Informality: Social Theory and Contemporary Practice

by Barbara A. Misztal

For most of the twentieth century, modernity has been characterised by the formalisation of social relations as face to face interactions are replaced by impersonal bureaucracy and finance. As we enter the new millennium, however, it becomes increasingly clear that it is only by stepping outside these formal structures that trust and co-operation can be created and social change achieved. In a brilliant theoretical tour de force, illustrated with sustained case studies of changing societies in the former eastern Europe and of changing forms of interaction within so-called virtual communities, Barbara Misztal, argues that only the society that achieves an appropriate balance between the informality and formality of interaction will find itself in a position to move forward to further democratisation and an improved quality of life.

274 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mistyped ... The description wasn't accurate about the kind of informality it will analyze...

In any case, a few lessons learnt -not what was expected though- : how senior managers privilege face-to-face interactions, while internet is here duh !

"In social theory the ambiguous nature of concepts is nothing new. They are used, despite their vagueness, because they, as products of ‘imagination, vision, intuition’ (Nisbet 1970:18), may show some phenomena in a new light and, therefore, they may contribute to the further development of social theories. They can be seen as ‘sensitizing concepts’ which, while ‘lacking the precise specification of attributes and events of definitive concepts, do provide clues and suggestions about where to look for certain classes of phenomena’ (Turner 1982:336)."