Organized Collective Agency and the New Collectives: a Practice-Based Analytical Framework

uma heurística teórico-prática

Abstract

The focus on stable collective actors within the social sciences no longer seems to fit in with new forms of flexible and short-term collective agency. This paper develops a gradual concept of collective agency. Using this concept, we don‘t need to presuppose collective actors in sociological analysis. Recalling classical paths of conceptualizing collective agency, three aspects are identified that distinguish collective agency from any interaction, collective behavior or coordinated action. Furthermore, three forms of collective agency are discussed in their specific constitution. These are collective interventions, stabilized collectives and competent collective actors. I illustrate the analytical consequences of this gradual concept by pointing to the debate on organized collective agency beyond formal organization situated at the intersection of organization and movement studies. The framework developed here offers abstract references for a research program that compares new collectives with classical ones.