Violence, insecurity and weakening of civil bonds in Caracas. On the sociological utility of Cicourelian precautions

The dialogue of Aaron Cicourel in the preparation of the field of research discussed in this article was essential in terms of both method and analytical approach. The production of ethnographic data on violence related to the use of public spaces in Caracas, and on the fragility of civil bonds, was the focus for an ecology of public order. Being attentive to the perception of disorder and its environmental interdependency was key to understanding the “grammar” of the action and its and cognitive background in contexts imbued with implicit meaning. The Cicourelian sociological precautions facilitated the monitoring of activities deemed dangerous, while keeping an eye on the interlocking micro and macro contexts which structured the course of interactions. Following the felt links and interpretive hyperbolas revealed the semantic versatility of the lens of insecurity. How can the same violent acts be seen sociologically different when the relevance framework does not provide legal expertise or judicial monitoring? This article is about the story of this exchange aimed at measuring the social dimension in its civil and urban understandings.