Norbert Elias and Introduction to Figurational Sociology

Norbert Elias is a well known sociologist, as the author of the Civilizing Process, which is considered as one of the classics of the literature on the modernization process. Elias’s contribution to sociological theory is not limited solely to the modernization studies. The sociology of Norbert Elias, which deals with various subjects such as political institutions, economic history, eating methods, football, music, etc., with an interdisciplinary methodology, is quite unique and far beyond the usual limits of sociology. The main aim of this article is to introduce Norbert Elias’ sociology through his concepts, methods and principles, which are known as figurational sociology. The concept of figuration, which has been widely used by Elias since the 1960s, points out the nature and the extent of the interdependencies that change constantly over time. According to Elias, individuals cannot be imagined without their societies and societies without their individuals. Defined by networks of small groups and large societies by people who are interdependent to each other, figurations are characterized as constantly changing and fluid balance of power. Elias developed the concept of figuration in order to eliminate the accepted dualist approaches in sociology such as structure / actor, individual / society, subjectivity / objectivity, and to show that individuals are always connected with each other through direct or indirect ways. The main aim of figurational sociology is to demonstrate the functional interdependence of people who come together at a multi-layered level during the unplanned social processes that they create with each other.

Norbert Elias ve Figürasyonel Sosyoloji’ye Giriş

Norbert Elias, modernleşme sürecine ilişkin literatürün klasiklerinden olan Uygarlık Süreci’nin yazarı olan bir sosyolog olarak tanınmaktadır. Elias’ın sosyoloji alanına katkısı, modernleşme süreciyle ilgili analizlere yeni bir bakış açısı kazandırması ile sınırlı değildir. Siyasi kurumlar, ekonomi tarihi, yemek yeme usulleri, futbol, müzik gibi çeşitli birçok konuyu disiplinlerarası bir metodoloji ile ele alan Norbert Elias’ın sosyolojisi oldukça özgündür. Bu makale, Norbert Elias’ın figürasyonel sosyoloji olarak bilinen yaklaşımını, kavramlarını, yöntem ve prensiplerini temel düzeyde anlatarak literatüre katkı sunmayı amaçlamaktadır. Elias tarafından 1960’lardan itibaren kullanılmaya başlayan figürasyon kavramı, insanlar arasında zaman içerisinde sürekli değişen bağlılıkların doğasına ve bağımlılıklarının boyutuna işaret eder. Elias’a göre bireyler toplumları olmadan, toplumlar da bireyleri olmadan tahayyül edilemeyecekleri için, figürasyon kavramı ile Elias, insanların çoğulcu varlıklarını ve toplumun bireylerle olan ilişkisini sosyolojik açıdan ortaya koyar. Birbirlerine karşılıklı bağımlı insanlarca hem küçük grupların hem de büyük toplumların kurmuş olduğu ağlar olarak tanımlanan figürasyonlar, sürekli değişen ve akışkan durumdaki güç dengeleri olarak nitelendirilirler. Elias figürasyon kavramını, yapı/aktör, birey/toplum, öznellik/nesnellik gibi sosyolojide kabul görmüş düalist yaklaşımları bertaraf edebilmek ve bireylerin toplum içerisinde birbirlerini dolaylı ya da dolaysız yollardan her daim karşılıklı bağımlılık, sorumluluk ve yükümlülükler ile bağlı olduklarını gösterebilmek adına geliştirmiştir. Figürasyonel sosyolojinin amacı ise, çok katmanlı düzeyde biraraya gelmiş insanların işlevsel karşılıklı bağımlılıklarını, insanların birbirleri ve diğer canlılarla oluşturduğu planlanmamış sosyal süreçler içerisinde göstermektir.

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