Sociology 219: Institutional Theories: Cultural / Phenomenological Approaches Class 6: World society and the State Copyright © 2009 by Evan Schofer

Announcements Assignment #3 Due Short Assignment 4 handed out (on web) Due in 2 weeks Talks today: 1:00 ICSW/Soc 259: Elizabeth McEneaney Cal State Long Beach Next week Ann Hironaka: Ambiguity and Social Construction: Warmaking in 19 th and 20 th centuries Also, some readings on interesting methodological issues

Agenda Preview of upcoming readings Presentations: Kristen and Mike Discussion of readings ~10 minute break at 10:30.

Reading Preview Fischhoff, Baruch “For Those Condemned to Study the Past: Heuristics and Biases in Hindsight.” Pp (Chapter 23) in Kahneman & Tversky. Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Explores the difficulty of learning from the past In a complex world, we rely on ‘herustics’ and there are big biases Hironaka, Ann. Chapter from work in progress: Tokens of Power Explores the possibility that institutions, culture, and status shape the biases and heuristics that guide action.

Reading Preview Schneiberg, Marc and Elisabeth Clemens “The Typical Tools for the Job: Research Strategies in Institutional Analysis,” Sociological Theory 3: Ronald Jepperson and John W. Meyer. Working paper. “Multi-Level Analysis versus Doctrinal Individualism: The Use of the “Protestant Ethic Thesis” as Intellectual Ideology.” Two methodological papers exploring institutional theory and related issues.

Mini-Presentations Kelly: March/Garbage can; Jared: Kahneman.

Class Discussion Begin with Meyer et al. readings. Chirot / Hall: WST as a contrast –After Break: World Society / Culture: Boli & Thomas Empirical study: global environmentalism.