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R Dello A Buono - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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presidential address reimagining social problems moving beyond social Constructionism
Social Problems, 2015Co-Authors: R Dello A BuonoAbstract:For nearly half a century, social Constructionism has captured the imagination of sociologists worldwide. Its presence has been felt within the intellectual circles of the discipline’s major professional associations, particularly in the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) where many prominent constructionists have served as presiding officers and/or editors of Social Problems . Yet, various theorists over the years have argued that social Constructionism was never particularly well suited for furthering the cause of social activism (see, for example, Agger 1993). On this occasion, I wish to associate myself with these sentiments and will offer my own critical reading of Constructionism. In my view, social Constructionism was conceived in a self-imposed exile of “neutrality” that misplaced all of its chips on discovering a uniquely sociological theory of social problems. This overly academic and disciplinary fixation likewise failed to adequately situate the subjective elements of critical analysis in the objectively real context of capitalist social relations. Even now in its patched-up and re-politicized eclectic phase, its ability to generate new insights for confronting social problems is ebbing, as is its strategic capacity to interface with the “actually existing” struggles unfolding in the current global economic crisis.1 As always, theoretical malaise opens the door for alternative paradigmatic approaches and I believe that critical sociologists should seize the moment and move decisively through the opening. The historical moment demands that we as social scientists and social practitioners work in better tandem with popular movements, channeling our efforts more directly to synergize with and further concretize emerging visions of another possible world. For scholar activists, this requires a revitalized sociological imagination, a critical re-imagination that goes beyond mainstream constructionist analyses through re-engagement with the underlying political economy and with renewed emphasis on collective response and strategy building. There is no …
James Giles - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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social Constructionism and sexual desire
Journal for The Theory of Social Behaviour, 2006Co-Authors: James GilesAbstract:Various scholars argue that sexual desire is socially constructed. There is, however, little agreement surrounding the nature of social Constructionism. Vance contrasts social Constructionism here with a cultural influence model and distinguishes between degrees of social Constructionism. There are, however, problems with this classification. These problems can similarly be found with Foucault whose arguments fail to support his claim that sexual desire is a social construction. Difficulties also appear in Simon and Gagnon's scripting theory of sexual desire, a theory that is commonly applauded as establishing a social constructionist account. This is because scripting theory depends entirely on theatrical metaphors. But there is much inconsistency involved in applying such metaphors to everyday life. This does not, however, imply a biological essentialist view of sexual desire must be true. For there is the further alternative that sexual desire has its origin in existential features of human awareness. Sexual desire arises simply because we are aware of both our own gender and the genders of others, and that gender phenomenologically presents itself to us as something in need of completion. This awareness is something that is fundamental to the human condition and thus has little to do with social construction.
George G Hruby - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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sociological postmodern and new realism perspectives in social Constructionism implications for literacy research
Reading Research Quarterly, 2001Co-Authors: George G HrubyAbstract:In this article, I attempt an historical definition of social Constructionism, a review of its conceptual bases, and an exploration of its epistemological implications. I suggest a history for social Constructionism comprised of three paradigmatically distinct waves. The first of these is sociological and empirical in nature, the second, psychological and postmodern, and the third is developmental and tied to what I here term the new realisms. I emphasize that these three formal senses of social Constructionism need to be distinguished from both psychological theories of social constructivism, and from looser, colloquial senses of social construction employed in current literacy research. I then modestly speculate on how each of these formal social Constructionisms could inspire future directions in literacy education research. En este trabajo, intento una definicion historica del construccionismo social, una revision de sus bases conceptuales y una exploracion de sus implicancias epistemologicas. Sugiero una historia del construccionismo social compuesta por tres corrientes paradigmaticas diferentes. La primera de ellas es sociologica y empirica por naturaleza, la segunda, psicologica y posmoderna, y la tercera es evolutiva y esta ligada a lo que llamo aqui los neo-realismos. Enfatizo que estos tres sentidos formales de construccionismo social deben distinguirse, tanto de las teorias del constructivismo social, como de los significados mas laxos y coloquiales de la construccion social empleados en la investigacion corriente en alfabetizacion. Luego especulo modestamente sobre la forma en la que cada uno de estos construccionismos formales podrian inspirar direcciones futuras a la investigacion en alfabetizacion. In dieser Abhandlung versuche ich, eine historisch belegbare Definition des Sozialkonstruktionismus, einen Uberblick seiner konzeptionellen Grundlagen, und eine Erforschung seiner epistemologischen Implikationen darzulegen. Ich schlage eine geschichtliche Entwicklung des Sozialkonstruktionismus bestehend aus drei paradigmatisch unterscheidbaren Wellenablaufen vor. Die erste davon ist von soziologischer und empirischer Natur, die zweite psychologisch und postmodern, und die dritte ist noch entwickelbar und verbunden mit dem was ich hier als den Neuen Realismus bezeichne. Ich betone, das diese drei formalen Auslegungen des Sozialen Konstruktionismus von beiden psychologischen Theorien des Sozialen Konstruktivismus unterschieden werden mussen, und von den gegenwartig in der Schreib- und Leseforschung angewandten losen, kolloquialen Deutungen der sozialen Konstruktion. Ich stelle sodann bescheidene Vermutungen dazu an, wie jede dieser formalen Sozialkonstruktionismen zukunftige Richtungen in der Forschung der Schreib- und Leseerziehung inspirieren konnten. Je tente dans ce texte une definition historique du constructionnisme social, une analyse de ses bases conceptuelles, et une exploration de ses implications epistemologiques. Je suggere une histoire du constructionnisme social composee de trois vagues aux paradigmes distincts. La premiere est de nature sociologique et empirique, la seconde psychologique et post-moderne, la troisieme est developpementale et liee a ce que j'appelle ici les nouveaux realismes. Je souligne que ces trois significations formelles du constructionnisme social doivent etre distinguees a la fois des theories psychologiques du constructivisme social, et des significations plus floues, familieres, de construction sociale employees dans les recherches courantes en litteratie. Je me demande alors modestement comment chacun de ces constructionnismes sociaux pourrait inspirer de nouvelles directions de recherche en education de la litteratie.
Charles W. Mills - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Notes from the resistance: some comments on Sally Haslanger’s Resisting Reality
Philosophical Studies, 2014Co-Authors: Charles W. MillsAbstract:After a brief summary of the 17 essays in Sally Haslanger’s ( 2012 ) collection, Resisting Reality: Social Construction and Social Critique , I raise questions in two areas, the defense of Constructionism and the definition of gender and race in terms of social oppression. I cite Robin Andreasen’s and Philip Kitcher’s essays arguing (in different ways) that races are both biologically real and socially constructed, and also Joshua Glasgow’s claim that constructionist arguments ultimately fail. I then cite Jennifer Saul’s critique that “oppression” definitions of gender and race run into problematic counterexamples, and add some other points arising from the different histories of gender and racial categories and realities. As someone sympathetic to Constructionism myself, my aim is not a critique of Haslanger but rather an inquiry as to how she thinks (we) constructionists should answer such challenges.
Jarrett Thibodeaux - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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three versions of Constructionism and their reliance on social conditions in social problems research
Sociology, 2014Co-Authors: Jarrett ThibodeauxAbstract:This article argues that the three most popular versions of Constructionism in social problems research fail to eliminate social conditions as causal variables. Strict Constructionism fails to empirically ground its analyses without reference to social conditions. Contextual Constructionism ‘ontologically gerrymanders’ out social conditions as causal variables of social problems. Finally, debunking Constructionism depends on the assumption that objectivism is true and then uses a negative theory of objectivism as Constructionism in order to conduct investigations. That being so, the study of social problems should again investigate the way social conditions, as contextual to claims-making processes, create social problems. The ways in which opportunity structures affect the timing of the prominence and form of social problems is presented as a fruitful alternative.