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Sociology Essays | Social Constructionism and Critical Realism

As explained earlier, one of the main criticisms of social constructionism is that it downplays the reality of the environmental issue. Alan Irwin strongly objects to this criticism stating that it is extremely difficult to locate work from constructionists that fails to acknowledge the importance of natural and material factors.

Irwin follows this objection by quoting from various writers of constructionist accounts such as Yearley;

“[T]o show that a social problem has been social constructed is not to undermine or debunk it; both valid and invalid social problem claims have to be constructed. The detachment required for social science should not become an excuse for cynical inaction. (Yearley, 1991 p.186).

Not surprisingly, Hannigan (1995) also goes on the offensive by stating to claim an environmental issue should not necessarily be taken at face value as an ‘established scientific fact’ but rather something which is open to the social construction of scientific knowledge, is not denying its existence altogether. Hannigan argues that interpretations of ‘natural effects’ can vary according to a number of things such as interests and cultural background, which is more likely to be the case when the effects are not directly experienced but visible only through scientific data.

Along the same lines as the criticism that social constructionism denies the reality of environmental issues, is the claim that taking a constructionist position promotes environmental quietism - the apparent reluctance by constructionists to suggest any possible solutions to environmental problems. Irwin (2001) recognises this difficulty yet states it may not be the sociologist’s responsibility to do so. Sociologists are not natural scientists, geologists or biologists and so if they were to sit about discussing ways to save the planet, perhaps people of these particular disciplines may have a thing or two to say about it! As Irwin says “ there is nothing ignoble about sociologists bringing their best analytical skills to bear and then handing over to other parties” (2001, p170).