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Symbolic Interactionism and Social Network Analysis: An Uncertain Encounter
Author(s) -
Salvini Andrea
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
symbolic interaction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.874
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1533-8665
pISSN - 0195-6086
DOI - 10.1525/si.2010.33.3.364
Subject(s) - symbolic interactionism , interactionism , sociology , the symbolic , symbolic data analysis , psychology , social psychology , psychoanalysis , social science , mathematics , statistics
The aim of this article is to respond to the question of whether social networks represent a possible terrain of application and investment for interactionist research. The answer to that question is, without a doubt, affirmative. What appears to be truly problematic, if not completely improbable, is that this investment can come about through a “coming together” of symbolic interactionism and social network analysis. The vocational focus that has evolved in the two perspectives, the conceptual frameworks and methods used for the study of social interactions and their interlinking in relational networks, presents aspects of extreme differentiation that render a possible convergence quite difficult.