Jointly with Raimo Tuomela I am engaged in developing a model of social practices which can be used as a frame for specifications of conrete social practices. Social practices are smallest meaningful social activities based on collective attitudes (like mutual belief or joint intention). They are maintained (upheld, renewed, and changed) on the basis of their success. The concrete example of a womens' circle is presently implemented along the lines of this model by Solveig Hofmann.
The study of social practices is important because they are to a great extent habitual, in contrast to the fully rational deliberative actions considered by decision and game theory. The study of social practices therefore complements the decision and game theoretic accounts which somewhat unrealistically focus on complete rationality. The habitual units consituted by social practices are a basic ingredient of social institutions which govern the social world. Any thorough understanding of social phenomena therefore has to include the notion of a social practice.
A joint paper "Collective Attitudes and the Maintenance of Social Practices" is available on request.