Studies in Symbolic Interaction

ISSN: 0163-2396

Editor: Professor Norman Denzin
Subject: Sociology and Public Policy (view other series in this subject area)
Information: Author guidelines
Other: News (Inc. call for papers) | Recommend this book series Thomson Reuters logo.
2011 ISI Impact Factor: 0.017 *
Also available in our: Emerald Social Sciences eBook Series Collection
Online access: Online table of contents | Latest Volume RSS

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About the publication
Reviews
Why read SSI?
Most cited papers
Contribute to SSI
Contact the Editorial Team

READ for FREE- Introduction by Professor Norman K. Denzin from volume 40, '40th Anniversary of Studies in Symbolic Interaction'.

About the publication

Studies in Symbolic Interaction (SSI) is an ISI listed serial that locates current symbolic interactionist thought and provides contemporary readings of social situations. The papers are longer than the average journal article allowing more scope for expansion and development. To reflect the wide range of perspectives in symbolic interactionism, SSI draws on many interpretative resources including:

Post-structuralism
Reconstructivism
Performativity
Critical race theory
Feminist theory
Posthumanism
Materials theory
Post-colonialism
Affective theories
Queer theory

What is symbolic interactionism?

Symbolic interactionism is a distinctive approach to the study of human life (Blumer 1969). Symbolic interactionists assert that humans interpret and give meaning to the world through a complex set of symbols. The meanings for these symbols are generated through our interactions. It is through these interactions that humans develop a concept of self and larger social structures. Symbolic interactionism enables us to distinguish the meanings for these symbols attributed to these acts. The symbolic interactionist approach is a micro level orientation focusing on close up human interaction in specific situations. These situations are varied and plentiful allowing a wealth of theories, methods and viewpoints to be considered. Essentially human society consists of people engaging in symbolic interaction.

The papers published in SSI are qualitative in nature and often of a field method empirical orientation. Typical work in SSI derives from:

Urban ethnographers
Phenomenologists
Ethnomethodologists
Critical theorists
Humanist sociologists
Conflict theorists

Reviews

Studies in Symbolic Interaction (SSI) provides the community of symbolic interaction scholars with extended essays on key methodological and theoretical issues. Sometimes presented in themed sections, these worthwhile volumes have helped launch key developments over the last 35 years in topical areas such as discourse analysis, critical ethnography, performance ethnography, feminist methodology, cultural analysis, and media analysis, to name a few. The presentation of such cutting edge issues promotes the discipline while providing an alternative format for scholarly debate. I have benefitted from publishing and reading colleagues’ work in this creative series.

David Altheide - Emeritus Regents’ Professor, Arizona State University

Why read SSI?

If you want to understand cause. Symbolic interactionism is central to what we as humans do.
The serial publishes critical work that advances the research and the social change agenda. The most downloaded paper in 2011 and 2012 was: Kathy Charmaz (2008), "The legacy of Anselm Strauss in constructivist grounded theory", Vol. 32, pp. 127-141.
If you are studying or teaching a course in sociology, communications, qualitative methods: papers in SSI demonstrate ideas, concepts and social situations in innovative and engaging contexts.

According to ISI the most cited papers in SSI are:

Eastman, Jason T (2010), “Authenticating Identity Work: Accounts of Underground Country Musicians”, vol. 35, pp. 51-67
Iddo Tavory (2009), “The Structure of Flirtation: On the Construction of Interactional Ambiguity”, Vol. 33, pp.59-74
Natalia Ruiz Junco (2008), “The Passages of Theory: A Critical Analysis of the Ortega-Mead Connection”, vol. 31, pp. 81-100
David A. Snow (2008), “Elaborating the Discursive Contexts of Framing: Discursive Fields and Spaces”, vol. 30, pp. 3-28
Phillip, Vannini (2008), “The Geography of Disciplinary Amnesia: Eleven Scholars Reflect on the International State of Symbolic Interactionism”, vol. 32, pp. 5-18
Norbet Wiley (2008), “The 2007 Couch-Stone Distinguished Lecture: The Pragmatists’ Theory of the Self”, vol.31, pp. 7-29

Contribute to SSI

SSI invites original, analytical and interesting research. If you wish to contribute to a future volume, please submit a full paper to Professor Norman Denzin: n-denzin@illinois.edu

Contact the Editorial Team

Publisher
Cristina Irving Turner
cirvingturner@emeraldinsight.com

Editorial Assistant
Claire Swift
cswift@emeraldinsight.com

Volumes within this series

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Online table of contents

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News

14-10-2011: Hundreds of Emerald books listed in new Thomson Reuters Book Citation Index

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