A theory for educational research: socialisation theory and symbolic interaction

Abstract

This article develops a theory of socialisation based on the Chicago School of symbolic interactionism but infused with new and important insights offered by contemporary scholars and their writings on roles and relationships in the twenty first century and life in the informational, network and global world. While still rooted in the seminal ideas of Mead and Blumer who originally formulated the key theoretical stance that lays behind symbolic interaction this ar ticle adds to and refines their important contributions. It thus offers an updated and contemporary version of interactionism and socialisation that may be utilized by those seeking a framework to understand important aspects of education. The article whil e drawing on the core contributions of Mead and Blumer notes how they wrote for different times and places. The article argues that what is now needed is to understand a new world with new roles, relationships, selves and identities.