Sociology and Criminology

Identity and Interaction

Module code: L4066A
Level 6
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Workshop
Assessment modes: Portfolio

On this module, you’ll explore interpretivist social theory, which investigates ideas of selfhood, social identity and social interaction at the level of analysis.

The theoretical emphasis is on:

• Symbolic Interactionism (SI)
• Goffman’s dramaturgy.

These are used to examine how social identities are formed and transformed through processes of interaction, particularly face-to-face encounters, and the meanings that actors give to these experiences.

SI is primarily concerned with documenting the details of interaction. You’ll investigate:

• how rather than why these social processes unfold.
• empirical applications of these theoretical models, with plenty of examples from published studies. 
• your own social identity (or identities) 
• your experiences of social interaction in everyday life.

Module learning outcomes

• Understand the key principles and concepts of the theoretical perspectives of Symbolic Interactionism and Goffman’s dramaturgy.     
• Demonstrate an in-depth, analytical and critically engaged knowledge of these theoretical models, with reference to published studies.   
• Apply the theories of Symbolic Interactionism and/or Goffman’s dramaturgy to a substantive topic or empirical example
• Critically evaluate the contributions made by Symbolic Interactionism and/or Goffman’s dramaturgical theory to the study of self-identity and interaction.