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What people are saying

Mirror Sites:
CSUDH - Habermas - UWP

Caliifornia State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Latest Update: July 18, 2001
E-Mail jeannecurran@habermas.org
E-Mail takata@uwp.edu

About Dear Habermas

Susan, what would Habermas say?

On Friday, May 13, Rebecca McLaughlin ("Mac") wrote:

jeanne, ty for your enthusiasm! susan, ty for fwd-ing! julie has a tendency to teach in a very open format, and along-side her interest in learning more about paintings, i thought she might enjoy dear habermas in it's value of dismissing structural violence. perhaps.
jeanne's comment: Mac had written to say that she thought, Julie, another of her teachers, should know about the site. Susan e-mailed Julie the link.
a "friend" who is getting her phd at u of illinois in chicago, passed the site address to her advisor, who has been said to have used dear habermas references in her class! this is proving most interesting, and as it should be, fun. hope either of you don't mind the extra email tagging this. just say so though, if it does. i know you're both VERY busy. susan, what would habermas say? ;)

lnp, mac

jeanne's comment:
  • ty = thank you
  • fwd-ing = forwarding an e-mail
  • ;) = wink!
  • lnp = love and peace

Mac, I need a link to that file on Netspeak. lnp, jeanne

thank you for your website
on progressive sociological views

On Thursday, July 12, 2001, Brian Christoffersen wrote:

Hi I wanted to thank you for your website on progressive sociological views on the issues of modern society. I received my BA in Sociology, 1995 and MS in Environmental Studies, 2001 at CSUF. I have always been interested in the use of progressive sociological analysis of social institutions and systems, especially in the area of environmental sustainability.

I hope to visit your website from time to time to be informed of the interesting work you are involved in. If you would like to learn about some work I am involved with please visit the website of the Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment at http://www.ocice.org

In Peace,
Brian

Could you please comment upon this matter?

On Friday, July 13, 2001, Rui Pereira wrote:

"I am preparing my final work for Sociological Theories which verses Habermas and Giddens. It is supposed to be a confrontation betweem theories of both actors and their influence in modernity.

"Wouldn´t you agree that society produces itself in a dual combination between action and structure and wouldn´t you agree that this concept introduces a new view upon modernity?

"That is: As far as I could understand Habermas conceives modernity as a focus of pressure and tensions. This is the reason why he tries to reanimate the interactive dimension, the one that concerns understanding and cooperative interaction between individuals that have been been lost among the constant growing of Instrumental racionality. We argue that cooperative interaction among individuals was "replaced" by the tecnocratic conscience of capitalism. Therefore his concept implies the reconstruction of rationality.

"Giddens seems to have a less radical position. In his idea action and structure are continuous and do not face any rupture as Habermas states. This can be shown by the fact that society, specially in modern times is capable of generating reverse movements which tends to a certain harmony. For example, if one of the dimensions of modernity is the vigilant NATION one can also found the democratic movement. War and violence are also typical of modernity, but again we have peaceful and ecological movements, and so on...

"Could you please coment upon this matter? I am always ready to welcome different and specially more accurate views.

"Thank you and congratulations for the Web page.

"Rui Pereira
Portugal"

On Tuesday, July 17, 2001, jeanne wrote:

Forgive me for taking so long to respond. This has been a very hectic week, as I am attempting to restructure the Dear Habermas Site.

I very much agree that Habermas emphasizes the tensions that tug at individuals as they interact with society and amongst interest groups. And I think that Habermas' emphasis on interactivity stresses that there is a multiplicity of spheres that must be considered in peaceful coexistence. That sounds like action and structure interacting, though I think I understand it better in terms of Henry and Milovanovic's Constitutive Theory.

I'm not sure I like characterizing this as "dual." There may be many levels and many spheres of interaction.

I'm not sure how I would characterize Gidden's work by comparison. But I'll be going back to that as I prepare my graduate course for the Fall. Maybe I can answer that then.

Thank you for your interest in our site.

peace, jeanne