Events

PhD Workshop: What’s the point of social ontology?

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What’s the Point of Social Ontology?
PhD Workshop at the University of Warwick
18th June 2014, 10am – 5:30pm

Ontology can often prove a contested and confusing issue within social research. Everyone has an ontology, explicit or otherwise, but the process of drawing this out and thinking through its implications for research can often be a confusing part of the PhD process. This participatory workshop explores the practical significance of ontological questions for social research, inviting participants to reflect on their own research projects in a collaborative and supportive context. It aims to help participants negotiate the sometimes abstruse matter of social ontology, linking theory to practice in the context of their own research projects. The main focus throughout the day will be on how ontological questions are encountered in social research, the questions posed by such encounters and how engaging explicitly with social ontology can often help resolve such issues.

All participants will offer a brief (5 minute) presentation of their research project and the ontological questions which have been or are expected to be encountered within it. Those still early in the PhD process are welcome to substitute this for a discussion of their research interests and potential project. We’d like to ask all participants to reflect in advance on their own social ontology and how it pertains to their project. Uncertainty here is not a problem, in fact it will be a useful contribution to discussions on the day!

We also invite two more substantial presentations (10 mins) for the first afternoon session, reflecting on your engagement with ontological questions in your own project in order to help begin a practical engagement which encompasses the entire group. If you would be interested in leading the discussion in this way then please make this known when registering.

To register please contact socialontology@warwick.ac.uk with a brief description of your research and your interest in social ontology (500 words or less) by May 15th. The event is free but places are limited. Travel bursaries are available, please ask for more details.

Events

From Modernity to Morphogenesis

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From Modernity to Morphogenesis was the CSO’s first annual invited workshop. The workshop was headed by Margaret Archer and the papers were published as Social Morphogenesis.

The workshop attendees were (in order of presentations):

Andrea Maccarini

Andrea Maccarini:
Network Dynamics and the regulatory process: a neo-structural approach to morphogenesis

Immanuel Lazéga

Emmanuel Lazéga:
Regularity and Emergence: two frontiers in the morphogenetic approach

Pierpaolo DonatiPierpaolo Donati:
Relations of Authority, obligations and roles

Ismael Al-Amoudi

Ismael Al-Amoudi:
The Morphogenesis of Social Networks: relational steering beyond positive and negative feedbacks

Wolfgang HofkirchnerWolfgang Hofkirchner:
Self-organizing as the mechanism of development and evolution in social systems

Kate Forbes-Pitt

Kate Forbes-Pitt:
Emergence: relating emergents and morphogenesis

Tony LawsonTony Lawson:
Emergence, Downward Causation and Causal Reduction

Doug Porpora

Doug Porpora:
Social Change as Morphogenesis

Colin WightColin Wight:
Morphogenesis, Continuity and Change in the International Political System

Workshop attendees

 

Announcement

Special Issue Commemorating the Work of Margaret Archer – Journal of Critical Realism, Volume 25, Issue 2 (2026)

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The Centre for Social Ontology (CSO) is delighted to share the Special Issue commemorating the work of Margaret Archer, published by the Journal of Critical Realism in July 2026.

This Special Issue brings together reflections on Archer’s intellectual legacy and her foundational role in shaping the CSO’s identity.

As members Ismael Al-Amoudi (Honorary Director) and Douglas Porpora underline in their introduction:

“This special issue of the Journal of Critical Realism (JCR) is a commemoration of the work and intellectual leadership of Margaret Archer by her associates at the Centre for Social Ontology (CSO)… As the intellectual leader of the group, Archer was the guiding presence.

With her passing in 2023, the surviving members are grateful to the editors of JCR for the opportunity to present the following papers commenting on what each sees as the important legacy Archer bequeaths to social science.…We hope that these papers will help not only to consolidate Archer’s contribution to knowledge but also be of comfort to all who mourn her passing.”

Articles included in the Special Issue

Al-Amoudi, I., & Porpora, D. (2026). Introduction to the special issue commemorating the work of Margaret Archer. Journal of Critical Realism, 25(2), 147–148. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2026.2690680

Al-Amoudi, I., & Tomlinson, S. (2026). In memoriam: Margaret Archer (1943–2023). Journal of Critical Realism, 25(2), 149–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2026.2688789

Porpora, D. V. (2026). Margaret Archer’s contribution to social science. Journal of Critical Realism, 25(2), 153–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2026.2686014

Al-Amoudi, I. (2026). Margaret Archer’s legacy to business and management studies: a bibliometric analysis. Journal of Critical Realism, 25(2), 164–190. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2026.2687289

Donati, P. (2026). Archer’s theory of the person: a humanizing paradigm of socialization. Journal of Critical Realism, 25(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2026.2686563

Lawson, T. (2026). Contrasting social positioning theory and Archer’s morphogenetic/morphostatic approach. Journal of Critical Realism, 25(2), 216–245. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2026.2686019

Maccarini, A. (2026). Historical paths in quest of sociological understanding: the legacy of Margaret Archer’s multi-level model of macro-social change. Journal of Critical Realism, 25(2), 246–264. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2026.2686926

Morgan, J. (2026). Archer, morphogenesis and time. Journal of Critical Realism, 25(2), 265–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2026.2678093

Steyn, R. (2026). No shortcuts to explaining the ‘vexatious fact of society’: reading Archer’s final intervention: A Review of Morphogenesis Answers Its Critics, by Margaret S. Archer, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2024, 221 pp., ISBN: 9781009405430. Journal of Critical Realism, 25(2), 286–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2026.2688013

Exploring CSO Research

To consult and explore other research produced by CSO members, please visit our dedicated page.

To consult Margaret Archer’s complete list of publications, please follow this link.

Events

IACR Conference 2026: Varieties of Realism, Varieties of Critical Realism?

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The International Association for Critical Realism (IACR) 2026 Conference will take place from 30 July to 1 August 2026 in The Hague, Netherlands. The conference will explore the theme “Varieties of Realism, Varieties of Critical Realism?”:

In a world delineated by complex, overlapping, multi-faceted crises, what does it mean to be a realist? What does it mean to be a critical realist? What is the difference between the two? Can we say that there are varieties of realist and critical realist approaches that deal with these issues? Are they united in their philosophy but different in their concepts and methods? Or is the spectrum even more heterogeneous?

Conference keynote speakers will include Dr. Amber Fletcher, Dr. Stephen Mumford, and Dr. Andrew Brown.

Pre-Conference Workshop

IACR 2026 will be preceded by a three-day pre-conference workshop, held from 27 to 29 July, aimed at developing participants’ knowledge of critical realism. It will include introductory lectures and discussion sessions on the philosophy of Roy Bhaskar; Margaret Archer’s contribution; developing critical realist-informed social science research methodologies and critical realist academic writing; and opportunities for students to present their work in progress and discuss it with mentors. The final day will feature an introduction to the Norm Circles approach by Dave Elder-Vass and Morphogenetic Régulation by Karim Knio.

For additional information, please visit the conference website.

Announcement

Invitation to apply for a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Padova, Italy – Deadline 9 September 2026

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The Centre for Social Ontology (CSO) welcomes expressions of interest from researchers wishing to apply for the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 at the University of Padova, Italy.

The call, funded by the European Commission within the programme Horizon Europe, closes on 9 September 2026.

The MSCA Fellowships

The Fellowship Action targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers.

It provides attractive working conditions and is open to researchers of any nationality and discipline who:

  • Hold a PhD degree at the time of the deadline for applications
  • Have a maximum of 8 years of research experience from the date of the award of their PhD degree (extensions of the eligibility window are foreseen in case of career breaks, years of experience outside research, or in third countries)
  • Comply with the MSCA mobility rule—researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships) or of the host organization for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the call’s deadline.

The Centre for Social Ontology (CSO) is open to considering proposals for the Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026 inspired by critical realism, Margaret Archer’s morphogenetic approach, and relational approaches to social theory.

Researchers wishing to develop a project within these terms are welcome to contact the CSO in advance in order to discuss their proposal before initiating the formal application procedure with the University of Padova. 

If interested, please write us at centreforsocialontology@gmail.com

Events

CSO Annual Meeting 2026 – University of Padova, Italy (January 2026)

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In January 2026, the Centre for Social Ontology held its annual meeting at the University of Padova (Italy), where the CSO is currently based.

The meeting ran between January 13 and January 16, during which the CSO welcomed its new members: Helena Flam, Bridget Ritz, Frédéric Vandenberghe, and Davide Ruggieri. Members discussed the CSO’s research agenda and have worked collectively on a new book proposal.

Photos: Beatriz Ribeiro da Silva

The program of presentations ranged from foundational issues, the transformation of institutions, organizations and inter-organization dynamics, collective action and social subjectivities, deep cultural codes, personal and social identities, and types of life conduct.

Tuesday, January 13

Douglas Porpora: Polarization and the Disintegration of the Neoliberal Order

Ismael Al-Amoudi: Social disintegration, fascism and capitalist organizing

Bridget Ritz: Reflexivity in Doubt: An Immanent Critique

Frédéric Vandenberghe: Zeitdiagnose. Sociology as empirical philosophy of history

Wednesday, January 14

Emmanuel Lazéga: Death of a corporate law firm: A case of structure, culture and agency in multilevel resilience and collapse

Pier Paolo Donati: The Morphogenesis of the algorithmic society as a creative destruction process

Helena Flam: On Emotional Discomfort

Jamie Morgan: Life, death and profit: Private equity and healthcare

Thursday, January 15

Andrea Maccarini: “Leading a Life” in the Digital Age. Flourishing as Relational Good

The CSO’s new research agenda will be devoted to studying processes of morphogenesis, morphonecrosis, civilizing/democratic repair and resilience, with a focus on boundary issues, polarization, encounters between actors following different situational logics, and the emergence of humanizing vs de-humanizing cultures.

The group will explore the transition between different institutional configurations and the related situational logics, an often overlooked aspect of the realist-morphogenetic approach. 

The Annual Meeting concluded on Friday morning, January 16, with the brown bag seminar “What is dis-integrating global society? Civilizing and de-civilizing processes in the perspective of realist social theory”, an open event and moment of sharing with the academic community.

The seminar aimed to foster interdisciplinary discussion on the dynamics of global society, focusing on processes of integration and dis-integration through the lens of realist social theory. The discussion was chaired by Andrea Maccarini, CSO director, and speakers included CSO members Ismael Al-Amoudi (Honorary director), Emmanuel Lazéga, Douglas Porpora, Bridget Ritz, and Frédéric Vandenberghe.

Information

The CSO now has a dedicated email adress for direct inquiries: centreforsocialontology@gmail.com

Announcement

A (tentatively) complete bibliography of Margaret Archer’s works.

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In keeping with our founder and past director Margaret Archer‘s wishes, the CSO is proud to present on a dedicated webpage a tentatively complete inventory of her abundant publications in English (as well as some in French) that we have been compiling and curating.

It is our dearest hope that our communities will better appreciate the breadth and depth of her contributions spanning 57 years, from her 1967 PhD thesis The educational aspirations of English working class parents to her 2024 posthumous book Morphogenesis answers its critics.

Please feel welcome to suggest any addition or report any mistake so that the webpage may only improve further.

Oil on canvas by J. F. Peto, ‘In the Library’ (1900), Public Domain.

Events

IACR Conference 2025 – Szczecin, Poland, EU – July 28th–August 1st

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The 27th annual conference of the International Association for Critical Realism (IACR) will take place from the 30th of July to the 1st of August 2025 (+ pre-conference on the 28th and the 29th of July 2025). It will be hosted by the Academy of Applied Sciences, Korczak University in Szczecin.

The theme is ‘Person, culture, society in the face of contemporary threats’

All details of the event – including streams, call for papers, plenary speakers, submission timeline, and transportation & accommodation information – will be gradually posted on the conference website here. We draw your attention on the expiration of ‘early bird’ fees on May 30th.

Other books

Being Human in a Virtual Society: A Relational Approach

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The CSO is glad to announce the publication of Prof Pierpaolo Donati’s latest book: Being Human in a Virtual Society: A Relational Approach (2024; Berlin, Germany: Peter Lang) in the series ‘Studies in Sociology: Symbols, Theory and Society’.

Summary and table of contents available from the publisher’s website.

Image: Library of the University of Barcelona by Penguin9 CC BY-SA 4.0

Events

Book launch – Margaret Archer’s final book: Morphogenesis Answers Its Critics – March 28th 2024, online at 3pm GMT

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The CSO announces an online launch event for the ultimate book of Prof. Margaret Archer.

Further information (incl. registration) on this webpage from the CRN.

Book description, featuring reviews from CSO members Doug Porpora and Emmanuel Lazega, on this webpage from the publisher CUP.

Picture: open book and sunset, generated by DALL.E on ChatGPT 4.0

Events

One-Day Symposium on the Legacy of Margaret Archer – August 3rd 2024, University of Warwick, England, UK (event just after the IACR conference)

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We are delighted to announce a one-day symposium co-organised by Dr. Mark Carrigan with the BSA Theory Group. The symposium will be dedicated to exploring and celebrating the legacy of Prof. Margaret Archer. The aim of the symposium is to engage with and critically assess Archer’s contributions to social theory, her influences and engagements outside critical realism, the global reception of her work, and her place within the larger tradition of critical realism.
Further information, including the call for papers, may be accessed here and here.

Picture: Warwick University House, Public Domain CC BY-SA 4.0 by Rwendland

Events

IACR Conference 2024 – Warwick, England, UK July 29th–August 2nd

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The 26th annual conference of the International Association for Critical Realism (IACR) will take place from the 31st of July to the 2nd of August 2024 (+ pre-conference on the 29th and the 30th of July 2024). It will be hosted by the School of Law at the University of Warwick.

The theme – ‘looking back in order to look forward’ – commemorates the 1st anniversary of Margaret Archer’ s death as well as the 10th anniversary of Roy Bhaskar’s death.

All details of the event – including streams, call for papers, plenary speakers, bursaries, submission timeline and transportation & accommodation information – will be gradually posted on the conference website here.