2.4 Social Constructionist Theory
In order to apply a constructionist lens to help understand varying definitions of drugs and drug use, it is important to have a basic understanding of social constructionist theory. The idea of social constructionism first prominently appeared with the publication of the book The Social Construction of Reality by Berger and Luckmann (1966). Constructionists focus on the meanings that humans create or construct in an effort to understand our world (Berger & Luckmann, 1966). According to Maine (2000, p. 577), constructionism attempts “to show that no matter how sedimented social conditions may appear or actually be, those conditions nonetheless are produced, maintained and changed through interpretive processes.”
VIDEO: Social Constructionist Theory
The following video provides a brief explanation of the basic tenets of constructionist theory.
Click the link below to learn about the processes involved in constructing reality:
Social Construction Simplified!
Flow chart of the processes involved in the social construction of reality.
VIDEO: Social Constructionism: Claimsmakers & Audiences
In the following video, Dr. Jacqueline Lewis explains the role of claims-makers and audiences in the constructionist process, using the social construction of drugs, people who use drugs (PWUD), and drug control policies as examples.
