Review_Author: Mark Smith
Book_Author: Kenneth Gergen
Book_Title: Social Construction in Context
Reference: 2001, London, SAGE Publications, Ltd.
Date: 5/4/2002
Time: 11:53:54 PM
Remote Name: 128.175.34.248
Kenneth Gergen has written an approachable and wide-ranging account of the promising directions of the social constructionist perspective in “Social Construction in Context.” Gergen answers many of the critics of the social constructionist perspective in this book, and in turn, the reader is drawn into a fuller understanding of Gergen’s perspective of “appreciative inquiry” and his interest in seeking out and developing alternative “forms of life” (borrowing a phrase from Wittgenstein) in cultural contexts, which may expand the possibilities of human relations.
In this book, Gergen lays out the social constructionist position on human affairs as a “cultural resource” that focuses on the “concrete forms of relationship—as opposed to our philosophies of knowledge and value [what he refers to as “realism”]” (p. 19). The forms of life that are problematic to the social constructionist are those that lead to combative, conflictual or destructive human relations, and those forms of life that totalize other ways of life, or seek to impose universalizing explanations to account for what is “real,” without regard for the expressive and performative potential of other discourses. What is exciting about the social constructionist project is the potential for new patterns of relationship to emerge and more “fully enriched patterns of performance” (p. 41).
Having read many of Gergen’s other writings, including “Realities and Relationships,” and “The Saturated Self,” I believe this book brings out more clearly the implications of the social constructionist perspective for those of us in the human sciences. Gergen’s previous work, as he admits in Ch. 1 of this book, was “critical of realism and concomitantly positive toward the potentials of constructionism” (p. 19). However, in this book, Gergen “attempted to relinquish the adversial/advocacy posture, and searched rather for a means of deliberating on the antimony itself” (p. 18). Interestingly, Gergen has reconceptualized his thinking related to the workings of realist and constructionist discourses, in favor of an understanding of their interdependence. He notes that realist discourse is a “language of mutual trust... unit[ing] participants in a way that promotes order and predictability. At the same time, such discourse also functions as an instrument of control. It cordons the domain of possibility and thus favours forces of conservatism and the institutional status quo. It promotes distrust of all those who do not share the conventions of understanding” (p. 18). On the other hand, “constructionist discourse often functions in the reverse: it is a liberating agent, challenging the taken-for- granted and opening new realms of comprehension and action. Yet, in doing so it also undermines the legitimacy of precious traditions, along with the practices of complex coordination and dispositions of mutual trust. In a Bakhtinian sense we might say that realism operates centripetally—favouring unity and solidarity—while constructionism functions centrifugally—unsettling and creating. In this light we see that both discourses may be vital to our future well-being” (p. 18).
Gergen has made an important shift here. He argues that this is a “shift in the discursive register, moving from a position within the conflict to one that problematizes the conflict itself” (p. 20). Such an idea, I believe, holds significant promise in relations between teachers and students in educational settings, particularly for a participatory model of education, or community of learners approach. “Problematizing the conflict,” is a way to enter a new discursive space, in which agreement between participants is not necessarily a desired end. Gergen argues that in conflict, mutualities can be found, despite the polyvocal natures of the debates. However, within relationships, this polyvocality frequently leads to one discourse attempting to shut out the other. Constructionist thought recognizes the interdependent nature of competing discourses; that is, one cannot exist without the other. However, Gergen is pushing us a bit further in viewing discourse as a form of action, and questioning whether “our commitments to a certain form of life [must] automatically lay the groundwork for a class of the alienated other” (p. 22).
It is in Gergen’s chapter on the “limits of pure critique” where the “relational possibilities” within the constructionist project are most clearly seen. Emphasizing the interdependence of discourses, Gergen notes that “critique is a symbiotic enterprise, requiring assertion as its parent” (p. 46). Critique, however, splits communities, undermines other discourses, and serves social functions which may not necessarily be desirable. Gergen encourages us to consider a “relational view of language,” which “does not itself favour any particular process or goal of deliberation. However, it does invite interlocutors to consider more self-consciously what they wish to achieve through their interchange… By articulating the relational goals, interlocutors may be able to open alternatives to traditional practices of unremitting contention” (p. 56).
This “relational achievement” or “relational possibility” perspective holds much promise for educational practice, and a chapter is devoted to this issue. (This chapter was written in collaboration with Stanton Wortham.) For instance, Gergen & Wortham ask “if we declare knowledge to be essential for survival, and to reside in the heads of separate individuals, what forms of cultural practice are invited; what groups are privileged; what traditions or potentials are suppressed or obliterated?” (p. 118). They make the claim that meaning in the classroom is located not in individual heads but within patterns of interdependence, according to the relational interchanges from moment-to-moment. Intelligibility is an ongoing process of relational achievement, relying on preceding practices and ideas of making sense with others garnered from participants’ experiences. All forms of life from each participant can contribute to the resources with which the person participates in the relationships of the classroom. Gergen & Wortham note that “the existence of difference invites the development of new forms of relatedness” and that “the primary challenge is that of contributing to generative relationships---relationships from which the students emerges with expanded potentials for effective relating” (p. 134). From the constructionist viewpoint, new possibilities for practice are opened up when a relationally-focused epistemology is developed.
Gergen’s focus is unique because of its concern with “relational achievement” and “generative relationships.” What is implied by “relational achievement” is a full breadth of considerations surrounding the place of displinary knowledge in the classroom, the place of critical inquiry, the problematics of universalized curriculum. However, I would have liked to have seen more focus in the chapter on educational practice centered around the provocative idea that “realist” epistemological ideas and practices and those of the “constructionist” can work in synergy. How in turn is the relationship between the student and teacher, and the students themselves, changed in this constructionist classroom? We have some inkling of this when Gergen & Wortham speak of the importance of utilizing curricular preparatory work as an opportunity for dialogue, both with the teacher and with the broader community’s ideas about how knowledge and practices are constructed. We also have an inkling through a focus on “collaborative learning… in which the ongoing exchange among students serves as the primary educational medium” (p. 135). The strength of this book is certainly not in its educational pronouncements, but that educational practices are placed within the context of relationality, its interdependency and the problematics of critique and concern for the potential of articulating new relational goals over conflictual or adversarial relations.
Gergen’s work is recommended for those concerned with creating a classroom environment which not only respects student voice, but also actively encourages the construction of it, while recognizing the many problematic aspects of this endeavor. It is easier not to engage students with one another, to talk about “controversial” topics, to engage people together who frequently are in conflict with one another. However, the constructionist project gives us hope that such conflicts are vital, and that relationships can be found in our culture which are appreciative of one another’s positions, while at the same time characterized by respectful disagreement.
This work provides a nice overview of the range and impact of the constructionist position, but is limited in its focus away from the issue of how to create groups who are “relationally responsible.” However, the work reminds us that we are part of an interdependent network from those we hate and despise, to those we feel most affiliation, despite “objectivity” and “realist” discourses seemingly absolving us of relational responsibilities to those “other” people. Gergen inspires confidence that something energizing happens when we enter into the discursive space of relationality and the forms of life this entails. The work is important for those who consider themselves “participatory” or “collaborative” educators. People can disagree, they can be in conflict. The question is how we can create discursive spaces to allow a “relational responsibility” for one another to flourish. All too often, through a focus on developing critical consciousness, focused around individual subjectivity, critical educators miss the points of mutuality, the possibilities for alternative “relational goals” that allow for the opening of new alternatives. This perspective also allows us to consider diversity in perspectives in relations as worthwhile, expected, and valued. This social constructionist perspective shares in common with the sociocultural perspective on intersubjectivity a focus on joint activity and relationship as the locus of concern, rather than an issue with making sure that individual subjectivities are kept “in check” or “shared.” What is unique to this social constructionist perspective, however, is the focus on the “achievements” such relationships make possible. One interesting research question it provides us is where in cultural life are such “achievements” situated (culturally, historically), how might they best be created, and how might we see these moments of cultural life as crucial “to richer and more sustainable forms of communal life” (p. 23).
Review_Author: minimum
Book_Author: titan
Book_Title: online quotes
Reference: Aut
Date: 2/24/2007
Time: 6:49:52 PM
Remote Name: 218.115.48.80
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