This book presents an overview of that theoretical framework known as symbolic interactionism. It details the major intellectual and philosophical antecedents of the interactionist perspective, i.e., evolutionism, Scottish moral philosophy, German idealism, pragmatism, and functional psychology. Under the heading evolutionism, the Darwinian notion of the mutually determinative relationship existing between environments and organisms is discussed, as are Henri Bergson's conceptions of the nature of radical, abrupt departures from earlier life forms and of the emergence of novel events. Scottish moral philosophers are dealt with in terms of their contribution to the conceptual inventory of symbolic interactionism. Of particular relevance here are concepts such as the impartial spectator 'sympathy', the 'I', the 'Me', 'role taking', 'generalized other', and 'looking-glass self.' Those German idealists exerting an impact on George Herbert Mead and symbolic interactionism, namely, Fichte, Von Schelling, Kant, and Hegel receive mention. American pragmatic philosophy is then summarized, and special attention is given to the writings of Charles S. Pierce, William James, and John Dewey. The second chapter discusses the major early interactionists, i.e., Charles Horton Cooley, William Isaac Thomas, and George Herbert Mead. Part two discusses the principal varieties of contemporary symbolic interactionism. Major 'schools' receiving attention are the 'Chicago School', the 'Iowa School', the 'Dramaturgical Genre', and 'Ethnomethodology.' A unique feature of this section is that it ends with an attempt to provide a single sentence description of the symbolic interactionist viewpoint. Mead's writings are dealt with in terms of his utilization of such pivotal concepts as symbols, role taking, self, society, and mind. A listing of the primary characteristics of the early interactionism closes out this section of the book. The third section provides a representative set of criticisms of interactionism. They are provided by interactionists and also by those who favor other sociological orientations. Both early and contemporary interactionism come under fire, and the criticisms range from the mild to the sharp. The perspective stands accused, by friend and foe alike, of being quaint, ahistorical, noneconomic, imprecise, and apolitical. It has also ignored the unconscious and emotive components in human behavior, and it manifests a rather strong astructural bias. Interactionists may now be in the process of correcting these defects.

This book presents an overview of that theoretical framework known as symbolic interactionism. It details the major intellectual and philosophical antecedents of the interactionist perspective, i.e., evolutionism, Scottish moral philosophy, German idealism, pragmatism, and functional psychology. Under the heading evolutionism, the Darwinian notion of the mutually determinative relationship existing between environments and organisms is discussed, as are Henri Bergson's conceptions of the nature of radical, abrupt departures from earlier life forms and of the emergence of novel events. Scottish moral philosophers are dealt with in terms of their contribution to the conceptual inventory of symbolic interactionism. Of particular relevance here are concepts such as the impartial spectator "sympathy," the "I," the "Me," "role taking," "generalized other," and "looking-glass self." Those German idealists exerting an impact on George Herbert Mead and symbolic interactionism, namely, Fichte, Von Schelling, Kant, and Hegel receive mention. American pragmatic philosophy is then summarized, and special attention is given to the writings of Charles S. Pierce, William James, and John Dewey. The second chapter discusses the major early interactionists, i.e., Charles Horton Cooley, William Isaac Thomas, and George Herbert Mead. Part two discusses the principal varieties of contemporary symbolic interactionism. Major "schools" receiving attention are the "Chicago School," the "Iowa School," the "Dramaturgical Genre," and "Ethnomethodology." A unique feature of this section is that it ends with an attempt to provide a single sentence description of the symbolic interactionist viewpoint. Mead's writings are dealt with in terms of his utilization of such pivotal concepts as symbols, role taking, self, society, and mind. A listing of the primary characteristics of the early interactionism closes out this section of the book. The third section provides a representative set of criticisms of interactionism. They are provid

It is headline news that forced migration due to conflict, persecution, and violence is a world-wide human catastrophe in which over 68 million people have been displaced. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) currently reports that one in every 110 people are forced to flee their homes and that someone is forced to flee their home every two seconds. Over 40 million people are internally displaced persons, people who have fled their homes but remain in their home country. Over 25 million are refugees, people who have forsaken their homes and homeland. They have crossed their country's borders seeking safety and refuge. This volume brings together a wide variety of contributors, from scholars and a psychiatric social worker, to former refugees who were resettled in the United States and a mural artist, to explore the current face of migration conflict. Including personal narratives, academic papers, and artistic research, this volume is split into four sections, looking at the social structure of conflict, voices of resilience, humanitarian advocacy, and art and hope. This timely collection is a relevant book for courses in sociology, anthropology, political science, and courses centering on the global problem of conflict and forced migration.

Oppression and resistance dialectically envelop everyday life, for both the privileged and the oppressed. The disenfranchised live under regimes in which repression ranges from brutal to institutionally subtle. The privileged socially reproduce their rule through ideology that justifies and policy that institutionalizes subjugation. However, rejecting depression, detachment, and disaffection that emerges from surviving ruling-class regimes, many previously dispirited, instead, choose defiance. They engage in subjectivity struggles by crafting critical consciousness, refusing to be dupes to ideology that represents them as inferior. They undertake social struggles demanding policy that dismantles institutional discrimination and that enhances opportunities for learning and achievement. The exploited, as best as they can in regimes of ruling class and white male supremacy, reconstruct their selves and, it is hoped, transform society. The qualitative studies that comprise this edited collection, present a structure-and-agency perspective, broadly defined, that constitutes the best sociological lens through which to understand oppression and resistance. Contributors interrogate various aspects of oppression and resistance, from the personal to the institutional, exploring situations in which the structure of oppression was insurmountable and illustrating cases in which agency was able to transform either individual or group identity.

The charge that symbolic interactionism (SI) is impaired by an astructural bias orbits around a number of sociology's core concerns: structure and agency, methodological individualism and methodological holism, the micro-macro link, the proper procedures to conduct research and when to state and how to test hypotheses and, whether interactionism can address structural concerns such as class, race, gender, power, and oppression. The Astructural Bias: Myth or Reality constitutes a collection of outstanding essays by scholars who address the concern of an astructural bias. Chapters explore the nature of social structure and SI's effectiveness in using the concept. This volume is beneficial for contemporary interactionists and their critics, social theorists, and all students of sociology who are interested in assessing the ability of SI to fully address the grave social circumstances and social problems of an increasingly precarious and dangerous world.