The Reality of Social Construction [Hardcover]

Argues that versions of realist and social constructionist ways of thinking about the social world are compatible with each other.Many features of our social world are said to be socially constructed by forces such as language, culture and knowledge. Constructionism is usually seen as opposed to realist social theory. This book argues that versions of these ideas are compatible and that social scientists should be both realists and constructionists.Many features of our social world are said to be socially constructed by forces such as language, culture and knowledge. Constructionism is usually seen as opposed to realist social theory. This book argues that versions of these ideas are compatible and that social scientists should be both realists and constructionists.'Social construction' is a central metaphor in contemporary social science, yet it is used and understood in widely divergent and indeed conflicting ways by different thinkers. Most commonly, it is seen as radically opposed to realist social theory. Dave Elder-Vass argues that social scientists should be both realists and social constructionists, and that coherent versions of these ways of thinking are entirely compatible with each other. This book seeks to transform prevailing understandings of the relationship between realism and constructionism. It offers a thorough ontological analysis of the phenomena of language, discourse, culture, and knowledge, and shows how this justifies a realist version of social constructionism. In doing so, however, it also develops an analysis of these phenomena that is significant in its own right.Part I. Social Ontology: 1. Introduction; 2. Norm circles; Part II. Culture: 3. Culture and rules; 4. Institutional reality; Part III. Language: 5. Signification; 6. Langue and parole; 7. Categories, essences and sexes; Part IV. Discourse: 8. Discourse; 9. Cultures and classes; 10. Subjects; Part V. Knowledge: 11. Knowledge; 12. Reality; 13. Conclusion. In his typically clear anlC–