The content of chapter 5 of “A theory of fields” by Fligstein and McAdam gives an in-depth understanding of the usefulness of the strategic action field. Although the civil rights movements and the U.S. mortgage market’s transformation stories have different organizations, frames, ideas, actors, and politics, the lessons learned from the distinct happenings informed the decisions of entrusted policymakers. For instance, the destabilization of the Democratic Party, the worldwide nation-state scheme, and the U.S. constitution played a role in changing Americans’ perceptions about racial discrimination against Blacks. The altered perception became a success after 75 years of struggle, during which the American political system resisted the proposed change (Fligstein 116). Similarly, the federal authority’s decisions to increase the rate of homeownership provided opportunities for goal-oriented companies to establish. Specifically, although the government’s decisions to introduce the GSEs altered the mortgage market, ambitious financial institutions erupted to take advantage of the situation and profit at the expense of the affected Americans.
Criticism and change of existing orders called for the reorganization of the meso-level social orders to promote the sustainable livelihood of the population residing within the U.S boundaries despite the controversies surrounding the laws. Society members need to interact with the existing social orders to guarantee their successful implementation. Thus, all stakeholders within a community need to acknowledge the significance of their successful applications policies. Additionally, the information included in this chapter enlightens the audience about the direct and indirect influence that a social order might have on other fields within the jurisdiction. Thus, it is wise to conclude that this section’s contents not only promote the understanding of the complexity of social orders but also give historical data about the significant events that influenced the Americans in the previous eras.
Work Cited
Fligstein, Neil, and Doug McAdam. A theory of fields. Oxford University Press, 2012.