The Theory of Structuration and Multidimensional Theory

Few would challenge the notion that social reality is created by human agents operating in the pre-existing social structure. However, social theorists are divided over how structure and agencies are related. Anthony Giddens’ structuration theory and Jeffrey Alexander’s multidimensional theory represent efforts to overcome the basic dualism of “interpretative” and “structural” sociology. Both theories attempt to explain the historical processes engendering the structures that mold human social life and strive to overcome the problem of dualism between structure and agency. In this paper, Giddens’ structuration theory and Alexander’s multidimensional theory are assessed in light of the question of whether they have contributed any insights not already anticipated in the classical tradition of sociological thinking. The paper argues that both Giddens and Alexander largely fail to accomplish this task of convergence. It is also argued that while Giddens work shows an inclination toward a micro direction, Alexander ultimately leans toward an extreme macro level of social reality.