From collective representations to social imaginaries: How society represents itself to itself

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper aims to reconsider the relevance of Cornelius Castoriadis’ concept of the social imaginary as a way of re-invigorating the study of ‘collective representations’ within the social sciences. The paper begins with a review of how social thought has been understood, from Durkheim's writing on collective representations onwards. A case is made for the utility of Castoriadis’ concept of social imaginary significations in restoring their centrality within the social sciences. In contrast to viewing social thought as ‘super-structural’ ideology, or as a constellation of social attitudes and opinions commonly shared, Castoriadis’ view of social imaginary significations articulates a view of social representations as under-determined by, though never articulated without reference to, social morphology. However the imaginative capacity of individuals and society to generate this surplus of signifiers is understood, Castoriadis’ thinking allies the study of social imaginary significations with the study of social morphology without reducing either to mere representations of the other. What is needed now is a methodology suited to the empirical exploration of the network of significations that constitute the ‘imaginary institution of society’.