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Definition Of Symbolic Interactionism

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1. Introduction

In this essay symbolic interactionism is going to be analysed by identifying the key concepts and theorist such as Mead, Goffman and Blumer. The second part of the essay will be application of this theory by referring it to the role of my ethnic group and how I identify with this culture through symbols and meanings.

An ethnic group can be defined as any socially defined group that have certain common interests. For the purpose of this essay I identified my ethnic group as ethno-regional in other words I will be emphasising my sense of belonging stemming from a geographical location (Sociology Guide, 2014). In this case the community of Port-Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape as a white Afrikaner. Although I am also part as a member of the PUK for example, I feel that the PE community plays a more influential role on how I perceive situations. The symbolic interactionism perspective in short explains how people in a social setting attach meaning during interaction, how they see themselves and investigate how people can define their situation with other people present. This means that human beings attitudes and actions are based on meaning they attach to objects (Boundless, 2014).

2. Definition of Symbolic Interactionism

Symbolic interactionism is one of the many modern social theories and it entails that people live in the natural and symbolic world where interaction among people can give meaning to certain phenomena (Akson et al, 2009). the meaning of an

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