Dualism and Domination: An Analysis of Marxian, Weberian and Existentialist Perspectives

Abstract

This paper concerns itself with the difficulties of reconciling the separation of the individual from society (sociological dualism) in both theory and practice. In theory, the failure of structuralism, functionalism, marxism or phenomenology is that of attempting to reconcile sociological dualism without also relating it to the problems of existential dualism whereby individuals are preoccupied self-defeatingly in securing meaning through solid and stable social identities. In practice, these dualisms are not easily penetrated because they are obscured by the process of domination that are their medium and outcome.