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Photo of Håkan Hydén.

Håkan Hydén

Professor emeritus

Photo of Håkan Hydén.

The normative anatomy of society

Author

  • Håkan Hydén

Summary, in English

This chapter focuses on society's construction in normative terms and, thereby, tries to lay the foundation for a theory based on the strategy of anatomy applied to society. Anatomy is that part of biology that deals with how organisms are built. All living organisms consist of cells that are structured in different types of tissues, which, in turn, build up the organs. Society starts over again from the beginning, where old human needs – which do not change over time – are met in new ways, since the increasing availability of new technologies opens the way to new possibilities. Sociology would study the world regardless of how it emerged in the human mind. Anatomy studies and systematises the knowledge of these structures. On a collective level, the motives for human behaviour are embedded in norms. These, in turn, form systems of norms, which are linked to institutions. Norms are seen as an overarching concept containing different categories.

Department/s

  • Department of Sociology of Law

Publishing year

2018

Language

English

Pages

11-27

Publication/Series

Law, Legal Culture and Society : Mirrored Identities of the Legal Order

Document type

Book chapter

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Topic

  • History and Archaeology

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISBN: 9781138488366
  • ISBN: 9781351040334
  • ISBN: 9781351040341