SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM: SUBJECT MATTER, ORIGINS, VERSIONS OF THE CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO KNOWLEDGE

Introduction. Starting from R. Merton’s pioneer
works, social studies of science have been a major
part of Western intellectual and scientific life. The
total number of periodicals on the subject, that is
over 20, illustrates the point best. Meanwhile Russian social studies of science are far less intensive.
Moreover Western studies of social constructivist
type still haven’t received sufficient coverage in
Russian scientific literature. Our article is an attempt to somewhat reverse the situation.
The aim of the article is to analyze social constructivism evolution in the English speaking countries
starting from Berger and Luckmann’s seminal
work “The Social Construction of Reality” in 1966;
to classify social constructivist versions of science
together with their most prominent traits.