The Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction (SSSI) is an international professional organization of scholars interested in the study of a wide range of social issues with an emphasis on identity, everyday practice, and language. Symbolic interactionism, the society’s theoretical foundation, is derived from American pragmatism and particularly from the work of George Herbert Mead, who argued that people’s selves are social products, but that these selves are also purposive and creative. Herbert Blumer, a former student and interpreter of Mead, coined the term ‘symbolic interactionism’ and put forward an influential summary of the perspective stating that:
Many sub-disciplines within the social sciences have been influenced by symbolic interactionism, including the sociology of emotions, deviance/criminology, collective behavior/social movements, feminist studies, sociological versions of social psychology, communications theory, semiotics, education, nursing, mass media, organizations, and the study of social problems. Similarly, numerous interactionist concepts have gained widespread usage, including the definition of the situation, emotion work, identity work, impression management, looking glass self, and total institution
To join SSSI, and subscribe to our journal, please visit the University of California Press site.
Our journal, Symbolic Interaction, is published quarterly by the University of California Press. For more information, to submit manuscripts, check the review process, and much more, visit the journal’s website.
The society holds an annual meeting which includes paper presentations, distinguished lectures, business meetings, and a banquet. The SSSI meetings are typically scheduled at the same time and same city as meetings held for American Sociological Association and the Society for the Study of Social Problems and offer some of the best and most supportive colleagueship of any professional association. Travel scholarships for student members of the association are often available and the experience of attending the annual meeting is of particular benefit to students. Yearly awards in the following categories are announced at that time and honor the best and the brightest work within the Interactionist tradition. Some of these awards are open to students:
Our newsletter, SSSI Notes, covers awards, publications, calls for papers, conference reports and more.
Many of our members subscribe to a friendly and informal mailing list, SSSI Talk. If you wish to join please send an email to the site administrator.