New rules of sociological method

In this book, esteemed British sociologist, Anthony Giddens, first laid out his theory of 'structuration'. A prolific writer, his theories have since been expounded in many volumes, and a broad range of scholars have in turn applied his abstract methodologies to their specific fields. Hence, structuration exists as an underlying strain of theory in the study of policy networks.

Although New Rules of Sociological Method develops a highly complex argument, the basic tenet of structuration is in fact a simple, common-sense observation. Essentially, Giddens identifies a fundamental division within the social sciences between the notions of external 'structure' and human 'agency'. Giddens seeks to rationalise this dialectic by suggesting that social phenomena arise not from one or the other elements, but from both at once - in a mutually interacting duality. Furthermore, it follows that structure cannot exist outside of human action. Giddens defines structuration as: 'conditions governing the continuity of transformation of structures, and therefore the reproduction of social systems'.