Formulation of the claim
The social and religious imaginary contributes to the shaping of societies.
Explanation
Arkoun links society to what it imagines about itself and about the world, not merely to its organizational forms or material facts. The imaginary here is not a cultural ornament, but an active element in constructing the shared meanings around which the collective is organized.
This imaginary also takes on a religious dimension, because symbols, representations, and narratives contribute to shaping collective consciousness. For this reason, understanding society in Arkoun’s thought is tied to understanding the images and meanings it produces, which give it coherence and boundaries.
Its place in the book’s argument
This atom belongs to Arkoun’s interest in the symbolic structures that come before the direct interpretation of texts or institutions. It converges with his theses on the formation of religious and social consciousness within history, where societies are understood not only through their visible rules, but also through their shared imaginary.
Limits of the claim
This atom should not be taken to mean that society is reduced to imagination alone, nor should it be seen as denying the role of economics, politics, or social organization. It does not say that the imaginary is independent of history, but rather that it has an effect in shaping it.