A key life course principle is that individuals construct their lives through the choices and actions they take within a structure of opportunities and constraints. The principle is sometimes called “agency,” and raises thorny questions about what it means to express agency. We’ll explore differing definitions of agency, and how these shape our understanding of how individuals produce their own development.
How should we think about constraints on people’s behaviors?
Is agency defined by what people intend, what they do, or both?
