Advanced Introduction to Social Constructivism
Edward Elgar Publishing
Will be published approx. on 28. September 2026
Book
Hardback
192 pages
978-1-0494-1711-0 (ISBN)
Description
Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.
Advanced Introduction to Social Constructivism examines an influential strain of social thought holding that human powers and socio-political arrangements are 'co-constitutive': people make society what it is, society makes people what they are, and social construction makes the world as we know it. 'Making' the world shapes what we accept and craft as meaning, understanding, knowledge, truth, reality, institutions, and power. Chapters illustrate these dynamics, encouraging readers to question assumptions and imagine new possibilities.
Key Features:
Discusses how social realities, truths, and facts are created and contested
Explores the roles of meaning, power, and language in constructing understanding
Sketches the rise of constructivist scholarship in a dozen fields of study
Engages with the ethical implications of social construction and interdisciplinary perspectives
Evaluates why certain descriptions of reality feel natural and inevitable, yet are at root socially constructed
Draws on examples from everyday life, art, science, media, and contemporary politics
This Advanced Introduction invaluably helps students and scholars of philosophy, sociology, political science, international relations, and education keenly engage and deeply navigate contemporary discussions and perspectives on social constructivism and socio-political possibilities.
Advanced Introduction to Social Constructivism examines an influential strain of social thought holding that human powers and socio-political arrangements are 'co-constitutive': people make society what it is, society makes people what they are, and social construction makes the world as we know it. 'Making' the world shapes what we accept and craft as meaning, understanding, knowledge, truth, reality, institutions, and power. Chapters illustrate these dynamics, encouraging readers to question assumptions and imagine new possibilities.
Key Features:
Discusses how social realities, truths, and facts are created and contested
Explores the roles of meaning, power, and language in constructing understanding
Sketches the rise of constructivist scholarship in a dozen fields of study
Engages with the ethical implications of social construction and interdisciplinary perspectives
Evaluates why certain descriptions of reality feel natural and inevitable, yet are at root socially constructed
Draws on examples from everyday life, art, science, media, and contemporary politics
This Advanced Introduction invaluably helps students and scholars of philosophy, sociology, political science, international relations, and education keenly engage and deeply navigate contemporary discussions and perspectives on social constructivism and socio-political possibilities.
Reviews / Votes
'This important volume introduces social constructivism in an authoritative and accessible way. With an emphasis on language, the authors convey the demonstrated value of the constructivist frame of reference across a wide range of disciplines. This book is essential reading for academics of all persuasions, with excellent potential for classroom use.' -- Patrick James, University of Southern California, USAMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 138 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-0494-1711-0 (9781049417110)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Nicholas Onuf, Professor Emeritus, Department of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University and Kurt Burch, Professor, Department of Political Science, Normandale Community College, USA