In sociology, appropriation refers to the process by which individuals or groups adopt and incorporate elementsâÂÂsuch as ideas, practices, symbols, or cultural productsâÂÂinto their own social or conceptual frameworks. This process often involves reshaping or reinterpreting these elements in ways that align with the adopterâÂÂs values, worldview, or identity. Appropriation can be part of cultural assimilation, intellectual integration, or the formation of collective understanding. In some contexts, it is viewed as a neutral or constructive act, while in othersâÂÂespecially where power imbalances existâÂÂit may be criticized as misappropriation, particularly when it involves the unacknowledged or exploitative use of marginalized cultures or knowledge systems.
Scholar James J. Sosnoski describes appropriation as "the assimilation of concepts into a governing framework... the arrogation, confiscation, [or] seizure of concepts."
Tracy B. Strong emphasizes the Latin root proprius, linking appropriation to ideas of property, propriety, and ownership. He writes, "I have appropriated something when I have made it mine... A text is successfully appropriated insofar as the appropriator no longer is troubled with it..."
Gloria Anzaldúa distinguishes appropriation from proliferation, writing that "the difference between appropriation [misappropriation] and proliferation is that the first steals and harms; the second helps heal breaches of knowledge."