Human Reflexivity in Critical Realism. Beyond the Modern Debate

This essay discusses the concept of reflexivity in modern social theory, and argues that a realist approach contributes to a more robust and adequate sociological theory of reflexivity in and for global society. The modern debate about reflexivity is recontructed, through Luhmann and Habermas as key authors. Then a realist approach is sketched, in strict connection with M. Archer's work. In the process, the innovative concept of "engagement" is appealed to in order to summarize the contribution of a realist theoretical framework to a theory of human reflexivity.