2021 ANNUAL MEETING OF
THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF SYMBOLIC INTERACTION
AUGUST 5-8, 2021
“Socialization and Inequalities across the Life Course: New Directions for Interactionist Scholarship.”
FINAL PROGRAM
Instructions for joining virtual sessions:
There are two ways to join each session via Zoom.
- Each session has a Zoom link embedded in the phrase: “Click here for Zoom link.”
- Each session’s Zoom meeting ID is listed with the session in the program. Just click “Join Meeting” in Zoom and enter this ID number when prompted.
- There is a passcode for all sessions. It has been shared with all registered participants.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5TH: 10:00-11:30AM EASTERN U.S.
Paper Session #1: Socialization and Inequalities
Click here for the Zoom link. Meeting ID: 863 6153 7534.
“Cognitive Reasons for Social Inequalities?” Eve Gardien, Rennes University.
“Socialization and Whiteness: Lies Our Teachers Taught Us,” J. I. (Hans) Bakker,
“Studying Teaching Interactions Online,” Whitney DeCamp, Brian Horvitz, Regina Garza Mitchell, Megan Kowalske, and Cherrelle Singleton, Western Michigan University.
Presider: Judson Everitt, Loyola University Chicago
Paper Session #2: Meaning Making through Media Representations
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 845 6546 7767.
“Skipping the Main Course: Depictions of Single Women in Film,” Kimberly Phillips, Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
“A Place for Contention: The Representation of The Places of Contention in Iranian Cinema
During The Reform Era (1997-2005),” Pouya Morshedi, Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
“The Neighbours’ Relationships Transformation along with the Dwelling Pattern Shifts in Iran: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Iranian Movies (1969-2009),” Foroogh Mohammadi, Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
“Al-Hollywood: Narratives of Despair and Glorification of the Caliphate from ISIS Affiliated Women in the Al-Hol Camp,” Henriette Frees Esholdt, Lund University.
Presider: Lisa-Jo Van Den Scott, Memorial University in St. John’s Newfoundland
Paper Session #3: Identities, Intersectionality, and Meaning Making in Total Institutions
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 841 1489 9143.
“Intersectionality and Military Identity,” Kenya Massey, University of Missouri – Columbia.
“U.S. Military Members’ Perceptions of Male Sexual Victimization,” Aspen Dyer, Cal State Fullerton.
Presider: Aspen Dyerm Cal State Fullerton
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5TH: 12:00-1:30PM EASTERN U.S.
Paper Session #4: Symbolic Interaction, Racism, and Anti-Racism
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 876 9278 0826.
“Anti-Black Biases in Jury Selection,” Elise DeCamp and Whitney DeCamp
“Growing Up with Racism in Southern Iran,” Nasim Basiri and Richard Mitchell, Oregon State University.
Presider: Staci Newmahr, SUNY – Buffalo State
Paper Session #5: Interactionist Studies of Health Professions and Caregiving
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 881 4741 5137.
“An Interactionist Approach to the Professional Socialization of Work Devotion,” Alexandra Vinson, University of Michigan.
“Anomalous Bereavement Patterns, Complicated Grief, and Family Organization in Caregivers of Terminally Ill Cancer Patients,” Lillian Platten, Loyola University Chicago.
“Maintaining Cisnormative Accountability: Medical Providers’ Negotiation of Transgender
Healthcare,” William C. Stallings a,b , Nik M. Lampe c, e, and Emily S. Mann d,e
a South Carolina Honors College, University of South Carolina.
Presider: Amanda Gengler, Wake Forest University
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5TH: 1:45-3:15PM EASTERN
Paper Session #6: Interaction and Intimacy
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 832 9556 1035.
“‘I Just Don’t Feel Any Pride in It:’ The Politics of Identifying as Asexual,” Mary Underwood, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
“Touch me if you can: Intimate bodies at Cuddle Parties,” Cornelia Mayr.
“AI and Sex Robots: An Examination of the History and Technologization of Sexuality,” Keif Godbout-Kinney, Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Presider: Stacey Hannem, Wilfrid Laurier University
Paper Session #7: Interactions, Organizations, and Institutions
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 869 7471 2816.
“‘I say I work at the University’. Norwegian Professors, Non-academic Encounters, and Passing as Interaction Ritual,” Anders Vassenden, University of Stavenger.
“Inhabited Institutions and Geographic Arbitrariness in Capital Prosecution,” Jeffery T. Ulmer and Gary Zajac, Penn State University.
“Emotional Work as an Element of Organizational Identification,” Beata Pawlowska, University of Lodz.
Presider: Judson Everitt, Loyola University Chicago
Special Session #1: Teaching Symbolic Interaction
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 825 7812 3317.
The underlying goal for symbolic interactionists is to produce theoretical accounts that promote mutual understanding in order to facilitate cross-group communication. Pioneers of the perspective saw promise in its potential to overcome social problems stemming from a problem in communicating between groups. Papers in this session will explore symbolic interaction to show how the perspective can be utilized in the classroom to instill a greater sense of appreciation for diversity. These papers argue for continued use of the perspective towards overcoming ideological barriers to learning, or papers that introduce new pedagogical techniques taking a SI approach. These papers also examine the use of SI in promoting discussion on current political divides, sex and sexuality, race, gender, social theory, rural and urban issues, issues in online teaching, and other topics.
“Lynda Barry and Other Graphic Novelists in Teaching Social Problems,” Laurie Linhart, Des Moines Area Community College
“Pragmatism, Praxis, and Pedagogy,” Lukas Szrot, Bemidji State University
“Applying a Sociological Imagination towards Understanding the College Classroom,” Aimee Zoeller, Indiana University Columbus
“Roleplaying as Pedagogy,” Christopher T. Conner, University of Missouri Columbia
Presider/Organizer: Chris Conner, University of Missouri, Columbia and David R. Dickens University of Nevada, Las Vegas
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5TH: 3:30-5:00PM EASTERN
Paper Session #8: Police, Policing, and the Social Construction of “Danger”
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 821 5994 4639.
“Police(ing) Danger: Construction and Management of Risk by Law Enforcement when Responding to Intimate Partner Violence,” Devon Thacker Thomas, California State University, Fullerton.
“Police, Mental Illness and Stigma: The Unresolvable Contradiction of Othering,” Stacey Hannem, Wilfrid Laurier University and Christopher J. Schneider, Brandon University.
Presider: Judson Everitt, Loyola University Chicago
Paper Session #9: Culture, Identities, and Interaction
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 878 5104 8997.
“Music in the Course of Life,” Joseph Kotarba, Texas State University.
“Study of Simulacra in Adult Dolls Owners’ Communities of North America,” Ehsan Mohammadi, Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Presider: Joseph Kotarba, Texas State University.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5TH: 5:00-6:00PM EASTERN U.S.
Cocktail Hour – All are Welcome (BYO, obviously)
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 837 4283 0474.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6TH: 9:00-10:30AM EASTERN U.S.
Paper Session #10: Meaning Making and Politicalization
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 883 0264 9589.
“The Less Agreeable Side of Charisma: Incredulous Onlooking and Anti-structural Power,” Paul Joosse, University of Hong Kong.
“Mask Burning Protests as Disalignment Ceremonies,” Eric Silva, Georgia Southern University.
“Signifying Aggrieved White Selves: Trump Supporters’ Racial Identity Work,” Douglas Schrock, Shantel Gabrieal Buggs, Bertan Buyokozturk, Kristen Erichsen, and Andre Ivey, Florida State University.
Presider: Eric Silva, Georgia Southern Univerity
Paper Session #11: Moralities and Identities
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 873 6120 4848.
“The Impossibly Good Doctor,” Tania M. Jenkins, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
“The Moral Economy in Homeless Communities,” Sarah Werman, Tulane University.
“‘I Didn’t Think it Could Ever Happen to Me’: Perceptions of Identity Theft Victims,” Dylan Reynolds, University of Guelph.
“Moralizing Reentry Work: How Ex-offender Reentry Workers Use Identity Talk to Present a Moral Self,” Andre Ivey, Florida State University.
Presider: Alexandra Hope Vinson, University of Michigan
Session #12: Professional Socialization and Life Course Transitions
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 837 8790 9492.
“The Professionalization of Video Game Designers in Singapore: Views from Social Identity and Role Identity Theories,” J. Patrick Williams & Victoria Puay Ru Chua
“‘Everybody thinks that I’m crazy’: Biographical Disruptions among Former Elite Athletes,” Deana Simonetto, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Michelle Tucsok, University of British Columbia, Okanagan.
“Embodiment, Sensibility, and Anticipatory Socialization,” Jacqueline Low, University of New Brunswick.
“The Horizontal Call: Social Factors and Social Influences on the Call to Ministry,” Erin F. Johnston, Duke University.
Presider: J. Patrick Williams, Nanyang Technological University
Special Session #2: Gay Urban Place Making From The Gayborhood and Beyond
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 885 5238 6761.
This session examines gay urban enclaves known colloquially as gayborhoods.
“The Sociology of the Gayborhood: An Overview,” Christopher T. Conner, University of Missouri, Columbia, and David Dickens University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
“The Whiteness of Queer Urban Placemaking,” Theo Green, Bowdoin College.
“Beyond the Homonormative Framework,” Magdalena Wojciechowska, Lodz University
Presider: Daniel Okamura, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Organizer: Christopher T. Conner, University of Missouri, Columbia
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6TH: 10:45AM-12:15PM EASTERN U.S.
SSSI Business Meeting
Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 874 0356 7962.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6TH: 1:00-2:30PM EASTERN U.S.
Special Session #3: Honoring the Life and Career of Dr. Kathy Charmaz
Click here for the Zoom link. Meeting ID: 889 7057 8996.
Session Organizer: Adele Clark, University of California, San Francisco
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH: 9:00-10:00AM EASTERN U.S.
Coffee Hour
Click here for the Zoom link. Meeting ID: 830 8136 3195.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH: 10:30AM-12:00PM EASTERN U.S.
Special Session #4: Antiracism in Academia
Click here for the Zoom link. Meeting ID: 827 3385 3082.
Antiracism in Academia
Staci Newmahr
SUNY Buffalo State
This session explores current work on antiracism, and how we can do antiracist work from within the academy. Part informational session and part workshop, the session will provide a brief introduction to core arguments and ideas in the recent and relevant literature, as well as an opportunity to explore, discuss and share opportunities for antiracist work in our teaching, scholarship and service.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH: 12:45-2:15PM EASTERN U.S.
Paper Session #13A: Theorizing Symbolic Interaction and Social Psychology
Click here for the Zoom link. Meeting ID: 886 1186 2687.
“Symbolic Interactionism and the Social Psychological Knowledge,” Yolanda Zografova, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
“Authenticity and agency: a qualitative study of university students,” Ramón Menéndez, La Trobe University.
“Socialization of Witch-Believers in Early Modern Europe: In Relation to Episodic, Cultural Manifestations,” Gordon Chang, Western Illinois University, Noah Faingold, University of Illinois Springfield.
Presider: Judson Everitt, Loyola University Chicago
Paper Session #13B: Theorizing Symbolic Interaction and Social Psychology
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 860 5187 6758.
“Culture in Situational Stratification: Social Inequality in Face-to-Face Encounters,” Roscoe Scarborough, College of Coastal Georgia.
“Micropolitics of Interaction Ritual: Microaggression as Power and Disruption,” JL Johnson, Bethel University.
Presider: Patrick McGinty, Western Illinois University
Paper Session #14: Interactionist Studies of Culture and Cultural Objects
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 886 2480 4393.
“Spatial Fusion: Extending Homes Across Houses,” Lisa-Jo van den Scott, Memorial University of Newfoundland
“I Spent Two Minutes Sightseeing, Three Hours Retouching My Photos”: The Shifted Tourist Gaze as Self-Examination,” Fangheyue (Amber) Ma, University of South Florida.
“How materials shape the interactions between architecture and its users?,” Piotr Pawłowski, Lodz University of Technology, Poland.
“Aesthetic Inspiration as a Micro Foundation for Action: Anticipation and Receptivity in Fashion Design,” Alexander Hoppe, University of Pennsylvania.
Presider: Michael Borer, UNLV
Special Session #5: Neglected Theorists of Color in Symbolic Interaction
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 862 3480 3391.
This session examines social theorists of color and other marginalized backgrounds, whose ideas have been forgotten, lost, or misrepresented. Papers presented here will address those theorists whose work has been undeservedly marginalized (i.e. Sojourner Truth, Web Du Bois, Anna Julia Cooper, Charles S. Johnson, E. Frankl Frzier, Audre Lorde, and others). While our focus here is on theorists marginalized based on their racial identity, in the spirit of togetherness we welcome papers from other marginalized backgrounds (queer scholars, women, and other minority groups). Our preference is for papers oriented towards interpretive social science (i.e. pragmatist philosophy, symbolic interaction, critical interactionism, queer interactionism, feminist interactionism, and many others). Papers will first provide a brief biographical sketch (including an explanation as to why they are a marginalized theorist), a summary of theoretical contribution(s), and a social problem or issue that can be explained by utilizing the theorists’ work.
“The Importance and Marginalization of Theorists of Color in Sociology,” Jonathan Jiménez, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
“Bridges or Boundaries? W.E.B. Du Bois and a Sociology Hesitant,” James M. Thomas, University of Mississippi
“Black Interactionists Matter: Black scholarly contributions on language, meaning, and interaction,” Jasmon Bailey, University of Maryland
“Pragmatism and Black Political Consciousness,” Julien C. Grayer Lecturer University of Missouri, Columbia
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH: 4:00-5:30PM EASTERN U.S.
2021 SSSI Distinguished Lecture
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 882 7914 1140.
Ruby Mendenhall, Ph.D.
University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign
Title: “Racial Inequalities Across the Life Course: Meaning Making & Resilience”
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH: 5:30-7:00PM EASTERN U.S.
Awards Ceremony and Reception
Click here for the Zoom Link. Meeting ID: 873 0941 1896.
Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction Blog 