ABSTRACT
Knoblauch sketches the notion of paradigm as it has been suggested by Kuhn. He does so in order to support the thesis that it also contributed to the constitution of social constructivism as a paradigm (and as different from constructivism). He turns to the content of The Social Construction of Reality in order to demonstrate its paradigmatic character, arguing that by stressing the social character of the construction, the authors introduced a specific new idea that demands that we sharply distinguish social constructivism from what came to be known as constructivism in the sciences and humanities. Furthermore, he sketches one part of the paradigm’s social basis, which is constituted by an academic movement relating explicitly to the book. He argues that social constructivism has been adapted also in a formulaic way that has transcended the boundaries of academic discourses and institutions and influences public discourse to this day. He makes clear that the paradigmatic character of theoretical approaches should not be reduced to the field or system of science. In fact, one of the major contributions of The Social Construction of Reality has been that it considered knowledge as something that is not restricted to the “higher forms” but rather is an essential part of any social action. In this vein, social constructivism may be assumed to constitute a paradigm not only of academic thinking but also of the current episteme or worldview.
