Toward an expanded definition of symbolic interactionism

To expand our definition of symbolic interactionism (SI), we need to reclaim its pragmatist roots, re-examine them from the perspective of 21st-century social scientists, and reconsider our conceptions of what SI can mean as a perspective and as a method for studying the empirical world. While contemporary symbolic interactionists adopt SI as a guiding perspective, relatively few have explained its implications for methods. Similarly, we often lose sight of the larger structures that impinge on this world – and how we learn about it. An expanded definition of SI needs to explicate links between these larger structures and what we do, how we do it, who we are, and what we produce. Specifically, at this historical juncture, the effects of neoliberal perspectives, policies, and practices must be examined for their implications on how we think about and conduct our studies as well as showing when, how, and to what extent neoliberalism affects the lives of our research participants. This chapter will cover the following: (1) a brief outline and a critical examination of key pragmatist assumptions in historical context, (2) a discussion of the implications of SI for research methods, (3) a statement of how grounded theory and situational analysis can bridge perspective and methods, (4) an explication of neoliberalism and an explanation of why we need to address it, and (5) a closing proposal of how an expanded definition of SI can lead to fresh ideas about relationships between individuals and the social structures that affect them.