Japanese Sociological Review

Life Course as Medium

Reconstructing Niklas Luhmann's Education System Theory

Takashi YASUDA

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 2-18
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 23, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_2

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The objective of this paper is to examine the modification of Niklas Luhmann's education system theory and to take the first step toward its reconstruction. Luhmann once considered the “child” to be the medium of the education system, but late in his life he abandoned this view and substituted “life course” as the medium. By this redefinition he meant the following : in an age where mass media greatly increased the comparability of life course, “life course” as a medium conveys the significance of knowledge imparted to the individual in the education system, thereby fulfilling its function as, literally, a medium of communication.
On reflection, Luhmann's previous formulation that the medium of the education system is the “child” and that it does not possess a binary code should also be reconsidered. Luhmann thought that binary code exists in the selection process of the education system, but that it does not apply to the medium of education, that is, the “child” itself. However, not only is this idea not in accordance with the fact that it is impossible to educate without selection in Luhmann's sense, namely, evaluation in general, it also logically contradicts his general social system theory. Therefore, it is more appropriate to say that “life course” is the medium of the education system, and like the media of other functional systems, it also possesses a binary code, that is, a “promotive/preventive” code in the formation of the life course of the educated.

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Structuration Theory and Capitalism

The Relation with Regulation Theory

Yasutaka FUJISHIMA

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 19-35
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_19

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The purpose of this study is to explain that why capitalism continues to thrive and not fall apart. To explain this fact, first, I focus on Bob Jessop's theory which attempts to make regulation theory a social theory. But his theory has limitations in theorizing the concept of institutions to explain how capitalism is continually reproduced at the same time capitalistic institutions undergo changes. To overcome that, I first analyze Giddens' structuration theory. Giddens distinguishes “structure” from “structures.” Human agents utilize structure; as a matrix, structures perpetuate their own existence. Change in an institution occurs when human agents utilize a structure, so long as such changes do not adversely affect the continued existence of the structural matrix. In addition, I also examine Hirsch and Görg' s regulation theory, which is informed by the concept of structural principles in Giddens' structuration theory. Finally, I discuss the future of Capitalism at the end of this paper. Our task henceforth is how The Third Way, which Giddens theorized using Utopian Realism, can be achieved through democracy, one of the structural principles. Democracy as a structural principle has the capability to resist capitalism. In this case democracy and political system are agents that acts against capitalism.

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From Organizational Cultural Theory to Organizational Symbolism

Proposing the Concept “Organization as Symbol”

Katsuhisa TAKENAKA

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 36-51
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_36

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In this article, I refer to two schools of organizational culture theory : organizational cultural theory and organizational symbolism. Both schools have a common object, namely, “Organizational Culture.” However, they approach it from very different perspectives. Organizational symbolists analyze “Organizational Culture” as the symbols which are interpreted (or re-interpreted) by members of an organization, while organizational cultural theorists analyze it as the basic assumptions shared by members of an organization. The former theoretical approach is examined with reference to the works of Edgar H. Schein, the latter Mary Jo Hatch.
In conclusion, my stand comes very close to that of organizational symbolism. As regards the level of “Culture, ” I place more importance on the level of artifacts than that of basic assumptions. As for participation in “Culture, ” I emphasize that the viewpoint of the unprivileged follower is more important than that of the privileged leader.
Furthermore, while organizational cultural theorists differentiate “Organizational Culture” from organization itself according to the criterion of what is rational (or irrational), organizational symbolists consider organization as an nonrational symbol. I share the same perspectives as the organizational symbolists, for they are useful not only for new fields of research such as OI (Organizational Identity and/or Image) and CI (Corporate Identity and/or Image), but for also traditional themes of organizational theory such as leadership theory, dysfunction of bureaucracy, and the difficulty in changing organizational culture.
By utilizing those perspectives, organizational studies will become more theoretically refined.

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Social Conflict and Its Transformation in a Dam Construction Project

Focusing on Social Movement/Networks and Beneficiary-Victim Relationships

Hiroaki OBITANI

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 52-68
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 23, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_52

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In recent years, some of the large-scale development projects and public works, of which most were planned in “the high economic growth era, ” are suspended or cancelled after several decades of social conflicts. Through analyzing a dam construction project, this paper clarifies the community conflict process and presents an interpretive schema for “developmental problems, ” which have often occurred in the long-term planning stage. In the conflict process, social actors including residents' organizations are often seen to be opposing one another, something which this paper interprets to be a “developmental problem.” How can we grasp the dynamics of interest among the social actors?
First, we reexamine the “benefit and harm spheres” theory, which is based on functionalism and is formed in Japanese sociology in the 1980s. According to this theory, dam conflicts are considered conflicts between the upper stream of the river (jukuken), which will be submerged by the project, and the lower stream (juekiken), or conflicts between rural areas and urban areas. Second, we focus on how residents perceived the benefit and harm resulting from the project. Third, we consider social networks among the main actors.
This study shows that, with a “yosomono (outsider)” as a key-person, social networks not only caused the anti-dam movement to expand, but brought about changes in some of the residents' perception about the project and transformed the beneficiary-victim relationships in the conflict. The “interaction model” between the social movement/networks and the beneficiary-victim relationships rounds up the analysis in this paper.

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Marital Status and Psychological Distress in Japan

Akihide INABA

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 69-84
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_69

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Social patterns of psychological distress were examined by using national probability sampling data in Japan (NFR98). Analyses of the relation between demographic variables and distress showed that distress was significantly high among people of young, women, unmarried and low income. Further analyses of the relation between marital status and distress by gender showed that unmarried men's distress was significantly higher than married men's, but such was not the case with women. Among women, distress of never married was not so different from that of married at least age 59 or younger. Analyses of remarried suggest that remarriage for divorced men reduces their distress, but for divorced women, their distress was worsen by their remarrying. These contrary results imply that marriage has significant beneficial effects for men, but not for women. These gender differences were thought to be engendered by sexual division of labor, that is women's provision of care, within both social and marital relationships.

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The Prospect of Theory of Religious Markets

A New Aspect in the Secularization Debate

Masayuki NUMAJIRI

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 85-101
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_85

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The purpose of this paper is to examine the validity of the new sociological theory of religion that goes beyond the framework of the traditional debate on secularization, and, constructed on that theoretical basis, the theory of religious markets. Both of these theories are recently advocated by Rodney Stark and his research partners in the US. First, I will take up their definition of religion and their opinions on the deprivation theory to clarify their theoretical grounds against the secularization theory. Furthermore their theory of religious change will be discussed. In particular, their typology of religious groups (church, sect, cult), the view they hold on the relationship between religion, magic and science and their view of the three elements of religious change (secularization, revival, religious innovation) will be dealt with here. Next, their theory of religious markets will be investigated. This theory, which is based on, among others, the rational choice theory, insists that religion become more active in a pluralistic religious market. Using this point of view, we can explain the rise and fall of the traditional religions and the emergence of religious cult movements.Finally, I will point out some problems in their theory, and consider how to overcome them. This discussion will reveal how much prospect their theory holds.

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Reflexivity of Mission and the Art of Mutual Support in a Volunteer Group for the Handicapped

Kei SATO

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 102-116
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 23, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_102

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(Hisaichi-shogaisha Center) Support Center for the Handicapped in Kobe, a volunteer group formed immediately after the great Hanshin earthquake disaster, is based on the mission of supporting the handicapped since its founding. However, this mission is not a fixed objective but a constant process in which it undergoes reinterpretation by the staffs of Hisaichi-shogaisha Center. Staffs negotiate with one another for the interpretation of this mission when they are confronted with an issue. Through the reflexivity of the mission, staffs 'discover' the needs of the handicapped and assist them based on those needs. In the process, staffs developed an art of mutual support. I classify this art into two types, namely (a) working around the institutions of long-term care (this I call 'loophole finding'), and (b) playing dual roles, namely the role of the businessman and that of the volunteer (this I call 'mixed role'). Hisaichi-shogaisha Center attempts to realize mutual support by employing this art.

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[title in Japanese]

Chizuko Ueno

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 117-118
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_117

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 125-127
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_125

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 128-129
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_128

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 130-131
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_130

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 131-133
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_131

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 133-135
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_133

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 135-136
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_135

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 136-138
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_136

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 138-139
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_138

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 140-141
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_140

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 142-143
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_142

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 143-145
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_143

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 145-146
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_145

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2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 147-148
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_147

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 148-150
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_148

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2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 150-152
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_150

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[in Japanese]

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 152-153
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_152

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2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 154-155
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_154

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2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 155-157
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_155

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2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 157-159
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_157

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2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 159-161
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_159

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2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 161-163
Published: September 30, 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_161

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Erratum

2002 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 165
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: October 19, 2009

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4057/jsr.53.2_165

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