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What Are We Talking About? The Semantics and Politics of Social Kinds
Article first published online: 9 JAN 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1527-2001.2005.tb00533.x
2005 by Hypatia, Inc.
Additional Information
How to Cite
HASLANGER, S. (2005), What Are We Talking About? The Semantics and Politics of Social Kinds. Hypatia, 20: 10–26. doi: 10.1111/j.1527-2001.2005.tb00533.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 9 JAN 2009
- Article first published online: 9 JAN 2009
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Theorists analyzing the concepts of race and gender disagree over whether the terms refer to natural kinds, social kinds, or nothing at all. The question arises: what do we mean by the terms? It is usually assumed that ordinary intuitions of native speakers are definitive. However, I argue that contemporary semantic externalism can usefully combine with insights from Foucauldian genealogy to challenge mainstream methods of analysis and lend credibility to social constructionist projects.