Social Constructs: How are they built and what would it take to change them?

Social construction theories usually make two related claims. One is that some existing objects, facts, or properties are socially constructed in that they depend on people; another is that as a result matters (these kinds, facts, or properties) could have stood otherwise. This paper aims to clarify the metaphysical underpinnings of both claims by utilising metaphysical tools with which we, rather than treating social reality as something separate, can include social construction into a systematised analysis of the ontology and structure of reality. First, it argues that the subject of construction is worldly stuff. Therefore, what we take to be constructed are social facts. Second, there are two levels to building a socially constructed fact that depends on people for its existence and nature. One part concerns the grounds for such facts; the other explains how the grounding conditions are established via social practices. To capture this, the notion of a carving is introduced. A...Show moreSocial construction theories usually make two related claims. One is that some existing objects, facts, or properties are socially constructed in that they depend on people; another is that as a result matters (these kinds, facts, or properties) could have stood otherwise. This paper aims to clarify the metaphysical underpinnings of both claims by utilising metaphysical tools with which we, rather than treating social reality as something separate, can include social construction into a systematised analysis of the ontology and structure of reality. First, it argues that the subject of construction is worldly stuff. Therefore, what we take to be constructed are social facts. Second, there are two levels to building a socially constructed fact that depends on people for its existence and nature. One part concerns the grounds for such facts; the other explains how the grounding conditions are established via social practices. To capture this, the notion of a carving is introduced. A carving is a social structure imposed by our practices and produces the socially constructed fact. What it means to be socially constructed thus means to be carved out by social practices. People play a role in setting up the grounding conditions for a socially constructed fact. Third, a standard way of understanding possibilities concerns the first building relation, it is about the grounded and its grounds obtaining or not. However, for social construction, how things depend on people and how we thus should model possibilities concerns the second kind of ontological building relation. Had the relevant social practices been different, and the carving been different, then a socially constructed fact and its grounding conditions would have been different. Understanding such underpinnings is useful for a variety of theorists, including social scientists and conceptual engineers, who are interested in social ontology, dependence relations, and what it would take for social constructs to change.Show less

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Social Constructs: How are they built and what would it take to change them?