Challenges and Opportunities in the International Reception of "Communicative Constructivism"

• Published in: Forum, qualitative social research Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 410 - 446
• Main Authors: vom Lehn, Dirk, Kusenbach, Margarethe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; German
• Published: Berlin Freie Universität Berlin 01.09.2023; FQS
• Subjects: (symbolic) interactionism; communicative constructivism; constructionism; Constructivism; English language; Ethnography; Ethnomethodology; focused ethnography; Sociology; Terminology; Translation
• DOI: 10.17169/fqs-24.3.4064

In this article, we offer some observations on the international standing of communicative constructivism (C°Co), as discussed in scholarship published largely in German over the past decade (e.g., KELLER, KNOBLAUCH & REICHERTZ, 2013; KNOBLAUCH, 2019a [2016]; REICHERTZ, 2009). We seek to explain why, in our view, C°Co has not thus far had a noticeable influence on academic discourse in international, particularly Anglo-American, sociology. Amongst others, we highlight issues regarding the name that was picked for the perspective and regarding the literal translation of German C°Co terminology into the English language. We also point to some theoretical and methodological choices that have made it difficult to link C°Co to interactionist sociology in general, and to ethnomethodology and ethnography in particular, i.e., perspectives that we are closely aligned with. We conclude with a summary of our observations and a few suggested steps communicative constructivists might consider taking to broaden and diversify the appeal of their program beyond German speaking sociology.