Social constructionism challenges essentialism. In poetry, it appears in works that question fixed identities or natural categories. Poets can deconstruct norms, showing their contingency and the possibility of change. This concept gives poetry a political and critical function, revealing how language and culture shape our deepest beliefs. It empowers poets to imagine alternative realities and challenge oppressive structures.

Social construction is the view that many fundamental aspects of human reality—such as gender, race, class, and even certain emotions—are not natural, fixed, or universal but are products of historical, cultural, and social processes. These are "constructed" through the shared practices, language, and institutions of a society. In poetry, social construction appears in works that question fixed identities or natural categories. A poet might deconstruct the gender binary, show how race is a social fiction, or expose the constructed nature of "normality." This concept gives poetry a political and critical function, revealing how language and culture shape our deepest beliefs and empowering poets to imagine and advocate for alternative realities.