Re: [xmca] ideology: easy access web page

[Larry Purss <lpscholar2@gmail.com>]

Hi Andy & others

You mentioned that ideology is institutionalized consciousness, or that
institutionalization is inherently an aspect of consciousness and each are
inseparable from one another.

I'm wondering if this framing of ideology can be linked to notions of
"social representations"  Mike recommended the book "knowledge in Context by
Sandra Jovchelovich and her definition of SOCIAL representations [in
contrast to cognitive notions of representation] seems to parallel the
discussion of ideology.
Her definition of representation:

To represent is to make present what is actually absent, through the use of
symbols... Representation is at the basis of the construction of languages,
and the acquisition of speech, and is crucial to establishing the
interrelations that constitute the social order and is the material through
which cultures form and are transformed across time [history] and space."

She further writes
Representation is the basis of inclusion and exclusion - who is and who is
not represented and underlies the very core of the knowledge of ourselves
and the world. Very few representations reach verity [a true depiction of
the world]. Even when there is a high level of consensus within he culture,
there is always some dissent from others proposing alternative
representations.  What constitutes truth and reality is informed by
representations which are always precarious and unstable.... Much of the
tension and disputes over representations can be explained by an underlying
tendency to focus solely on its epistemic function [the ability of
representation to produce knowledge ABOUT the world]  There is a strong
tendency to equate the epistemic function of representation with cognition
and to ERASE from the representational process its connection with persons
and contexts.  When this happens, representation is reduced to a mental
epistemic phenomenon, ruled by information processing functions [mechanisms]
that cognitive models call "mind".... The MULTIDIMENSIONAL aspects of
representation, which are clearly visible in its social psychological
GENESIS and social foundations are RENDERED INVISIBLE.

Ideology and "social representations" as concepts seem to share similar
roots.

Larry

It was good to see that a German speaker read this passage the same way I
have, because there are multiple translations of the passage. But if we take
the line that ideology is institutionalised consciousness, or that
institutionalisation is inherently an aspect of consciousness and each are
inseparable from one another in general, then this problematic concept of
"false consciousness" disappears. It is simply a matter of the practical
critique of forms of social practice, of what deserves to be defended and
what should be brought down.
Andy <Andy@mira.net>

mike cole wrote:

>  Once Lucas set me off looking at that interesting webpage of Teun van
>> Dijk,
>> I realized that an inquiry
>> into people's uses of the term, ideology, could take us ANYWHERE. So,
>> thinking of anywhere, I thought in
>> particular of Raymond Williams' KEYWORD which is on my home bookshelf, and
>> sure enough, the entry there
>> on ideology was interesting.
>>
>> Then I wondered if there was a web version so I could add that to the
>> discussion in an easy-to-access way and,
>> voila, as they say, I came up with the following;
>>
>> http://www.autodidactproject.org/other/ideo8.html
>>
>>
>>
>> mike
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>>
>>
>>
>
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