Reflexive self-organization and path dependency in institutionalization processes

Bobrova, Maria and Kümpel, Arndt (2010): Reflexive self-organization and path dependency in institutionalization processes.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to work toward developing evolutionary reasoning in the social sciences. Along with that, we argue to overcome the artificial divide of natural and social science for the sake of understanding behaviour. We make the case for an evolutionary and culturally sensitive view on longsurviving institutions and its base - individual behaviour. By taking into consideration the unsatisfying answers in the debate on structure and agency, we emphasize the importance of resonance for evolution and stability. We use case studies to make the point for an evolutionary understanding of institutions and to reflect on institutional path dependency.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Institutionalizion, behavioural and institutional path dependancy, reflexive self-organization, historic institutionalism, methodological individualism
• Subjects: A - General Economics and Teaching > A1 - General Economics > A13 - Relation of Economics to Social Values; Z - Other Special Topics > Z1 - Cultural Economics ; Economic Sociology ; Economic Anthropology > Z13 - Economic Sociology ; Economic Anthropology ; Social and Economic Stratification; B - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches > B2 - History of Economic Thought since 1925 > B25 - Historical ; Institutional ; Evolutionary ; Austrian

References

Bauer, J. 2007 Prinzip Menschlichkeit. Warum wir von Natur aus kooperieren. 5th edition, Hamburg: Hoffmann und Campe

Bjorkoe, J. A. 2009 Starting From The Heart, Copenhagen: Kofoed’s School Publications

Bobrova, M. 2004 The Issue of Civil Society. Pre-Collapse Practice and Post-Collapse Civil Awareness in Eastern Europe, in: Kofoed’s School International Newsletter, No.6, 2004, pp. 17-30, accessed at: http://www.kofoedsskole.dk/media/8877b68e-faab-4843-aa04-4ad5b4c5209f-Newsletter%206.pdf

Boyd, R.; Richerson, P. J. 2008 Gene-Culture Coevolution and the Evolution of Social Institutions, In: Engel, C.; Singer, W. (eds.): Better than Conscious? Decision Making, the Human Mind, and Implications for Institutions. Cambridge MA, pp. 305. accessed at: http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/anthro/ faculty/boyd/BoydRichersonBetterThanConciousness08.pdf

Burgess, J. P. 2009 Orthodox resurgence: Civil religion in Russia. accessed at: http://www.georgefox. edu/academics/undergrad/departments/soc-swk/ree/Burgess_Orthodox _ May 2009.pdf

Green, D. G. 2000 Civil Society. The Guiding Philosophy and Research Agenda of the Institute for the Study of Civil Society, Trowbridge: The Cromwell Press

Bourdeaux, M.; Rowe, M. (eds) 1980 May One Believe - in Russia? Violations of Religious Liberty in the Soviet Union, London: Darton, Longman and Todd Calef, S. 2005 Dualism and Mind, in: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. accessed at: http://www.iep.utm.edu/evo-epis/

Cramer, F. 1998 Symphonie des Lebendigen. Versuch einer allgemeinen Resonanztheorie, 2nd Edition, Frankfurt a. M.: Insel

Fehr, E. 2009 On the Economics and Biology of Trust, in: Journal of the European Economic Association April–May 2009 7(2–3):235–266, accessed at: http://www.iew.uzh.ch/institute/people/fehr/publications/FEHR_Economics_and_Biology_of_Trust.pdf

Gontier, N. 2006 Evolutionary Epistemology, in: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. accessed at: http://www.iep.utm.edu/evo-epis/

Greif, A.; Tabellini, G. 2009 Cultural and Institutional Bifurcation: China and Europe Compared, accessed at: ftp://ftp.igier.unibocconi.it/wp/2009/357.pdf

Haack, S. 2005 Not Cynicism, but Synechism: Lessons from Classical Pragmatism, accessed at: http://www.as.miami.edu/phi/haack/SYNECHIS.pdf

Heinsohn, G. 1997 Die Erschaffung der Götter. Das Opfer als Ursprung der Religion. Reinbek bei Hamburg: Rowohlt

Henriksen, L.S., 1996 Voluntary organisations and local government: lessons from a Danish case study, Voluntas, 7 (2), p.177-194

Klausen, K.K.; Selle, P. 1996 The third sector in Scandinavia, Voluntas, (7) 2, p. 99-122

Kümpel, A. 2005 On crystallization of democratic consolidation, pp.74. accessed at: http://www.szf.lu.lv/files/petnieciba/publikacijas/04-114_Negotiating Futures_17.pdf

Large, J. 1997 The War Next Door: a study of second track intervention during the war in ex- Yugoslavia, Stroud: Hawthorn Press

Lelkes, O. 2002 Tasting freedom: Happiness, religion and economic transition. accessed at: http://www.euro.centre.org/data/1196258294_82387.pdf

Luhmann, N. 1984 Soziale Systeme: Grundriss einer allgemeinen Theorie. Frankfurt a.M.: Suhrkamp

Luhmann, N. 2000 Die Religion der Gesellschaft, Frankfurt a.M.: Suhrkamp

Mayntz, R.; Scharpf, F. W. 1995 Der Ansatz des akteurszentrierten Institutionalismus, in: Mayntz, R.; Scharpf, F. W. (eds.): Gesellschaftliche Selbstregelung und politische Steuerung, Frankfurt a. M., New York: Campus

Mchedlov, M. 2000 Historical, legal and dogmatic factors, accessed at: http://www.nasledie.ru/politvnt/19_13/ article.php?art=65

Meldgaard, O. 2001 State and civil society, Kofoed’s School International Newsletter, No.4, p. 15-18

Michnik, A. 2001 Church and State in Eastern Europe, East European Constitutional Review, 7(2), accessed at: http://www.law.nyu.edu/EECR

Millard, F. 1997 The Influence Of The Catholic Hierarchy In Poland, 1989-96, Journal of European Social Policy, 7(2), p. 83-99 Oxfam 2010. Accessed at: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whoweare/pages/faq

Ploog, D. 1997 Epilog: Das soziale Gehirn des Menschen, in: Meier, H.; Ploog, D. (eds.): Der Mensch und sein Gehirn – Die Folgen der Evolution, 2nd Edition, München; Zürich: Piper

Potel, J. -Y. 1982 The Summe Before The Frost. Solidarity in Poland, London: Pluto Press

Putnam, R. D. 1992 Making Democracy Work. Civic Traditions in Modern Italy, Princeton: Princeton University Press

Ranci, C. 1994 The third sector in welfare policies in Italy: the contradictions of a protected market, Voluntas, (5) 3, p. 247-271

Rizzolatti, G.; Sinigaglia, C. 2008 Empathie und Spiegelneurone. Die biologische Basis des Mitgefühls. Frankfurt a. M.: Suhrkamp

Schmidt, V. 2003 The Boundaries of “Bounded Generalizations”: Discourse as the Missing Factor in Actor-Centered Institutionalism, in: Mayntz, R.; Streeck, W. (eds.): Die Reformierbarkeit der Demokratie – Innovationen und Blockaden. pp.318, Frankfurt a. M., New York: Campus., accessed at: http://www.mpi-fg-koeln.mpg.de/pu/mpifg_book/mpifg_bd_45.pdf

Singer, W. 1990 Development of plasticity of cortical processing architectures, in: Science 270, pp.758

Singer, W. 2002 Der Beobachter im Gehirn. Essays zur Hirnforschung. Frankfurt a. M.: Suhrkamp

Singer, W. 2003 Die Evolution der Kultur, in: Fischer, E.P.; Wiegandt, K. (eds.): Evolution. Geschichte und Zukunft des Lebens. pp.301, Frankfurt a. M.: Fischer

Skapska, G. 1997 Learning to be a Citizen: Cognitive and Ethical Aspects of Post-communist Society Transformation, Democratization, special issue on Civil Society: Democratic Perspectives, 4 (1), p. 145- 160

Smillie, I., 1994 Changing partners: Northern NGOs, Northern governments, Voluntas, 5(2) p. 155-192

Smith, S.; Lipsky, M. 1993 Nonprofits for Hire: The Welfare State in the Age of Contracting, Cambridge: Harvard University Press

Stanosz, B. 1993 Poland: Emerging democracy or religious state?, International Humanist News, 1(4), accessed at: http://www.iheu.org

Tabellini, G. 2008 Institutions and Culture, in: Journal of the European Economic Association April – May 2008 6(2–3):255–294, accessed at: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/JEEA.2008.6.2-3.255?cookieSet=1

Talib, N.N. 2007 Black Swans and the Domains of Statistics, in: The American Statistician, August 2007, Vol. 61, No. 3, pp.1, accessed at: http://www.fooledbyrandomness.com/TAS.pdf

Talib, N.N. 2008 The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, London: Penguin Books

Vollmer, G. 1995 Biophilosophie, Stuttgart: Reclam

von Beyme, K. 1994 Der Zusammenbruch des Sozialismus und die Folgen für die sozialwissenschaftliche Theorienbildung. WZB-Mitteilung 63, März 1994, pp.9, accessed at: http://www.olafeitner. de/QUELLEN/SOWIGEPO/zusammen.htm

von Weizsäcker, C.F. 1991 Bewußtseinswandel, München: DTV Weick, E. 2006 Working relationship. A meta-view on structure and agency, in: Theory and Science, Vol. 7, Summer 2006, Issue 1, accessed at: http://theoryandscience.icaap.org/content/vol7.1/weik.html

Zalta, E.N. (ed.) 2010 The problem of induction, in: The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, accessed at: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/induction-problem/