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Meanings and Institutional Domains

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Cultural Meanings and Social Institutions

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Abstract

The studies reported in this book demonstrate that notions of institutional domains are embedded in meanings of human identities, and consequently individuals can draw on their linguistic knowledge in order to comprehend their institutional roles. Linguistic studies of institutional domains usefully specify an institutional domain’s identities, settings, actions, and things. Such studies also can enable historical studies of institutional domains and might stimulate theoretical developments regarding institutional domains. Problems include dealing with words with multiple senses, and obtaining an initial list of words to study, as well as other issues specific to each method of assessing meanings. The second half of this chapter offers a sketch of institutional processes viewed from the standpoint of the individuals embodying the institutions. The presentation shows the importance of language as a carrier of culture that individuals use in their performances within institutional domains, while also allowing that other factors contribute to institutional functioning.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA

    David R. Heise

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  1. David R. Heise
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Heise, D. (2019). Meanings and Institutional Domains. In: Cultural Meanings and Social Institutions. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03739-0_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03739-0_7

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Pivot, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-03738-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-03739-0

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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