Structures, cultures and personal lives

Abstract

That people make their own history is a good starting point for any non-functionalist sociological analysis. Structures, cultures and personal lives exist in intricate, complicated relationships, and while the framework within which people’s lives are constructed poses sets of constraints, any deterministic analysis is inadequate in understanding the possibilities and limitations within which they operate. Though there are spaces for action, the framework assumes its centrality by pointing people in some directions while foreclosing others.