Rational Choice Theory: Resisting Colonisation (Critical Realism: Interventions)

Front Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 3
Copyright......Page 4
Contents......Page 6
Figures......Page 8
Contributors......Page 10
1. Introduction......Page 14
Rationality......Page 17
Individuality......Page 19
Temporality......Page 23
Rational choice theory in the real word......Page 26
Of sparrows and doves......Page 32
Of rags and riches......Page 34
Of wars and revolutions......Page 38
Of Europe and America......Page 42
Of words and worlds......Page 45
Notes......Page 47
3. Homo economicus, Homo sociologicus and Homo sentiens......Page 49
From ‘pleasure’ to ‘preference’......Page 50
From subjective preferences to ‘ideal preferences’......Page 51
Eliminating ‘strong feelings’ from rational desires......Page 52
Choosing our emotions rationally......Page 54
The return of the exile......Page 56
Homo economicus and the circumstances not of his choosing......Page 58
Homo sociologicus and normative constraints......Page 64
Homo sentiens and his ultimate concerns......Page 66
Notes......Page 68
4. Is rational choice theory ‘unreasonable’?......Page 70
What is ‘reason’? The orthodox viewpoint......Page 71
What are emotions?......Page 74
Are emotions ‘reasonable’?......Page 75
Emotion in the ‘driving seat’: the affective deployment of reason?......Page 76
One and the same: a ‘passion’ for reason?......Page 78
Micro–macro relations: emotions as a ‘missing link’?......Page 81
Discussion and concluding remarks......Page 83
Notes......Page 85
Rational choice theory: definition and problems Definition......Page 88
Problems......Page 90
Social realism......Page 93
Explaining the underclass Biology, culture and essentialism......Page 96
From essentialism to social realism......Page 99
Rational choice and the underclass: a new essentialism......Page 100
Notes......Page 104
6. (Ir)rational choice......Page 106
(Ir)rational choice......Page 107
Data and methods......Page 111
Social-psychological variables – emotions and decisions......Page 113
Social-psychological considerations – altruism......Page 114
Cultural norms and values......Page 115
Economic considerations......Page 117
Political variables: power and domination......Page 118
Choices and changes over time......Page 119
Discussion and conclusions......Page 121
Notes......Page 123
7. Switching allegiances......Page 124
Grant-maintained schools and the meaning of selfmanagement in Britain: what is ‘opting out’?......Page 125
Studying the decision-making process: the research project and the data......Page 126
Why didn’t all parents (consumers) vote to make their schools go grant-maintained?......Page 127
Why did headteachers wish their schools to go grantmaintained?......Page 128
Contextualizing the decision: structural, ideological and external factors......Page 131
Making a rational choice to go grant-maintained......Page 134
Headteacher personality: four categories and decisionmaking about GMS......Page 136
Conclusions......Page 137
Notes......Page 138
Rational choice theory and educational decision-making......Page 139
Context and method......Page 141
Stanbridge University: an institutional case-study......Page 142
Respondent profile......Page 143
Finance, fees and the ‘university experience’......Page 144
Accommodation, anxiety and academic achievement......Page 148
Rational choices in higher education?......Page 153
Conclusions......Page 154
Notes......Page 156
Rational choice theory and its application to marriage......Page 160
Becker’s theory of marital decision-making......Page 165
Critique: comparing the utility of different marital statuses......Page 166
Critique: information and preferences......Page 171
Further development of Becker’s theory......Page 174
Conclusion......Page 178
Notes......Page 179
10. Decision-making as a process over time......Page 180
Cultural workers......Page 181
The initial decision: individually made or householdbased?......Page 183
Cushioning career progress: further effects of collaboration on decision-making......Page 188
Changes in attitude over time: the trajectory of preference redefinition......Page 190
Who stays in home-based work, and why?......Page 192
Conclusions......Page 193
Notes......Page 194
11. The decision to commit a crime against humanity......Page 196
Modernity and the Holocaust: Bauman’s critique of rational choice......Page 198
Rationality and the Holocaust reconsidered......Page 200
The case of Police Battalion 101......Page 204
The case of Eichmann......Page 205
The case of Andrei Sawoniuk......Page 207
Conclusion......Page 209
Notes......Page 210
Introduction: ‘Race’, ethnicity and rational choice theory......Page 213
Explaining urban inequalities: the utility of rational choice theory......Page 214
Explaining housing differentials: the choice–constraints debate......Page 216
The dynamics of inequality: an alternative framework......Page 218
Preparing the ground for an alternative theoretical approach. I: Questioning the rationality of housing supply......Page 219
Preparing the ground for an alternative theoretical approach. II: Questioning the rationality of housing demand......Page 222
Housing choices: a case-study of Bradford......Page 225
Rational choice theory and urban inequality in polyethnic societies: some brief concluding thoughts......Page 228
Notes......Page 229
13. ‘When the battle’s lost and won’......Page 232
‘The centre cannot hold’......Page 234
Ring doughnuts......Page 235
Degree of complexity......Page 236
Level of agency......Page 239
A bird in the hand and a baby in the bathwater......Page 241
Last post......Page 245
Notes......Page 246
Bibliography......Page 247
Name index......Page 262
Subject index......Page 266