Rational Choice Theory: Advocacy and Critique

261 Pages·1992·9.31 MB·English

by  James Samuel Coleman

RATIONAL CHOICE
THEORY
Advocacy and Critique
Edited by
JAMES S. COLEMAN
THOMAS J. FARARO
CONTRIBUTORS:
PETER ABELL
JAMES BOHMAN
JAMES S. COLEMAN
THOMAS J. FARARO
DEBRA FRIEDMAN
MICHAEL T. HANNAN
MICHAEL HECHTER
SATOSHI KANAZAWA
SIEGWART LINDENBERG
MARGARET MOONEY MARlNl
RICHARD M~~NCH
THOMAS J. SCHEFF
DAVID SClULLl
DAVID WILLER
KEY ISSUES IN
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
SERIES EDITORS:
JEFFREY C. ALEXANDER
JONATHAN H. TURNER

RATIONAL CHOICE
THEORY
KEY IS,SUES IN
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
Series Editors
JEFFREY C. ALEXANDER, University of California, Los Angeles
& JONATHAN H. TURNER, University of California, Riverside
This series of annual publications is designed to crystallize key issues in
contemporary theoretical debate. Each year, the chair of the Theory Section
of the American Sociological Association has the authority to organize a
'conference within a conference" at the annual meeting. The intention is
to provide a forum for intensive public discussion of an issue that has
assumed overriding theoretical importance. After the miniconference, the
chair assumes the role of volume editor and, subject to final approval by
the series editors, prepares a volume based on the reworked conference
papers.
We hope that this periodic focusing of theoretical energy will strengthen the
"disciplinary matrix" upon which theoretical progress in every science
depends. Theoretical consensus may be impossible, but disciplinary inte-
gration is not. Only if a solid infrastructure is provided can communication
am~ng~differeonrtie ntations be carried out in the kind of ongoing, continu-
ous way that is so necessary for mutual understanding and scientifically
constructive criticism.
Volumes in this series:
1. Neofunctionalism
edited by Jeffrey C. Alexander
2. The Marx-Weber Debate
edited by Norbert Wiley
3. Theory Building in Sociology:
Assessing Theoretical Cumulation
edited by Jonathan H. Turner
4. Feminism and Sociological Theory
edited by Ruth A. Wallace
5. Intellectuals and Politics:
Social Theory in a Changing World
edited by Charles C. Lemert
6. Metatheorizing
edited by George Ritzer
7. Rational Choice Theory:
Advocacy and Critique
edited by James S. Coleman and Thomas J. Fararo
MIONAL CHOICE
THEORY
Advocacy and Critique
Edited by
JAMES S. COLEMAN
THOMAS J. FARARO
KEY ISSUES IN
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
SAGE Publications
International Educational and Professional Publisher
Newbury Park London New Delhi
Copyright O 1992 by Sage Publications, Inc.
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Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rational choice theory: advocacy and critique/edited by James S.
Coleman, Thomas J. Fararo.
p. cm.-(Key issues in sociological theory ; 7)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-8039-4761-5 (cl) - ISBN 0-8039-4762-3 (pb)
1. Sociology-Methodology. 2. Social exchange. 3. Choice
(Psychology) 4. Rationalism. I. Coleman, James Samuel, 1926-
11. Fararo, Thomas J. 111. Series.
HM24.R33 1992
301'.01-dc20 92-15932
CIP
9 2 9 3 9 4 9 5 9 6 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Sage Production Editor: Judith L. Hunter
CONTENTS
Preface vii
Introduction
JAMES S. COLEMAN and
THOMAS J. FARARO ix
PART I: THEMES OF ADVOCACY
1. Advocacy within a methodology of theory
development
SIEGWART LINDENBERG, "The Method of
Decreasing Abstraction"
2. Advocacy within a broader scheme of purposive
action
MARGARET MOONEY MARINI, "The Role
of Models of Purposive Action in Sociology"
3. Advocacy for a theory of exchange and coercion
DAVID WILLER, "The Principle of Rational
Choice and the Problem of a Satisfactory
Theory"
4. Advocacy for a theory of social order
MICHAEL HECHTER, DEBRA FRIEDMAN,
and SATOSHI KANAZAWA, "The
Attainment of Global Order in
Heterogeneous Societies"
PART 11: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES
5. A microsociological critique
THOMAS J. SCHEFF, "Rationality and
Emotion: Homage to Norbert Elias"
6. A macrosociological critique
MICHAEL T. HANNAN, "Rationality and
Robustness in Multilevel Systems"
7. A neofunctionalist critique
RICHARD MUNCH, "Rational Choice
Theory: A Critical Assessment of Its
Explanatory Power"
8. A normative critique
DAVID SCIULLI, "Weaknesses in Rational
Choice Theory's Contribution to
Comparative Research"
PART.111: METATHEORY: RATIONAL
CHOICE PRO AND CON
9. Advocacy
PETER ABELL, "Is Rational Choice Theory a
Rational Choice of Theory?"
10. Critique
JAMES BOHMAN, "The Limits of Rational
Choice Explanationq
About the Authors
PREFACE
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, the Theoretical Sociology Section
of the American Sociological Association has called on its elected
Chair to organize a miniconference around a theme chosen by the
Chair. The conference is held at the annual meetings of the asso-
ciation, and the papers are published by Sage Publications in the
following year. For the 1991 meetings, held in Cincinnati, the Chair
was James S. Coleman. Following on his choice of the theme of
"Rational Choice Theory: Advocacy and Critique," Thomas J. Fararo
joined him in organizing and moderating the two sessions de-
voted to the theme and also joined in the subsequent editing of the
book. Followfig the usual section procedures, the papers were
partly invited and partly self-initiated. The latter category turned
out to be rather large, a situation to which we adapted in part by
expanding the number of papers on the program.
To help stimulate ideas, the October 1990 issue of Perspectives,
the section's newsletter, contained a "Message From the Chair"
that announced and elaborated on the theme. That message is now
part of our introduction to this volume.
We were pleased by the very large attendance at the sessions
and by the efforts of our participants, which led to some exciting
intellectual exchanges on what constitutes one of the more contro-
versial areas of current theorizing in sociology.
JAMES S. COLEMAN
THOMAS J. FARARO
June 1992