The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge (Penguin Social Sciences)

A general and systematic account of the role of knowledge in society aimed to stimulate both critical discussion and empirical investigations. This book is concerned with the sociology of 'everything that passes for knowledge in society'. It focuses particularly on that 'common-sense knowledge' which constitutes the reality of everyday life for the ordinary member of society. The authors are concerned to present an analysis of knowledge in everyday life in the context of a theory of society as a dialectical process between objective and subjective reality. Their development of a theory of institutions, legitimations and socializations has implications beyond the discipline of sociology, and their 'humanistic' approach has considerable relevance for other social scientists, historians, philosophers and anthropologists. Copywright......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 7 INTRODUCTION......Page 11 The Problem of the Sociology of Knowledge......Page 13 PART ONE. THE FOUNDATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE IN EVERYDAY LIFE......Page 31 1. The Reality of Everyday Life......Page 33 2. Social Interaction in Everyday Life......Page 43 3. Language and Knowledge in Everyday Life......Page 49 Part Two. SOCIETY AS OBJECTIVE REALITY......Page 63 Organism and Activity......Page 65 Origins of Institutionalization......Page 70 Sedimentation and Tradition......Page 85 Roles......Page 89 Scope and Modes of Institutionalization......Page 97 Origins of Symbolic Universes......Page 110 Conceptual Machineries of Universe-Maintenance......Page 122 Social Organization for Universe-Maintenance......Page 134 Part THREE. SOCIETY AS SUBJECTIVE REALITY......Page 147 Primary Socialization......Page 149 Secondary Socialization......Page 157 Internalintion and Transformation of Subjective Reality......Page 166 2. Internalintion and Social Structure......Page 183 3. Theories about Identity......Page 194 4. Organism and Identity......Page 201 CONCLUSION......Page 205 The Sociology of Knowledge and Sociological Theory......Page 207 NOTES......Page 213 INDEXES......Page 235 Subject Index......Page 237 Name Index for Introduction and Notes......Page 247 Offers an account of the role of knowledge in society aimed to stimulate both discussion and investigations. This book presents an analysis of knowledge in everyday life in the context of a theory of society as a dialectical process between objective and subjective reality.