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On the Contributions of Cognitive Sociology to the Sociological Study of Race
Author(s) -
Brekhus Wayne H.,
Brunsma David L.,
Platts Todd,
Dua Priya
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
sociology compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1751-9020
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-9020.2009.00259.x
Subject(s) - sociology , race (biology) , cognition , epistemology , identity (music) , racism , meaning (existential) , sociological imagination , social constructionism , power (physics) , social science , psychology , gender studies , aesthetics , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience
In this article, we argue for cognitive sociology as a framework for studying the sociology of race. Cognitive sociology concerns itself with classification, identity construction, meaning and collective memory and is thus centrally concerned with generic issues that apply well to racial category construction and maintenance. We, first, outline the cognitive sociology framework. We then elaborate on traditions in the sociology of race and racism that have implicit affinities to cognitive sociology. We argue that cognitive sociology provides a useful generic framework with which to look at specific issues in racial classification, the social construction of race, and to racist cognitions, while critical race theory and other sociology of race frameworks can compliment cognitive sociology by addressing issues of power and domination in cognitive frameworks.