Prisoner Citizen: Carl Upchurch,Labeling Theory,and Symbolic Interactionism

The life of Carl Upchurch offers a personal example of labeling theory and symbolic interactionism in action. According to labeling theory, behaviors are explained by the reactions received from audiences. Three of the audiences that respond to the behavior of an individual are society at large, agents of social control, and significant others. Upchurch demonstrated how deviant behavior became normal and how being labeled deviant made normal behavior difficult. Symbolic interactionism stresses the importance of learning and social interaction and sees people as being proactive rather than reactive, active and not passive. Through his love of books, Upchurch took charge of his life and moved from being a prisoner citizen to an educator.     

Interactions That Trigger Self‐Labeling: The Case of Older Undergraduates

Deviant or stigmatizing labels are associated with various negative outcomes. Although self‐labeling theory proposes that one can self‐label as deviant without first being labeled by others, most labeling research focuses on people whom others have already labeled. Using the case of undergraduates aged twenty‐five and older, I identify three subtle forms of interaction—contextual dissonance, reminder cues, and third‐party communication—that trigger self‐labeling and are associated with negative reactions, even absent others' direct negative feedback or prior labeling. I also show that each form of interaction may systematically relate to specific kinds of negative reactions. I discuss possible reasons for these patterns, as well as how these findings may affect self‐labeling theory and policymaking decisions in higher education.     

The Influence of an Untoward Public Act on Conceptions of Self1

This study focuses on the process of making sense of the experience of being exposed to. It looks at audience interpretations of the experience of having viewed a stranger's genitals in a public place and the effects on viewer self concepts. The study is based on in-depth interviews with 25 adult women. Findings indicate that women typically incorporate their definitions of the experience into their self-images which, as a result, are impuned and discredited. Women often saw the self as having played a role in the production of the event. Although women generally were critical in their assessment of themselves and their management of the situation they used vocabularies of non-responsibility when recounting the experience thereby reducing the likelihood of criticism by others.     

Experiences from Pagan women: A closer look at croning rituals

In this qualitative study I explore how Pagan women conceptualize aging, more specifically social aging, through the ritual process of being a Pagan and becoming a Crone. The central question of this research revolves around how older women who identify as Pagan experience, understand, and conceptualize their social aging and their role as aging women in American society. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data and explore the meaning of aging for women identifying as Pagan. Major emergent themes within the data demonstrate that the croning ritual, a central aspect of Paganism, affirms these women in their process of aging. These women, through the ritual of croning, are able to understand their aging as celebration, maintain a positive sense of self while aging, and reclaim visibility as aging women. These women were able to embed their experiences of aging within a unique and specific cultural framework, a spiritual and foundational framework cultivating a spiritual connection with nature.     

Self-identity and the arts education of disabled young people

Overall, little is known about the ways in which disabled children and young people produce artwork or how they experience arts education. Neither is it known to what extent they are encouraged to produce work that engages with the expressive development of a sense of self that incorporates experiences of impairment and disability. This article is based on my recent PhD research which has investigated the ways in which a group of disabled young students are being enabled, via their arts education, to engage in a process of self-realisation whereby negative and oppressive perceptions of disability have been identified and addressed via their artwork. Whilst current post-social model discourses that emphasise the multiplicity or plurality of identity are acknowledged, my research has demonstrated that disabled young people can be empowered through the expression of the lived experience of impairment and disability and thereby encouraged towards a positive, inclusive and potentially multi-identity perspective.     

Stigma Management and Resistance among High‐Achieving Undocumented Students

Based on 32 in‐depth interviews with undocumented students at four‐year colleges and college graduates in Southern California, this study examines the stigma management and resistance practices undocumented students employ in an educational context. Shock, shame, embarrassment, and fear of deportation initially cause them to employ a variety of stigma management methods to keep their status secret while accepting its negative societal evaluation. However, the experience of higher education facilitates the stigma resistance of redefining their identities, labeling the denial of their full participation in society as injustice, engaging in social activism (e.g., demanding passage of the DREAM Act or the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act), and publicly embracing an undocumented social identity. This study shows how undocumented college students develop academic resilience and motivation through stigma resistance their college experiences help them engage in.     

Stigmatizing Indebtedness: Implications for Labeling Theory

Given the low visibility of indebtedness and normative expectations regarding the use of credit and the accrual of debt, questions arise as to whether or not being unable to manage one's finances responsibly should necessarily lead a person to feel shame. Findings from a study, based on forty‐six interviews with members of Debtors Anonymous (DA), exploring the relevance of labeling theory to individual perceptions of one's indebtedness as shameful are presented. Shame is revealed to be a key element in the labeling process. How stigmatized labels arise in interaction, how such labels affect a person's thoughts, feelings, and actions, and how gender affects labeling experiences are discussed. Insights into the interconnections between labeling and shame show the labeling process to be considerably more complex than suggested in the original version of labeling theory.     

Sense and Segmentarity: Some Markers of a Deleuzian-Guattarian Sociology

Although the focus of their work was rarely explicitly sociological, Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari developed concepts that have important and often profound implications for social theory and practice. Two of these, sense and segmentarity, provide us with entirely new ways to view sociological problems of meaning and structure. Deleuze conceives sense independently of both agency and signification. That is, sense is neither the manifestation of a communicating subject nor a structure of language—it is noncorporeal, impersonal, and prelinguistic, in his words, a "pure effect or event." With Guattari, Deleuze notes that it is not a question of how subjects produce social structures, but how a "machinics of desire" produces subjects. In Deleuze and Guattari, desire is not defined as a want or a lack, but as a machinery of forces, flows, and breaks of energy. The functional stratification we witness in social life is only the molar effect of a more primary segmentation of desire that occurs at the molecular level, at the level of bodies. In Deleuze and Guattari, bodies are not just human bodies, but "anorganic" composites or mixtures, organic form itself being a mode of the body's subjectification. The problem of the subject, and thus of the constitution of society, is first a problem of how the sense of bodies is produced through the assembly of desiring-machines. The subject, we could say, is the actualization of desire on the incorporeal surface of bodies.     

Negation,Refusal and Co‐Optation: The Frankfurt School and Social Movement Theory

This article outlines how the critical theory of the Frankfurt School has influenced some key debates within social movement studies. The impact of Jürgen Habermas's sociology is widely acknowledged, especially with regards to our understanding of ‘new social movements’. There have however also been several lesser‐known attempts to bring the concerns of Theodor W. Adorno's negative dialectics and Herbert Marcuse's critique of one‐dimensional society to bear onto social movement research. For this reason it makes sense to outline the relevance of the ‘first generation’ members of the Frankfurt School – something that is often missing from the most authoritative overviews and textbooks on social movement theory. Presenting a body of literature that often appears as fragmented or only on the periphery of social movement theory in this way reveals a number of common themes, such as negation, refusal and co‐optation. To this end, the article provides a comprehensive theoretical overview of the multiple ways of how critical theory has made sense of social movements and argues that its concerns can be brought into a rewarding dialogue with contemporary social movement studies.     

When Do Papers Matter? An Institutional Analysis of Undocumented Life in the United States

This article assesses how two key institutions differentially shape immigrants’ relationship to their rights in American society. We draw on over 200 in‐depth interviews to argue that there is a stark difference between how schools encourage undocumented youth to view themselves as equal members of US society and how undocumented workers are marginalized in the workplace. We find that even as schools track and stratify students, they also foster a culture of meritocracy between documented and undocumented youth. Schools ultimately render immigration status irrelevant as undocumented youth learn to navigate the primary institution of this stage of their lives. Conversely, immigration status is central to the experience of undocumented workers, who develop a particular set of survival skills that help them live and work successfully in the United States without being detected while also erecting a barrier between themselves and any additional rights they may be afforded.     

Suffering in Silence: A Qualitative Meta-Data-Analysis of Postpartum Depression

In this article, we apply a relational lens to a grounded theory meta-data-analysis of qualitative studies on postpartum depression (PPD) conducted between 1999 and 2005. Women in all studies report feeling that they have failed to live up to cultural standards for a "good mother." Central to this experience is a sense that these negative feelings could not be spoken. The analysis shows how constructions of motherhood and the reactions of others combine with feelings of incompetence to precipitate isolation from others. Women survive depression through support that validates their experience and promotes eventual reconnection with others. Conclusions emphasize the need for persons trained to facilitate relational connection to develop interventions that address the interpersonal contexts of PPD.     

The Unwed Father: a "Non-Deviant" Rule Breaker

By and large, men (unwed fathers) responsible for impregnating unmarried women have successfully avoided being labeled deviant and have been largely overlooked as sociological research subjects. After they responded to newspaper advertisements, 140 men responsible for 176 extramarital pregnancies were interviewed to determine how they avoid being identified and sanctioned despite their apparent culpability. Factors investigated include: lack of a sense of moral trespass (including the double standard, perception of the pair relationship, and contextual moral meanings), visibility, and social distance. The apparent inconsistency between culpability of behavior and absence of labeling is reconciled by consideration of the "morality of consequences" and the "morality of intentions." It is suggested that consideration of the interaction of rules based on these moralities contributes to an understanding of the labeling process.     

Unintended consequences in traffic-light food labeling: A call for mixed methods in public health research

Abstract

Nudge theory describes how indirect suggestions and positive reinforcement can influence decision-making. We used nudge theory to implement a traffic-light labeling and choice architecture (modifying product placement) intervention at Harvard University cafeterias, but found no significant change in sales. Survey and focus group data showed that some students thought the labeling may exacerbate eating disorders, however, there is extremely limited research on potential negative consequences of labeling. One way to describe these findings is through 20th century philosopher Michel Foucault’s concept of biopower. Biopower manipulates cultural norms and nudges individuals to engage in self-surveillance and self-discipline, de facto subjugating themselves to certain ways of being. Biopower may lead to the creation of an in-group and an out-group based on who can adopt the new behaviors, such as healthy eating. Those in the out-group may face additional unintended consequences, highlighting the need for mixed-methods research to better evaluate public health interventions.     

Boundaries of Frenchness: cultural citizenship and France’s middle-class North African second-generation

Based on 45 interviews in the Paris metropolitan area, I focus on the middle-class segment of France’s North African second-generation and use the framework of cultural citizenship to explain why these individuals continue to experience symbolic exclusion despite their attainment of a middle-class status. Even though they are successful in terms of professional and educational accomplishments and are assimilated by traditional measures, they nonetheless feel excluded from mainstream French society. Because of this exclusion, they do not feel they are perceived as full citizens. I also discuss how this segment of France’s second-generation draws boundaries around being French and how they relate to these boundaries. Despite their citizenship and their ties to France, they are often perceived as foreigners and have their ‘Frenchness’ contested by their compatriots. I argue they are denied cultural citizenship, because of their North African ethnic origin, which would allow them to be accepted by others as part of France. Applying cultural citizenship as an analytical framework provides an understanding of the socio-cultural realities of being a minority and reveals how citizenship operates in everyday life.     

What is sex and why does it matter? A motivational approach to exploring individuals' definitions of sex

What sexual experiences qualify as "having sex"? We investigated two assumptions apparently underlying research on how individuals make these judgments: that individuals have clear definitions regarding what qualifies as sex and that these judgments depend on how closely the activity being assessed matches their definitions of sex. Using open-ended questionnaires, 100 students, 51 women and 49 men, described their experiences that were "almost but not quite sex" or "just barely sex" and situations where there was uncertainty or disagreement about whether the experience qualified as "sex." In contrast to the above assumptions, many respondents expressed ambiguity about their definitions of sex, and their decisions about labeling an experience as "sex" often seemed influenced by the consequences of applying this label.     

‘If the Social Worker had Called at Least it Would Show they Cared’. Young Care Leaver’s Perspectives on the Importance of Care

Young people leaving local authority care are frequently discussed in terms of being socially excluded and having ‘poor life outcomes’. In terms of educational achievement, employment and involvement in the criminal justice system, those with an experience of the care system fare the worst. Within the context of these poor outcomes, the Government Green Paper ‘Care Matters’ has emerged. However, the Green Paper’s outcomes framework for looked after children’s well‐being risks simplifying the complex nature of children’s experiences and needs. It is children’s experiences of care, both before entering the care system and whilst growing up within the care system that shapes their well‐being and their life outcomes. The basis of improving children’s outcomes should include listening to and understanding what children need from the care system. This knowledge helps to develop an understanding of how failings within the care system are experienced by children in care and how these experiences are subsequently translated into negative outcomes for young care leavers. Drawing upon qualitative, empirical data, this study aims to explore young care leavers’ experiences of care. Through this, the extent to which feelings of care shape self esteem and a sense of self will be explored. Finally, this study will outline themes of trust and stability in the provision of care services and how these can shape positive outcomes for care leavers.     

Deaf identity construction in Malaysia

This paper focuses on the identity creation processes of Deaf people in Malaysian society using an intersectionality approach to issues of identity, disability, and Deaf studies. Deaf people belong to a marginalized community and typically experience stereotyped, prejudiced, and stigmatized treatment from the hearing community, which has a serious impact on their social and personal identity development. Without sufficient information about the process of identity creation for Deaf people, the hearing community cannot reduce inequality nor can it increase social integration and stability for the Deaf community. There is a paucity of research about this identity creation process in Malaysia, and few studies have used identity-related theories and Deaf studies to examine the issue. This study uses a constructivist point of view, employing an interpretive phenomenological epistemology in order to construct insightful accounts of participants’ personal and interpersonal experience in mainstream society. The data was analyzed using methods associated with grounded theory and constant comparative analysis in order to reveal the extent to which they identify themselves, that is linguistic minority or PWD. The findings suggest that, on the one hand, mainstream society categorizes Deaf people as Persons with Disabilities rather than as a linguistic minority; on the other hand, without realizing it, Deaf people typically accept society's evaluation by identifying with it and playing the expected roles of PWD.     

A Comparitive Study of Custodial Mothers and Fathers in the Stabilization Phase of the Divorce Process

Sense of competence, time perspective, and state-anxiety of Israeli custodial mothers and fathers several years past divorce were compared. Both groups had an integrative general and parental sense of competence as well as normal state-anxiety levels in the "stabilization" phase of the divorce process. Mothers rated the past negatively and had higher anger levels than fathers. This was mainly atributed to their adverse postdivorce situation characterized by negative societal attitudes towards maternal employment, work overload, sparse material resources, and diminished opportunities for initiating or maintaining social contacts in this traditional society. While employment contributed to parental sense of competence in mothers, fathers perceived their parental and general competence as being related to marriage. Treatment and research implications were discussed.     

Taking pleasure seriously: the political significance of subcultural practice

This paper demonstrates that subcultural theory continues to provide a relevant and useful analysis of youth leisure practices and their political significance in contemporary society. It achieves this by analysing the theoretical antecedents to both subcultural theory and the post-subcultural theory that followed it. It is argued that the post-subcultural turn to studying affects and everyday lives resonates deeply with the Gramscian perspective informing subcultural theory. It is thus possible to interpret post-subculturalism as augmenting rather than negating its predecessor. Deploying an analysis that combines these perspectives allows for an account of contemporary youth leisure practices that demonstrates a number of different forms of politics explicated within the paper: a politics of identity and becoming; a politics of defiance; a politics of affective solidarity and a politics of different experience. Whilst not articulated or necessarily conscious, there is a proto-politics to youth leisure that precludes it from being dismissed as entirely empty, hedonistic and consumerist. This paper demonstrates how the lens of post-subculturalism focuses on the affective spaces where this politics is most apparent and provides a means of updating subcultural theory to understand contemporary youth practices.