Generic Social Processes

TLDR

The article argues that developing a processual ethnographic sociology is a long, demanding, cumulative endeavor, offering no quick fixes but promising a valuable generic conceptualization of social action for studying group life. It aims to outline the roots of generic sociology, identify ethnographers’ challenges in studying generic social processes, and propose ways to intensify efforts toward a generic processual sociology. The authors propose interactive strategies—covering teaching, research, reporting, editing, conferencing, and networking—and an overview schema to foster a more intensively processual sociology.

Abstract

Focusing on the production of a processual ethnographic sociology, this article has three major objectives. The first is to outline the roots of “generic sociology,” particularly in light of the interpretive/ethnographic inquiry. The second objective is to indicate the sorts of difficulties ethnographers are apt to encounter in pursuing the study of generic social processes. Third, some suggestions for an intensification of efforts toward a generic processual sociology are offered. Thus some “interactive strategies” (pertaining to teaching, doing research, reporting findings, editing, conferencing, and networking) are proposed, as is an overview schema for a more intensively processually focused sociology. Some readers will be disappointed in that no solutions of a “quick fix” nature are offered. To the contrary, the development of a processual ethnographic sociology is viewed as a long, demanding, and cumulative process. To those mindful of the value of a generic conceptualization of social action to the study of group life, however, this seems a more desirable pursuit.