Abstract

CLARK, William Roberts. Agents and Structures: Two Views of Preferences, Two Views of Institutions.Translated byRafael Morales Ramírez,  Víctor Alarcón Olguín. Polis [online]. 2005, vol.1, n.1, pp.237-284. ISSN 2594-0686.

Two analytically distinct approaches to the study of domestic politics have been referred to as the new institutionalism. The fundamental difference between the two brands of institutionalism can be seen in the way they handle the relationship between agents and structures. Structure-based approaches to institutions give ontological primacy to structures and view agents as being constituted by them. Agency-centered approaches view human agents as ontologically primitive and view institution as structures that are create by goal-maximizing individuals. The two approaches are compared, with special attention given to the way they treat the preferences that actors hold. I argue that contrary to arguments made by many structure-based theorists, the agency-centered approach is capable of contributing to discussions regarding the sources of actor preferences. A limited-information model of the strategic interaction between workers and capitalists is used to demonstrate ways in which the agency-centered approach can begin to make preferences endogenous.

Keywords : new institutionalism; rational choice theory; structuralism; social agencies; public policies.

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