Habermas's Notion of the Colonization of the Life-world

Habermas presented his theories of colonization of the life-world based on classic theorists, including such sociologists as Weber, Durkheim, Parsons, and Mead and Marx. At the heart of his theories was communication. Habermas believed the main problem with society was not how to control it but how to maintain communicative action, believing that societies have become increasingly impaired or “colonized”. Habermas called this the “colonization of life-world by systems”. The first part of Habermas’s theory is concerned with how the crisis of communicative action has become colonized and its illegitimacy (Frank, 2000). The second part of his theory describes the way to restore legitimacy, holding that a fully functioning democracy, honoring the rights of citizens and reasoned communication, remained society’s best chance (Sociological Theory | Chapter 15 Chapter Summary, 2004).

The crisis of society, which Habermas called the colonization of life-world explained a stable society where communication takes place within four spheres represented by A, L, G and I. He defined them as such, Adaptation depended on the availability of money; L was value-commitments; Goal attainment (majority vote); and I was influence. A & L represented the “private sphere” and G & I the “public sphere”. Society required mutual exchange as well as boundaries between them. G & A also represented the material reproduction of society. Alternately, I & L represented the life-world (Frank, 2000). These spheres can also be described as quantitative and qualitative media.

In his observation about quantitative and qualitative media, he states the differences between the two. A & G are both quantitative: money and power in numbers can be counted, and whoever ha...

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...live influence and value-commitments which are the priorities of individuals in society (Frank, 2000).

Works Cited

Gelderblom, D. (2011). Sociological Theory Study Guide 2, Chapter 3: Anthony Giddens. Retrieved January 14, 2012, from http://myedison.tesc.edu/tescdocs/Web_Courses/SOC-417 OL/Study_Guide_8e/Study_Guide_2_417_8e.pdf

Miller, S. (2007, January 4). Social Institutions (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved January 14, 2012, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/social-institutions/#AgeStr

Ritzer, G. (2011). 10. Sociological theory (8th ed., p. 351-390). New York: McGraw- Hill.

Sociological Theory | Chapter 15 Chapter Summary. (2004). Agency-Structure Integration. Retrieved January 14, 2012, from http://highered.mcgraw- hill.com/sites/0072817186/student_view0/chapter15/chapter_summary.html