The Social Construction of Reality: Implications for Future Directions in American Studies

Prospects ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 49-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Gordon Kelly

As originally planned, The Social Construction of Reality was to have been a collaboration among three sociologists and two philosophers and would presumably have been addressed to an audience composed of practitioners in both disciplines. As written, however, it is a work of “systematic theoretical reasoning” addressed to sociologists by sociologists. Although Peter Berger and Thomas Luckman may have anticipated a somewhat wider audience for their argument, they locate themselves and their theoretical position firmly within the history and discipline of sociology.

1974 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-197
Author(s):  
David Cairns

This paper proposes to give some account and critique of Peter Berger's thought as contained in a selection of his books. No note will be taken of his witty and mordant critique of the Protestant Churches in the United States, The Noise of Solemn Assemblies (1961), nor yet of The Social Construction of Reality (1966), which is a more technical book than the others which will be dealt with here. These are The Precarious Vision (1961), Invitation to Sociology (1963), The Social Reality of Religion (1967) (more entertainingly entitled in its original American edition, The Sacred Canopy), and A Rumour of Angels (1968).


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riyaz Timol

AbstractThis paper interfaces a specific theory of socialisation, derived from Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann’s influential book The Social Construction of Reality, with the empirical story of Muslim settlement in Britain. It makes a key distinction between the primary socialisation experiences of immigrants, which unfolded in their countries of origin, and that of their diaspora-born offspring whose identity is forged between an inherited ethno-religious culture and the wider British collective conscience. Drawing on extensive ethnographic fieldwork conducted with the Islamic revivalist movement Tablighi Jama’at, the paper explores the cultural embodiments of religion as it evolves over generations through an examination of identity markers such as language, dress and food. The analysis triangulates Berger and Luckmann’s concepts of primary and secondary socialisation with a tripartite model of British Muslim identity developed by Ron Geaves. It further argues, in light of Kwame Gyekye’s theory of nation-building, that recent government efforts to promulgate a set of fundamental British values in schools represent an essentially Durkheimian attempt to supply the ‘social glue’ that binds citizens together. While the article acknowledges the increasing salience of religion for many British-born Muslims, it argues for the ongoing influence of ethnicity and nationality in determining their lived experience.


Author(s):  
Jamil Farooqui

AbstractThe dominant premise in social sciences in general and in sociology of knowledge in particular is that the reality of everyday life depends upon socio-cultural condition and historicity of a society. In other word, it is socially constructed. There are two monumental works: Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann's The Social Construction of Reality, 1967 and John R. Searle's The Construction of Social Reality, 1995. They advocate that the reality is based on what the majority of people or society believes. It, further indicates that peoples' perceptions of reality differ and there is no way to prove that one reality is more correct that the other (A. Henderson, 1995). Thus, the social construction of reality is used to give a common ground of communication that unites the perception of reality among those who want to communicate effectively. The paper observes that this notion of reality and its construction is defective as it is not linked with truth and goodness. The social reality is the manifestation of some cardinal principles revealed by the Absolute Reality, which is the source and epitome of truth and goodness (Wallerstein, 1976). Those principles enable human to lead a peaceful, harmonious and successful life in the world. They are in the best interest of humanity and thus altruistic. As the revelation comes from Divinity, so the society is formed and shaped by Divine guidance. Humans' struggle of existence and to act and behave in day-to-day life is shaped by the Divine guidance. Hence, the reality that emerges is Divine constructed reality.Keywords: Social Reality, Reality Par Excellence, Objectivation of Subjective Process, Collective Intentionality and Plausibility Structure.AbstrakPremis dominan dalam sains sosial secara umum dan khususnya dalam bidang ilmu sosiologi adalah bahawa realiti kehidupan sehari-hari bergantung kepada keadaan sosio-budaya dan sejarah masyarakat. Dengan kata lain, ia dibina secara sosial. Terdapat dua karya monumental: Peter Berger dan Thomas Luckmann The Social Construction of Reality(Pembinaan Realiti Sosial), 1967 dan John R. Searle The Construction of Social Reality (Pembinaan Realiti Sosial, 1995. Mereka mengatakan bahawa realiti adalah berdasarkan kepercayaan majoriti orang-orang atau masyarakat. Selanjutnya, ia menandakan bahawa persepsi realiti rakyat adalah berbeza dan tidak ada cara untuk membuktikan bahawa satu realiti lebih tepat dari yang lain (A. Henderson, 1995). Oleh itu, pembinaan realiti sosial digunakan bagi memberikan persefahaman komunikasi yang menyatukan persepsi realiti di kalangan mereka yang ingin berkomunikasi dengan berkesan. Kajian ini mengamati bahawa tanggapan realiti ini dan pembinaannya rosak kerana ia tidak dikaitkan dengan kebenaran dan kebaikan. Realiti sosial adalah manifestasi daripada beberapa prinsip kardinal yang dinyatakan oleh Realiti Yang Mutlak, yang merupakan sumber dan lambang kebenaran dan kebaikan (Wallerstein, 1976). Prinsip-prinsip itu membenarkan manusia untuk hidup tenang, berharmoni dan berjaya di dunia. Ianya adalah untuk kebaikan manusia dan dengan demikian, altruistik. Wahyu itu datang dari Keilahian, jadi masyarakat ditubuh dan dibentuk oleh panduan Ilahi. Perjuangan kewujudan manusia dan tingkah-laku sehariannya ditubuh oleh panduan Ilahi. Oleh itu, realiti yang dihasilkan adalah dibina dari realiti keilahian.Kata Kunci: Realiti Sosial, Kecemerlangan Realiti Setaraf, Mengkonkretkan Proses Subjectif, Kesengajaan Kolektif Dan Struktur Bermunasabah.


Prospects ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Mussell

It is no secret that the American Studies movement finds itself methodologically fragmented and that definitions of its uniqueness and its relationship to other disciplines are a matter of debate within the profession. It is also no secret that attempts to move beyond the “nationalcharacter” and “myth-symbol-image” approaches have fallen short of consensus. Innovations and new directions in other disciplines include approaches and methods we have considered our province and frequently seem to move us in new directions that further fragment our movement.


2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-102
Author(s):  
Karman Karman

Baduy Community is very obedient to local rules/custom, e.g. lunang (sundanesse to express obedience to whoever the winner), and ngasuh rati, ngayak menak. Surprisingly, the voter number in Baduy have increased from 2013 to 2014. They have their own mechanism in determining leader, that is by deliberation among customary figures. The social-political changes make-up the result of their construction change toward reality. The issue in this study is how Baduy community (re-)construct general election. This one aims to understand Baduy’s  construction to electoral activities, their understanding to the obligation to participate in election, and the adaptation process of different realities (reality in Baduy and Reality in external). By harnessing the Social Construction of Reality introduced by Berger, and Social Adaptation System introduced by Giddens, this research show Baduy objectifies and participates in general elections as an obedience to the customary rules. Understanding about obligations to participate in election is legitimized by customary institution, regarding dualism of different structure, they must adapt theirselves to different realities.


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