“Resisting Reality: Social Construction and Social Critique” by Sally Haslanger: Summary and Critique

1. The Social Construction of Reality

• Haslanger argues that social categories such as race and gender are not natural kinds but are instead socially constructed realities that shape human interactions and institutions (Haslanger, 2012).
• She emphasizes that “language is a collective social practice”, and our understanding of social categories is shaped by discourse rather than by inherent biological or metaphysical truths (Haslanger, 2012, p. 298).

2. Race as a Social Kind

• Haslanger challenges the essentialist view of race, rejecting “race naturalism”, which holds that races are biologically real, and “race eliminativism”, which denies the existence of race altogether.
• Instead, she advocates for a “realist, social constructionist account of race”, arguing that race exists as a social kind—it is real because it has significant material and political consequences (Haslanger, 2012, p. 299).
• Race, she argues, “is the social meaning of the ‘colored’ body”—a classification imposed on individuals based on perceived physical traits and linked to historical power dynamics (Haslanger, 2012, p. 308).

3. The Role of Language in Social Construction

• Haslanger explains that debates over race are often hindered by semantic misunderstandings. She states, “What concept of race should we employ in order to achieve the antiracist goals we share?”, shifting the focus from whether race is real to how racial categories function in society (Haslanger, 2012, p. 299).
• She draws on semantic externalism, arguing that the meaning of terms like “race” is shaped by both expert knowledge and collective social usage (Haslanger, 2012, p. 305).

4. The Political Implications of Race and Gender

• Haslanger connects her social constructionist account of race to issues of social justice, emphasizing that racial classifications serve to “justify systems of privilege and subordination” (Haslanger, 2012, p. 309).
• She extends this argument to gender, contending that gender functions as “the social meaning of sex”, meaning that gender roles and expectations are not biologically determined but institutionally reinforced (Haslanger, 2012, p. 307).

5. Critique of Race Eliminativism and Naturalism

• Haslanger critiques race eliminativism, which argues that race should be abandoned as a concept, by stating, “We can all confidently identify members of different races”, which means race cannot simply be wished away (Haslanger, 2012, p. 306).
• She also critiques race naturalism, which claims that races are biologically determined categories, arguing that “race is not a natural or genetic category”, but one that has been historically shaped by power structures (Haslanger, 2012, p. 307).

6. The Need for Conceptual Change in Public Discourse

• Haslanger urges scholars and activists to redefine race and gender categories in ways that contribute to social justice, stating that, “If the folk concept of race is not an adequate tool to help achieve social justice, then how should we proceed?” (Haslanger, 2012, p. 304).
• She argues that race should be understood not as an immutable fact but as a tool for political change, allowing for the dismantling of racial hierarchies and systemic discrimination.

7. Application of the Social Constructionist Model

• Haslanger applies her theory to policy and legal debates, showing how racial categories affect medical treatment, education, and economic opportunities.
• She discusses the example of the FDA’s approval of BiDil (a heart failure drug marketed for Black patients), explaining how different perspectives on race (eliminativist, naturalist, and constructionist) lead to different evaluations of the policy (Haslanger, 2012, p. 301).

8. The Dynamic Nature of Social Categories

• She emphasizes that social categories are not fixed but fluid, stating that “language evolves in complicated and subtle ways”, and so do our concepts of race and gender (Haslanger, 2012, p. 298).
• She concludes that “constructionism about race is currently the best candidate” for understanding racial categories in a way that advances social justice (Haslanger, 2012, p. 310).

1. Feminist Literary Theory

• Reconceptualizing Gender in Literature

• Haslanger defines gender as a social kind, arguing that “gender is the social meaning of sex”, rather than a biological distinction (Haslanger, 2012, p. 307).
• This aligns with feminist literary theory, which critiques the essentialist representation of gender in literature, emphasizing how narratives construct and reinforce gender roles.
• Her work challenges literary critics to analyze how gender is represented as a hierarchical social position in literature rather than as a natural or fixed identity.
• Structural Subordination in Literary Representation

• Haslanger critiques structural subordination, which aligns with feminist critiques of patriarchy in literature (Haslanger, 2012, p. 309).
• She argues that literary narratives often normalize gender oppression, mirroring real-world structural inequalities.
• This contribution helps feminist literary theorists examine how literature sustains or challenges systemic oppression through narrative structures.

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2. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Postcolonial Literary Theory

• Race as a Social Construct in Literature

• Haslanger’s “realist social constructionist account of race” supports CRT’s critique of race as a biologically false but socially real construct (Haslanger, 2012, p. 299).
• She states, “race is the social meaning of the ‘colored’ body,” highlighting how literature constructs racial identities to reinforce social hierarchies (Haslanger, 2012, p. 308).
• Her framework helps literary critics deconstruct racial stereotypes in literature and reveal how narratives racialize characters to maintain power structures.
• Critique of Race Eliminativism and Literary Erasure

• Haslanger critiques race eliminativism, stating that race cannot be ignored since it is “deeply embedded in our social and political structures” (Haslanger, 2012, p. 306).
• This aligns with CRT and postcolonial literary theory, which argue that literature has historically erased or marginalized racial identities.
• Her analysis supports postcolonial literary studies in examining the role of race in imperialist narratives and how it shapes representations of identity.

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3. Poststructuralist Literary Theory

• Language as a Site of Social Power in Literary Texts

• Haslanger’s argument that “language is a collective social practice” aligns with poststructuralist critiques of language’s role in shaping meaning (Haslanger, 2012, p. 298).
• This connects with Derrida’s deconstruction, which critiques the assumption that language reflects reality rather than constructs it.
• Literary critics can use Haslanger’s ideas to analyze how texts create and reinforce social categories through language and discourse.
• Interrogating Essentialism in Literature

• Haslanger challenges essentialist definitions of race and gender, which aligns with poststructuralist critiques of fixed identities in literature (Haslanger, 2012, p. 302).
• This supports literary readings that question stable identity categories in texts, showing how characters’ racial and gender identities are socially determined rather than inherent.

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4. Discourse Analysis and Narratology

• Reframing Narrative Structures through Conceptual Change

• Haslanger calls for “conceptual engineering” to redefine race and gender for justice (Haslanger, 2012, p. 304).
• This aligns with discourse analysis in literature, which examines how narratives create social meanings and reinforce dominant ideologies.
• Her work encourages literary critics to explore how novels, films, and plays contribute to the social construction of race and gender.
• Narrative Power and the Construction of Identity

• Haslanger states, “If we want to change or refine the concept of race, we should be aware of where we are starting from” (Haslanger, 2012, p. 298).
• This resonates with narratology, which examines how storytelling constructs identities and shapes perceptions of reality.
• Her work provides a framework for studying how literary narratives construct racialized and gendered subjects through storytelling techniques.

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5. Intersectionality in Literature

• Intersections of Race, Gender, and Class in Literary Analysis
  • Haslanger argues that race and gender “are not independent categories but are shaped by intersecting power structures” (Haslanger, 2012, p. 309).
  • This aligns with intersectionality, a key concept in feminist and CRT literary analysis, which examines how multiple identity markers interact to shape oppression in literature.
  • Her insights help critics analyze how characters experience multiple forms of oppression based on race, gender, and class in literary texts.

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Conclusion: Impact on Literary Theory

Haslanger’s Resisting Reality significantly impacts literary theory by:

1. Supporting feminist critiques of gender representation as a social construct.
2. Advancing critical race theory in literature by highlighting race as a social kind.
3. Aligning with poststructuralist and deconstructionist critiques of essentialism.
4. Providing a framework for discourse analysis and narratology in literature.
5. Enhancing intersectional literary analysis by examining the interplay of race, gender, and class.

1. Overemphasis on Social Construction at the Expense of Material Reality

• Critics argue that Haslanger’s social constructionist model downplays the role of material conditions, particularly in relation to race and gender.
• Some Marxist theorists contend that class and economic factors are more fundamental in shaping racial and gendered oppression than linguistic and conceptual frameworks.
• Critics claim that emphasizing conceptual change does not necessarily translate into material social change (e.g., addressing economic inequality or legal structures).

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2. Limited Engagement with Intersectionality and Lived Experience

• While Haslanger acknowledges intersectionality, some scholars argue that her focus on linguistic and conceptual analysis fails to fully account for the lived experiences of marginalized groups.
• Intersectional feminists argue that race and gender cannot be reduced to conceptual categories, as they are experienced differently across social, cultural, and historical contexts.
• Some critics suggest that her model lacks sufficient empirical engagement with diverse experiences of racial and gender oppression.

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3. Tension Between Conceptual Engineering and Political Strategy

• Haslanger advocates for “conceptual engineering”, arguing that we should redefine race and gender in ways that serve justice and equality.
• However, some critics argue that changing conceptual categories does not necessarily lead to real-world political change.
• Pragmatists and political theorists argue that political action, legal reforms, and economic policies are more effective in dismantling oppression than shifting conceptual frameworks.

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4. Race as a Social Kind vs. the Persistence of Biological Race

• While Haslanger rejects race naturalism, some philosophers of science argue that genetic studies reveal biologically significant variations that might justify some aspects of racial classification.
• Haslanger claims that “race is the social meaning of the ‘colored’ body”, but critics argue that some racial categories are tied to genetic factors relevant to medicine and public health (Haslanger, 2012, p. 308).
• Philosophers of science argue that a purely social constructionist view might ignore biological variations that have practical implications (e.g., medical disparities).

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5. Abstract Theoretical Focus and Accessibility Issues

• Some scholars critique the book for being overly theoretical and difficult for non-specialists to engage with.
• Haslanger’s technical use of philosophical language makes her arguments less accessible to activists, policymakers, and general readers.
• Critics argue that her conceptual framework, while intellectually rigorous, might not be practical for grassroots movements seeking tangible social change.

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6. Debate Over Race Eliminativism vs. Race Constructionism

• Haslanger rejects race eliminativism, arguing that race is a real social kind that should be used to combat injustice (Haslanger, 2012, p. 306).
• Some eliminativists, like Kwame Anthony Appiah, argue that race should be completely abandoned as a concept because it is a harmful social fiction.
• The debate raises the question: Should we redefine race to fight racism, or should we eliminate the concept altogether?

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7. Potential Relativism in the Definition of Social Categories

• Haslanger claims that race and gender definitions should evolve based on political and ethical goals (Haslanger, 2012, p. 304).
• Some critics argue that this leads to conceptual relativism, where categories become too fluid and politically motivated, rather than grounded in stable social structures.
• Philosophers of language question whether meanings can be engineered at will, arguing that social categories emerge organically rather than through deliberate redefinition.