The Cultural Sociological Perspective

Just like cultural psychology, cultural sociology defines culture as both its central research interest and theoretical guiding concept. This chapter therefore highlights how cultural sociological approaches differ in the characterization of their subject matter and the definition and scope of their respective concept of culture. The focus then shifts to the central theoretical foundations of cultural sociology, as found in social constructivism, phenomenology, symbolic interactionism, as well as the interpretive paradigm and qualitative methods. The interplay of these perspectives is demonstrated using the case of anti-aging practices: The appeal and success of anti-aging, according to the cultural sociological argument, cannot be explained by their (also disputed) medical effectiveness, but by a symbolic power that allows users to present themselves as self-caring subjects. In summary, the common concern of cultural sociology and cultural psychology is the reconstruction of meanings in which subjects understand themselves and the world they are living in.