Agency

From Geography

Agency 'Literally, the ability to act' (Aitken & Valentine, 2006, p. 338).Commonly used by scientists to refer the ability of humans to make choices and decision by themselves. These choices influence the shape of their everyday life. In other words everything in the world is an equivalent to an intentional individual actor. This notion of self determination has played an important role in the humanistic critique on structuralist approaches to geography (Aitken & Valentine, 2006, p. 137-338). Anthony Giddens is a founder of the concept of agency.

In the Humanistic approach attention to the conciousness of human beings has grown. Human beings have their personal agency and do not act according to certain fixed laws. Human awareness, human agency, human consciousness and human creativity have a central role within this approach. In this approach 'human beings in all of their complexity are in the centre-stage of human geography'(Cloke, Philo & Sadler, 1991).

This is quite the contrary to structure. In structure, it is the recurrent patterned arrangements which influence or limit the choices and opportunities available (Barker, 2005).

Literature

Aitken, s. & Valentine, G. (2006). Approaches to Human Geography. SAGE publications Ldt, London.

Barker, C. (2005). Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. London: Sage. p.448

Cloke, P., Philo, Ch. & Sadler, D. (1991) Approaching Human Geography. Chapman, London.

Contributors

• Published by Lotte den Boogert, september 19th 2012.

• Enhanced by Robert Wursten, october 10th 2012.

• Enhanced by Stefan Ramaker, --StefanRamaker 14:19, 19 October 2012 (CEST)october 19th 2012.

• Enhanced by Marjolein Kouwenhoven, october 23th 2012.