Intentional, unintentional and sub-intentional aspects of social mechanisms and rationality: The example of commitments in political life

Abstract

In this chapter, I criticize recent programs and sub-programs in analytical sociology regarding the lack of attention they pay to the issues of rationality and intentionality. I put forward the idea that the rationalist paradigm in social sciences is not reducible to Rational Choice Theory. I also argue that establishing a dichotomy between intentional and unintentional processes is too simplistic: we also need to consider sub-intentional processes. Indeed, I focus in particular on interpersonal commitment (e.g. shipmates committed with each other to row as much efficiently as possible), a kind of social process that may be either intentional or sub-intentional. I then explore the empirical relevance of this conception of commitment by analysing several historical examples-borrowed from contemporary processes of decolonization and secession-of political commitments or alleged commitments.