Chapter 8: The Social Construction of Nature
Test bank
Multiple Choice
1. A(n) _______ is a belief about how the world is and how it ought to be.
a. concept
b. discourse
c. signifying practice
d. ideology
2. A relativist would most likely argue that
a. science is an objective method for discovering the truth of nature.
b. all beliefs, truths, and facts, are constructed in a particular social context.
c. natural laws determine the way humans relate to one another.
d. humans and non-humans produce and change one another through interactions with each other.
3. The theory of _______ argues that humans and non-humans produce and change one another through interactions with each other.
a. co-production
b. relativism
c. objectivism
d. positivism
4. The pristine myth of the New World and North African desertification are examples of _______ that benefitted Europeans in their colonial expansion.
a. discourses
b. signifying practices
c. material realities
d. scientific facts
5. The concept of wilderness
a. is based on reality rather than human values.
b. has remained unchanged over time.
c. is applied only to uninhabited places.
d. has been used to displace inhabitants from designated areas.
6. The relationship between science and social constructions is that
a. scientific evidence is used to support social constructions.
b. science is conducted within a social context laden with power and values.
c. scientific evidence challenges social constructions.
d. social constructions challenge scientific evidence.
e. all of the above.
7. Europeans described the New World as pristine because
a. Native Americans had not altered their environment.
b. they wanted to justify colonial expansion into the territory.
c. it was uninhabited when they discovered it.
d. they found the land barren and in need of intervention.
8. The discourse of desertification in North Africa was primarily used
a. by nomadic populations to secure development aid.
b. by French colonizers to control the land and nomadic populations.
c. by French colonizers to offer support to nomadic populations.
d. by scientists to describe natural, periodic changes in land cover.
9. Which of the following statements about race is TRUE?
a. Science has been used to justify racial categories, though no genetic basis for race is currently accepted.
b. Science has proven the existence of distinct racial categories through the measurement of physiological characteristics.
c. Race is a social construction, so it has no effect on material reality.
True/False
10. The theory of co-production argues that all beliefs, truths, and facts are socially constructed in a particular social context.
a. true b. false
11. Discourse is spoken and written language and therefore cannot alter the material world.
a. true b. false
12. A social constructivist examines how beliefs, values, and practices shape how people understand the world.
a. true b. false
13. The most important part of constructivism is proving that a concept is false.
a. true b. false
14. Every concept is a social construction.
a. true b. false
Identification
Keywords: concept, constructivist, co-production, discourse, ideologies, narrative, “nature”, race, relativism, signifying practices, social construction, social context, wilderness
People: William Cronon
Short Essay
1. What does a social constructivist aim to do with their analyses? You should 1) describe the main theory of social constructivism, 2) list at least 3 of the questions that a social constructivist would ask about a discourse or concept, and 3) provide a concrete example from the lecture or text.
2. Why is wilderness a problematic concept? You should 1) briefly describe how the term has historically been used and by whom, and 2) list at least 2 ways in which the concept has been used to the benefit of some but the disadvantage of others.
3. Provide an example of a discourse and its core elements. 1) Describe the narrative, concept(s), ideology, and signifying practices that support the discourse. 2) Explain how power is involved in the development and representation of this discourse, and who benefits.