Definition
In social science, agency is the capacity of individuals to have the power and resources to fulfill their potential. Social structure consists of those factors of influence that determine or limit agents and their decisions. The influences from structure and agency are debated—it is unclear to what extent a person's actions are constrained by social systems.
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Action theory (sociology)Age of EnlightenmentAgency (philosophy)Agency (psychology)Alexis de TocquevilleAnthony GiddensArnold GehlenAstrosociologyAuguste ComteBibliography of sociologyBranches of sociologyC. Wright MillsCategorical imperativeCharles Taylor (philosopher)Community developmentComparative historical researchComputational sociologyConflict theoriesConversation analysisCriminologyCritical theoryDaniel BellDaniel WegnerDemographyDeviance (sociology)Digital RevolutionDignity of riskDiversity, equity and inclusionDiversity (politics)Diversity trainingEconomic sociologyEmmanuel Joseph SieyèsEmpowermentEnvironmental sociologyErich FrommErving GoffmanEthnographyEvolutionFeminist sociologyFerdinand TönniesFifth Industrial RevolutionFiscal sociologyFourth Industrial RevolutionFreedom of speechFreudFriedrich NietzscheGender empowermentGeorg SimmelGeorge Herbert MeadGerontologyGlobalizationGustave Le BonHarriet MartineauHelmut SchoeckHerbert SpencerHistorical methodHistorical sociologyHistory of sociologyHuman behaviorHuman impact on the environmentIdentity (social science)Illusion of controlImmanuel KantIndex of sociology articlesIndustrial sociologyIntentionInterview (research)Jane AddamsJean-Jacques RousseauJean BaudrillardJohn LockeJürgen HabermasKarl MannheimKarl MarxLester Frank WardList of sociological associationsList of sociologistsList of sociology journalsLudwig WittgensteinMarxist sociologyMathematical sociologyMax WeberMedical sociologyMichel FoucaultMilitary sociologyNegative capabilityNiklas LuhmannNorbert EliasOutline of sociologyParacosmPaul RicœurPeer groupPhilosophical InvestigationsPierre BourdieuPolitical sociologyPopularityPositivismPostpositivismPower (social and political)Private language argumentPublic sociologyQualitative researchQuantitative researchRaymond AronReal utopian sociologyRobert K. MertonRobert NisbetRule-followingRural sociologySchool of suspicionSelf-serving biasSocial actionSocial aspects of jealousySocial complexitySocial construction of technologySocial constructionismSocial contractSocial cycle theorySocial darwinismSocial environmentSocial equalitySocial equitySocial experimentSocial groupSocial movement theorySocial network analysisSocial psychology (sociology)Social relationSocial researchSocial scienceSocial stratificationSocial structureSocietySociocyberneticsSociological theorySociologySociology of JewrySociology of architectureSociology of artSociology of cultureSociology of deathSociology of disasterSociology of educationSociology of emotionsSociology of foodSociology of genderSociology of health and illnessSociology of human consciousnessSociology of immigrationSociology of knowledgeSociology of languageSociology of lawSociology of leisureSociology of literatureSociology of peace, war, and social conflictSociology of philosophySociology of punishmentSociology of race and ethnic relationsSociology of religionSociology of scientific knowledgeSociology of sociologySociology of spaceSociology of sportSociology of terrorismSociology of the InternetSociology of the bodySociology of the familySociology of the history of scienceSociomusicologyStructural functionalismStructure and agencySurvey (human research)Symbolic interactionismTalcott ParsonsTheodor W. AdornoTheory of generationsTheory of structurationThorstein VeblenTimeline of sociologyUnconscious mindUnforeseen consequenceUrban sociologyVictimologyVilfredo ParetoVisual sociologyW.E.B. Du BoisWill (sociology)Will to powerWomen empowermentYork UniversityZygmunt BaumanÉmile Durkheim
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