George Herbert Mead: Critical Assessments

George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) is widely seen as the father of symbolic interactionism. He is celebrated as probably the most original and important American sociologist of the twentieth century. This collection of critical assessments shows why Mead is important for symbolic interactionism. But it also traces Mead's influence in social behaviourism and theories of the mind. The articles are gathered together in four sections: section one considers the Biography and Intellectual context of Mead's work, special attention is paid to Mead's links with Pragmatism, Social Reform, the `Chicago School', social behavioursm and symbolic interactionism. Section two, is devoted to Mead and symbolic interactionism. Section three, focuses on the links between Mead and behaviourism. The final section contains articles exploring Mead's theory of the mind, which many now see as the most important area of his work.