We explain what structure is in various disciplines such as architecture and geography and what its general characteristics are.
What is structure?
A structure is usually defined as the set of the important elements of a body, a building or something else. It is usually related to the armor that serves as support for that certain body, building, among others. The term comes from Latin structure.
The word structure is used in various subjects:
- Architecture and civil engineering. It refers to the elements that fulfill the function of resisting loads. To do this, they meet the condition of stability and balance. The first condition is linked to the movements of the buildings. This prevents possible collapses due to external factors such as wind. The second condition, balance, also guarantees immobility, but at the same time does not allow the shape of the building to be altered.
- Social Sciences. In Sociology we talk about social structure. This term refers to the organization or social system that determines the relationships between people in a certain time and space. These structures are usually guided by society's own values and norms, whether legal or not.
This concept is widely used by other social sciences, such as anthropology or philosophy. At the same time, it can be interpreted in different ways depending on the current by which it is studied, be it functionalism, empiricism, dialectics, etc. Some of the factors that are taken into account when analyzing social structures are culture, institutions, values, the environment in which the society exists and the technologies that it applies for its development. - Geography. On the other hand, the term can be used in another sense in the social sciences, for example in the case of a demographic structure. This term, widely used in Geography, is used as a synonym for demography. In this case, we analyze how a certain population is made up, whether in a state, city or region. Normally these studies are usually represented by pyramids and take into account factors such as the distribution of resources, age, gender, deaths, births, etc. Many times analyzes that include movements related to migration are included.
- Marxism. Within Marxist Theory, structure is understood as the set of social and technical relations of production. In other words, economic ties are referred to. On the other hand, they also define the superstructure as that which is related to social institutions, religion, ideology and politics, determined by the structure.
- Astronomy. In Astronomy we talk about the structure of the universe and the stellar structure. The first refers to the deposition and galactic organization, studying the various concentrations that are formed. When talking about stellar structure, reference is made to both the form and the internal organization of the stars. They have three constituent elements, firstly the atmosphere, secondly the mantle and finally the core.
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