In essence ‘Constructivism’ is an understanding or interoperation of the way in which the world is constituted (an ontology). It argues that the organisation of social entities are not pre-given external, objective truths or realities, but is rather constructed through social interactions and social actors. As societies develop over time and space, their social parameters are in constant motion, ever-shifting, changing and redefining themselves. Therefore, ‘reality’ does not exist outside of human interaction and is always specific to circumstances.
As Potter (1996) states:
“The world . . . is constituted in one way or another as people talk it, write it and argue it”
Constructivism furthermore acknowledges that research in the social sciences is distinctly different to that of the natural sciences. There are no ‘objective truths that can be discovered about society, only an understanding gained about its construction. It, therefore, requires different approaches and methodologies that take human existence and the shifting social order into consideration. Humanity cannot be taken into a lab and placed under a microscope to be studied.
Additionally, researchers, or for that matter anyone who studies and comments on society, can never be a neutral, detached expert, but must always be seen as a product of their circumstances, filled with preconceived notions and biases.
Finally, this understanding is especially important when considering the social hierarchies that we interact with daily; race, class, gender, ability, sexuality and so on. Constructivism takes these categories and questions their construction, how and why and by whom they were established and what purpose they serve. While this purpose has been, and is, mainly hierarchical and oppressive, constructivism, furthermore allows us to dissect this and acknowledge how these constructed categories have also played a big part in establishing identities and rich cultures, that are incredibly valuable to the people within them.
Further resources on Constructivism:
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