The Cultural Turn in Sociology

The Cultural Turn in sociology refers to a shift in focusing on how shared beliefs, symbols, traditions, and meaning shape people's behavior and social life. Instead of primarily analyzing economic or political structures, sociologists started paying more attention to culture—how people interpret their world and create social reality through their values, language, and norms. This approach highlights that understanding people's ideas and cultural practices is essential to grasping how societies function, change, and reproduce themselves. It emphasizes that culture is active and influential, not just a background in social analysis.