Social Interactionism, Labeling Theory, and Deviance

The lecture is in-person with the instructor.
The second part of the lecture will focus on the instructor's research in a South African prison.
Next week's lecture will be pre-recorded, including a general subject overview and exam information.
The exam is moved to the 11th at 3 PM and will be online and open book.
Students should avoid plagiarism and academic misconduct, respecting the university's policies.
The exam will cover all lecture and reading materials, with a format similar to Quiz 1: true/false and short answer questions.
Notes are permitted during the exam, provided they are not verbatim copies from lecture or reading materials.
Essays should include general references (e.g., Jung 2003, or according to Marx).

Focuses on agency, both of the subject and the audience.
Meaning is constructed through interaction and is not pre-given or solidified.
Addresses how society is created and maintained through dynamic face-to-face interactions and repeated routines.
Examines how reality is negotiated and responded to, including through labeling.
Individuals actively engage in the world, not merely acting as passive objects of power.
Language and symbols are important because they transmit meanings, which can be impactful and sometimes hurtful.

The theory originates from the Chicago School, with George Herbert Mead as one of its key figures.
Mead introduced the concept of reflexivity: self-awareness and awareness of one's surroundings.
Reflexivity is important in qualitative research, requiring awareness of one's own positionality.
There are conversations between the "me" (social self), the "I" (unsocialized self), and the generalized other.
The generalized other illustrates how we use symbols and shortcuts to understand reality.

Symbolic interactionism is a sociological theory that focuses on small-scale, everyday social interactions.
Symbols: People communicate through symbols like gestures, words, and objects.
Meaning: Meaning is created and modified through social interactions.
Action: People act based on the meanings things have for them.
Self: Individuals develop their self-concept through interaction with others (the "looking glass self").
Social Reality: Social reality is fluid and constantly reshaped through interactions.
Strengths: People are active participants, not passive recipients.
Criticisms: It focuses too much on small-scale interactions and ignores larger social structures.

Identities are formed from experience and prediction of experience.
Examples of identities: professional, gender, race, parent, child, friend, social class.
Language is used to rationalize our actions.
Meaning and interpretation are invested in interactions and relations.

Emphasizes how negative responses to behavior can stigmatize.
Deviance isn't a quality of the act but a consequence of applying rules and sanctions.
Deviant behavior is behavior people label as such.
Central issue of power: Who has the power to define?
Recall Drew Klein’s boundary formation: defining who is "us" versus "the other."

A study in Mumbai, India, examined how young people interpret the concept of "troubled child."
Identities are managed, and strategies are used to counter labeling.
Young people may invert labels, labeling police officers as outsiders.
Authors call for user-centric and participatory juvenile justice interventions.

Primary deviance: Engaging in behaviors or having traits that are not responded to (not problematic).
Secondary deviance: Strong social response, deeming traits or behaviors as problematic (can be formal or informal).
Emphasis is on the process, and agency is important on both sides.

The process of creating labels is long and involves stripping one's previous identity (mortification).
Prisoners in Ukraine had to attend formal meetings, display their name badges, and state their crime, reinforcing their status as prisoners.
These ceremonies were religiously enforced by officers.
Label of prisoner is a convict who requires discipline and is lacking discipline.