Social Constructionism, Discourse and Realism charts a clear and accessible path through some of the key debates in contemporary psychology. Drawing upon the wider critical and discursive turn in the human sciences, it explores comprehensively the many claims about what we can know of 'reality' in social constructionist and discursive research in psychology.
Key questions addressed by an internationally renowned cast of contributors include:
· Should pragmatic and relativist views of meaning and the world necessarily be adopted by discourse analysts?
· Where is 'the real' in contemporary critical research in psychology?
· How does the turn-to-language affect, encourage or inhibit perspectives for change?
These relativist versus realist tensions go to the heart of current theoretical and methodological issues, not only within psychology but right across the social and human sciences. By mapping the connections between theory, method and politics in social research and placing these within the context of the broader social constructionist and discursive debates this wide-ranging book offers the reader an invaluable survey of the debates.
Social Constructionism, Discourse and Realism will be essential reading to all students of social psychology, social constructionism, discourse analysis and the philosophy of the social sciences.
Foreword - Rom Harr[ac]e Realism, Relativism and Critique in Psychology - Ian Parker PART ONE: DEBATES Overview - Vivien Burr Realism, Relativism, Social Constructionism and Discourse Fragments in the Realization of Relativism - Jonathan Potter Language, Practice and Realism - Andrew Collier What Is To Be Done? (With Apologies to Lenin!) - Ruth Merttens As One in a Web? Discourse, Materiality and the Place of Ethics - Steven D Brown and Joan Pujol with Beryl C Curt Social Constructionism and Revolutionary Socialism - Carla Willig A Contradiction in Terms?
PART TWO: COMMENTARIES Across the S-S Divide - Don Foster The Perverse and Pervasive Character of Reality - Maritza Montero Some Comments on the Effects of Monism and Dualism Psychology's Subject - Bronwyn Davies A Commentary on the Relativism/Realism Debate Constructionism and Realism - Kenneth J Gergen How Are We To Go On?
Overview
Social Constructionism, Discourse and Realism charts a clear and accessible path through some of the key debates in contemporary psychology. Drawing upon the wider critical and discursive turn in the human sciences, it explores comprehensively the many claims about what we can know of 'reality' in social constructionist and discursive research in psychology.
Key questions addressed by an internationally renowned cast of contributors include:
· ...