Constructionism
From Geography
Constructionism is a postmodern method. The basic assumption of construtionism is that there's nothing like the objective truth. Humans observe with a subjective view. "All meanings of elements of the taken-for-real worlds are constituted on the basis of intersubjective constituting processes"(Benno Werlen, 1981). Everythings should be seen in the correct context, it is the framing and subjective view of humans that give meaning to an element. It is only when a group/society has agreed on a meaning of a element or object that it will become meaningfull. This means that every part of the social product is created by human practices, who make use of their meaningful constituting processes. The most well known example for this is the meaning people give to money. The costprize of a hundred dollar bill is not anywhere near a hundred dollar. Humans valued this piece of paper, so it is tradable for other goods. In this way the value of the piece of paper truely becomes one hundred dollar.
Constructionists see the reality as a social product. Humans built social reality with social actions and are giving meaning to this social reality. Humans are acting in a framework. An import example of a framework is language. With language the world around has been described and with language constructions of the truth are being made.
The realization that reality is a social product made by subjects, encouraged the process of deconstruction of social products. Deconstructing is the way of subdividing the social reality in categories. The second step is for example to categories an author in terms of a class, culture, race and gender. (Johnston, Gregory, Pratt and Watts, 2000)
References:
Johnston, R.J., Gregory, D., Pratt, G. Watts, M., The dictionary of Human Geography, ( Blackwell Publishing, Oxford 4th edition 2000)
Werlen, B., Everyday Regionalizations, (Rriedrich-Schiller University, Elsevier 1981)
- Page created by Meryl Burger
- Page enhanced by--DennisPrince 10:32, 24 September 2012 (CEST)
- Page enhanced by Robert Wursten
