The name is absent

21

Nihilation acts in the opposite way and is brought into
play to protect a universe of meaning by liquidating conceptually
all alternative systematizations of meaning.

Legitimation maintains the reality of the
socially constructed universe. Nihilation
denies the reality of whatever phenomena or
interpretations of phenomena do not fit into
that universe (Berger and Luckmann, 1966:132).

r

Such conceptual nihilation may or may not be followed by
physical nihilation (as for example in the Inquisition, if one
keeps to the theological example) depending upon policies and
the strength of the power base of the dominant group.

2.5 Framework of the study

Within the framework of the sociology of knowledge, the
present study will set out to delineate 'objective reality',
'knowledge' about the world in which Aborigines are located in so
far as this knowledge is Objectivated and taken for granted both
by Aborigines and non-Aborigines.

The study will seek to trace the subjective correlates, that
is, the modes in which the Objectivated world of Aboriginal identity
is subjectively plausible or real to the individuals so that this
reality permits them to build a coherent identity.

In order to systematize the study, it will be related,
theoretically, to the following areas:

(1) Interaction between psychological
reality and psychological models - the
model being part of "society's general
'knowledge about the world' raised to the
level of theoretical thought" (Berger
and Luckmann, 1966:98).

(2) The interaction between social structure
and the worlds in which Aboriginal people
find their identity. The particular
'world' of education will be singled out
for special study.                       ∙

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