Relevance as the Central Concept of Phenomenological Sociology in Alfred Schutz

CARLOS BELVEDERE

University Park

Conferencia; SPHS 2018 Annual Conference; 2018

Society fo Phenomenology and the Human Sciences (SPHS)

According to Alfred Schutz, relevance is the central concept and the fundamental problem of sociology. Main issues such as social relations and social roles are grounded on the overlapping or sameness of the participant?s systems of relevances. Indeed, social roles, status, and the like are addressed as social typifications which are, to some extent, imposed relevances with which members have to come to terms. Also, if maintained over time, imposed relevances can become institutionalized and serve as means of social control. For being imposed, this kind of relevances and typifications will hardly achieve the effect that those subjected to it consider themselves members of a We-group. They are meant to be imposed group membership and imposed systems of relevances. Consequently, group memberships have an objective meaning.