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Annointment of Mead as the Main Progenitor of Symbolic Interactionism: An Unsolved Mystery

Mon, August 24, 10:30am to 12:10pm, TBA

Abstract

Although over the years, many sociologists have written about the development of the perspective known as "symbolic interactionism," they have rarely made problematical the anointment of George Herbert Mead as its main progenitor. It is argued on the basis of some known and unknown historical sources that Robert E. Park should have been anointed to this position instead of Mead. The primary reason for Mead's elevation rather than Park to it was the ceaseless promotional efforts on behalf of Mead By Herbert Blumer and the absence of any comparable promotional efforts by Everett Hughes, Park's heir apparent on his behalf. Thus, the root images of contemporary interactionism are now based on the wrong man's ideas. If Park had been anointed to this position instead of Mead, then domination and power would have been given a much more prominent place than they presently are in this sociological perspective.

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