Reflexive turn in research about social diversity. How categorisations create social realities

In recent years, there has been increasing criticism of concepts central to the study of social diversity, ethnic groups, nations and migration processes.  Concepts such as ‘migrants’, ‘integration’, ‘ethnicity’, ‘minority’ or ‘nation’ are treated as social categorisations embedded in the worldviews and ideological perspectives of those involved in research.  Moreover, the same concepts are understood and used in different ways in the academic, political, legal and media contexts. Becoming aware of these conditions draws our attention to the social consequences of our classifications, typifications and other linguistic practices. This reflexive turn prompts us to question and redefine the basic categories and terms of sociological research. In the course of this process, it becomes clearer that they are burdened with various cognitive schemata and simplifications. 

In our session we will demonstrate that the reflexive turn is not only important for migration and ethnicity studies, but also involves reflection on the conditions of doing science and on the processes of social communication of scientific knowledge. It can be projected onto other sub-disciplines and thematic streams in sociology. Reflecting on concepts and their formation in science reveals the processes of shaping ‘expertise’ and the relationships between knowledge, communication, discourse control and power. Contesting and revising the existing conceptual apparatus can lead to a more in-depth understanding of the ideological entanglements of contemporary sociology, and consequently to more accurate and precise explanations of social processes.