Social constructionism

From Geography

Social contructionism is a scientific theory of knowledge that is concerned with how ‘reality’ is constructed through social interactions. The concept of social construction was first theorized by Emile Durkheim in his anthropological work on collective behavior. The concept was then picket up by Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann in their book The Social Construction of Reality, first published in 1966. Since then the concept became widespread in the mainstream of social sciences (wikipedia).

social constructions

Social constructions are concepts that develop(ed) by interaction within groups, societies, cultures etc.. When people interact they, in time, form typifications, or mental representations (ideas, expectations). These typifications become habitualized and people will use them in interacting with each other. This way concepts become institutionalized and for people this institutions become reality. People will then experience this concepts as natural and obvious. So reality is said to be socially constructed, but it does still consist of human ideas and inventions (Ugwu Ozor, 2008).

examples

These constructions can express themselves in a physical way. An example is the concept of money: Money consists of pieces of paper, but by social constructions we gave them worth and in reality this peace of paper is really worth something as long as we don’t change the construction. Social constructions can also have a more conceptual form as for example the construction of gender: while sex (is said to be) a natural fact, gender is the construction of what being a man or a woman means. The way man or woman are being perceived, presented, raised, etc. And the way people (should) act according to their masculine or feminine identity. Social constructs can be all so cold social facts, as opposed to natural facts, which are thought to exist outside of human existence. So social constructs can be anything that can not exist or loses its significance without humans to indicate them (Ugwu Ozor, 2008), such as governments, borders, language, marriage, race, nationality, prisons, social class, etc.

references

• Ugwu Ozor, F. (2008) Social Constructs, bibliography. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences; vinddatum 15 december, 2011, op http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Social_constructionism.aspx
• wikipedia. vinddatum 15 december 2011 op http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Social+constructionism