Culture as Social Memory

The article proposes a concept of culture that conceptualizes culture as social memory. Opposing Andreas Wimmer's position, the following aspects are accentuated: (a) Assuring connectibility of communication and reduction of uncertainty by standardized expectations are defined as primary problems of reference whose solution is a necessary precondition of rational action and for the construction of "cultural compromises" in Wimmer's sense. (b) Latent relations of meaning, not noticed by the actors but potentially effective as determinants and consequences of their actions, are taken into account. (c) It is assumed that cultural orientations, shaping intentional and voluntarily performed actions, are correlated with the position of actors within structures of social inequality, contributing to the reproduction and legitimization of these structures in a way being potentially latent to the actors.