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The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge Paperback – July 11, 1967

by Peter L. Berger (Author), Thomas Luckmann (Author)

89 customer reviews

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Called the "fifth-most important sociological book of the 20th century" by the International Sociological Association, this groundbreaking study of knowledge introduces the concept of "social construction" into the social sciences for the first time. In it, Berger and Luckmann reformulate the task of the sociological subdicipline that, since Max Scheler, has been known as the sociology of knowledge.

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"... A major breakthrough in the sociology of knowledge." -- American Sociological Review.

From the Publisher

This book reformulates the sociological subdiscipline known as the sociology of knowledge. Knowledge is presented as more than ideology, including as well false consciousness, propaganda, science and art. "... A major breakthrough in the sociology of knowledge." -- American Sociological Review.

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Product details

Paperback: 219 pages
Publisher: Anchor (July 11, 1967)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385058985
ISBN-13: 978-0385058988
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 89 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #47,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #49 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Social Philosophy
- #257 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Anthropology > Cultural
- #319 in Books > Science & Math > Evolution

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Language impacts directly the way we understand the world

December 6, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is Berger's fundamental perspective underlying all of his voluminous writings.. His focus is clear in the title. The very way we see "reality" is socially constructed. Almost all of his works deal with Religion--He even writes articles weekly in the American Interest Magazine a website--not free!
Berger himself is fluent in several languages. English is not his first language! Because of this language skill Berger is aware of "the linguistic shift that takes place in the nonverbal realm when moving from one language to another" as identified in by Bruce B. Lawrence in his book "Defenders of God." ISBN 0-06-250509-2. (See page 47 at the bottom for the quote. In other words, even from his youth, Berger could sense the way language change changes the way we sense the world. In other words, language is an "interpretive filter."
Note the word "sense" was used. It is more comprehensive than "understand."

19 people found this helpful

That's just a social construct!

November 13, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This work offers a controversial, though fascinating, theory of how society comes to be the way it is. As phenomenologists, Berger and Luckmann are interested in describing the social world. As social theorists, they are interested in explaining what society is. As such, they provide an interesting account for how society comes to be the way it is, how individuals within society come to be the way they are, and how we change. Anybody who is interested in "why must things be this way" will find this work intriguing.
Again, the work itself is controversial, but if you are a reader who has an open mind and suspects many aspects of the world are arbitrary, this is a good book for you.

23 people found this helpful

The sociology of knowledge

February 19, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is a rich compact book. I came across it while doing reading on epistemology. This book is well suited for an organized reading group. It is short but dense and should probably both be read slowly and read again. I have read it without the benefit of a reading group. Until I have read the book again, the best summary I can give is the following passages from the book.

“It will be enough, for our purposes, to define ‘reality’ as a quality appertaining to phenomena that we recognize as having a being independent of our own volition (we cannot ‘wish them away’), and to define ‘knowledge’ as the certainty that phenomena are real and that they possess specific characteristics.”

“It is our contention, then, that the sociology of knowledge must concern itself with whatever passes for ‘knowledge’ in a society, regardless of the ultimate validity or invalidity (by whatever criteria) of such ‘knowledge.’ And insofar as all human ‘knowledge’ is developed, transmitted and maintained in social situations, the sociology of knowledge must seek to understand the processes by which this is done in such a way that a taken-for-granted ‘reality’ congeals for the man in the street. In other words, we contend that the sociology of knowledge is concerned with the analysis of the social construction of reality.”

“The theoretical formulations of reality, whether they be scientific or philosophical or even mythological, do not exhaust what is ‘real’ for the members of a society. Since this is so, the sociology of knowledge must first of all concern itself with what people ‘know’ as ‘reality’ in their everyday, non- or pre-theoretical lives. In other words, commonsense ‘knowledge’ rather than ‘ideas’ must be the central focus for the sociology of knowledge. It is precisely this ‘knowledge’ that constitutes the fabric of meanings without which no society could exist.”

Two earlier writers on the sociology of knowledge cited by Berger and Luckmann are Karl Mannheim, Ideology and Utopia: An Introduction to the Sociology of Knowledge and Werner Stark, The Sociology of Knowledge: Toward a Deeper Understanding of the History of Ideas.

14 people found this helpful

For serious readers and thinkers only.

May 14, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is an important book. A classic in the field. But be forewarned: it is a challenging read. It cannot be skimmed and must be carefully read and carefully thought about.

4 people found this helpful

a most important book

October 6, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book should be considered absolutely required reading for anyone studying sociology or psychology, or anything else. This book is written so well it elucidates some of the most profound and insightful psycho-social theories in plain english, although some familiarity with basic social science terminology is a prerequisite for thorough comprehension. Its impossible to give a complete synopsis of it in a brief review, but overall the book covers the construction of social reality in complete detail, from institutions to the microsocial world of individual identity construction. The section on society as subjective reality, and the subsection on identity, is of absolute importance for psychologists like myself who work with identity problems like DID. Too often psychotherapy of the self and identity ignores the underlying fact that these are dialectic social products. The foundation of self improvement and change is this awareness of the socially constructed self. This book explains all of this with great clarity and alot of useful examples.

20 people found this helpful

ProgSociologist

Makes you think, not decipher

March 11, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A very thought-provoking book. It really challenges you, but in a friendly way. The writing is crystal clear, warm and often witty. No need to "crack the code" of terminology: you get straight at the ideas. THAT is where the challenge is.

Berger and Luckmann have crafted a fascinating argument, drawing on earlier sociological classics (Weber and Durkheim in particular) but also incorporating key insights and concerns from phenomenology, exitentialism, and pragmatism. So there's a pedigree. But you don't need to be confident about or even familiar with Berger and Luckmann's predecessors to understand and appreciate this work. It stands alone as a classic in its own right.

In fact, I appreciate the earlier works more AFTER having read the Social Construction of Reality. That's probably because Berger and Luckmann are so skilled and generous in explaining the best of what other theorists have to offer.

9 people found this helpful

Most recent customer reviews

Love it. Thank You.

Published 9 days ago

Maurice Stanley

Published 2 months ago

Amazon Customer

THE WRITERS MAKE THE BOOK TOO PONDEROUS!

Published 3 months ago

This is a must read for everyone who thinks that ...

This is a must read for everyone who thinks that humanity can solve its problems. If our notions or reality are already socially constructed then all/most of our premises are...Read more

Published 4 months ago

New topic for me

Published 4 months ago

A compelling account of our capacity as humans to share ...

A compelling account of our capacity as humans to share the underlying logic behind of the discovery, documentation and use formal language to move on from individual goals and...Read more

Published 6 months ago

Published 6 months ago

Worth the read.

Published 7 months ago

Isn't everything a social construct? Understand and seeing that it's so is what sociologist do. Also big name in sociology.

Published 8 months ago

A fundamental classic.

Published 9 months ago

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