Globals, mutables, and immutables: a new look at the micro-macro link

Abstract

Past work on the micro-macro problem has often been divisive, with scholars championing either the micro or macro position, and arguing against the other. This work has often stressed the uniqueness of one position (e.g., emphasizing ‘emergence’ in the macro position or ‘reduction’ to the micro). There is a recent resurgence of interest, with emphasis on cooperative and integrative attempts to forge a micro-macro link. A review of the literature shows both micro, subjective approaches to the problem, as well as macro-structural approaches, but with an emphasis on the micro. The bulk of the analyses are qualitative. There is a small literature on external or nonsubjective (including quantitative) approaches. The purpose of the paper is to add to the external literature in a way that will complement the qualitative approaches while also being sensitive to the relation between theory and method. The concepts of global macro variables, immutable and mutable micro variables, and immutable distributions are presented. The mutable distribution is the true external link between micro and macro. The mutable distributions have dual micro-macro properties, being formed from the allocation of the individuals in the population into the positions of the respective globals. An individual's position in the multidimensional global structure depends upon his or her particular set of mutable characteristics.