The "actors" of modern society: The cultural construction of social agency

Much social theory takes for gr anted the core conceit of modern culture, c hat modern actors-individuals, organizations, nation states-are authochthon ous and natural entities, no longer really embedded ill culture. Accordingl y while there is much abstract metatheory about "actors " and their "agency , " there is arguably little theory about the topic. This article offers di rect arguments about how the modern (European, now global) cultural system constructs the modern actor as an authorized agent for various interests vi a an ongoing relocation into society of agency originally located in transc endental authority or in natural forces environing the social system. We se e this authorized agentic capability as an essential feature of what modern theory and culture call an "actor," and one that, when analyzed, helps gre atly in explaining a number of otherwise anomalous ol little analyzed featu res of modern individuals, organizations, and slates. These features includ e their isomorphism and standardization, their internal decoupling, their e xtraordinarily complex structuration, and their capacity for prolific colle ctive action.