note:Simon Carter,lecturer in sociology at Open University Techniques of the body An example laid by Marcel Mauss about her personal experience she had when she was a girl that how the nuns used to scold a girl if she walks with loose open hands rather than with closed fists and straight body .She also once had an experience in 1980 with her gymnastic teacher who was a graduate from a top university but taught her to run with a closed fist at chest. This example conveys a message that mannerism and conduct is being build by agencies surrounding us. All this study tells us the techniques of the body that how small things make a difference in a social world and how bit and pieces can be jot down together to form a healthy, groomed and a respectable society. In addition to this study by Marcel Mauss about body language in different aspects, we can see that how the high officials of a society move while in public, they have to maintain a specific code of conduct which is being specially taught to them before they take over a position. High officials include a president of a country who has to carry and maintain an image of a nation, for example how simple his/her nature is but he has to be selective and sophisticated on every step he/she takes. Historical sociology by Norbert Elias Building a society is not only a part of an individual working at their ends but a theory is being offered by Norbert Elias that the pacification of manners in social encounters and internal pacification of territory plays a major role in the formation of a modern state. While there is no doubt much to be learned from general sociological discussion of the relations between social structure and human being. Norbert Elias, taking the issue in historical sociology said that as more and more people become entangled in the web of interdependence, as they were pressurized to live at peace with one another, this would automatically result in the development of more intricate mechanism of habitual self-restraint from generation to generation. Moreover if taking conduct and agency critically, I would like to add that communities should work on to give the best ways for people to cope without external pressure but should keep a keen eye on the factors influencing an individual and creating moral slack back through which they take different shortcuts to fulfill their drawbacks. Taking this issue in consideration sociologist have given a solution on a larger screen for governments to work on. Foot Note: Paul du Gay : Professor of organizational behavior at Warwick Business school. Governmental rationality by Foucault According to Foucault, a form of an activity should to be given to masses which aim to shape up the conduct of each individual, like to form the conduct of conduct. This covers the basic government rationality, for example new ways were introduce to people to provide them their independence through self service at different modern malls, super markets and departmental stores, this not only maintain a privacy of an agency but also cater them with space to do things according to their free will. The image of a country is reflected by the conduct of the communities living within its territory so government should work massively over this subsided issue which can result tremendously in the progression of a nation. It can be done through schools, different social working agencies and setting up different progressive and involving activities for the people and catering them according to their ages, but the best to work on is the youth which carries the generations ahead. This issue not only requires a large amount of investment in different sectors to cater the majority and to groom their conduct. This would also design and bring in more responsibility to an agency working over it. It is accepted that one bad fish can spoil the pond, taking this example on a large screen; Government should work to provide and design a conduct to carry a conduct on each individual. Reference :Liz Mc Fall,lecturer in sociology at open university. Influences in extremities Different sociologist have designed and worked over different statistical graphs and charts to show the issue clearly for an agency to understand. For example, taking military into our discussion, a large amount of economy is dedicated for a military of a country, which involves the training of each agency with number of external bounding, even the distances between two military operators is decided while they have their march or parade. This involves a lot of pressure and bounding on an agency to get them trained because it is believed that human being is not naturally designed on a same line on conduct so to have a uniform output from a large number of individuals at any certain occasion, a code of conduct becomes a major part of their lives. This is an important point not least because it tends to go against the grain of the considerable body of sociological theory that approaches the question of the formation and regulation of personal conduct and capacities by focusing upon the subject of Human Agency. Futhermore if considering the influence upon an agency in different extreme situation or circumstances ,it can be viewed that how a conduct changes if there is an alarm for any natural disaster but an agency if educated and moralized act in an entirely differently then an agency with uncontrolled conduct.The conduct which is not designed naturally but based on religious beliefs,social practices and surrounding techniques. Conclusion Winding up the discussion after including all the issues being discussed by number of different sociologists by taking the conduct and the parallel topic of agency , a lot of different solutions, thoughts ideas come over to improve the conduct if taken the right measures on a large scale. After a Critical discussion and a personal analytical report a writer comes to a conclusion that a conduct is not naturally conceived by an agency, it has to be built and designed by ruling and governing bodies which not only depends or starts from a government level whereas it begins with the very next second one comes in the age of understanding .An agency can be in a mode of a teacher, parent, guardian, any official or any individual who is required to fulfill its part and responsibility as a responsible citizens. It not only grooms the present of the nation but also glorifies the future of the generation. It is believed that each drop includes a volume to a sea this is how it works in a social world that each positive efforts puts an encouraging affect on it.Therefore,a conduct should be moralized and motivated of an agency through an agency. Thus it is an inter connected chain continued from generations to generations. Bibliography: Book: The Civilizing Process by Nobert Elias( 2000-1939) Reading Source: Marcel Mauss 1973 {1935} Reference : The Times,17th august 1972 given in book Conduct by Mc Fall Book: The History of Manners ,the first volume of The Civilizing Process by Norbert Elias Read More