Society in the Digital Age
An Interactionist Perspective
- William Housley - Cardiff University, UK
SAGE Swifts
Drawing on a range of aligned approaches, concepts and empirical studies, he explores how notions of self and presentation, action and agency, practical reason and interaction are of fundamental importance to our understanding of some of the emerging contours of digital society; inclusive of big data, social media, the social life of methods, algorithmic culture, ‘artificial intelligence’ and the pivot to voice. In doing so, Housley aims to demonstrate the enduring relevance of work associated with Goffman, Garfinkel and Sacks in understanding everyday digital social life.
The book provides a range of insights into how sociology and social science continues to draw upon interactionism and aligned traditions such as ethnomethodology in making sense of the Interaction Order 2.0 and beyond.
Professor Housley’s book demonstrates the power of interactionist theory, methods, and studies for the analysis of society in the digital age, and shows how digitally infused social changes are embedded within the organisation of social and societal processes.
Housley’s brilliantly engaging book shows that an interactionist perspective on society in the digital age is precisely what is needed to inform debates - within a range of disciplines - about automation, big data, social media platforms, and their implications for communication and the interactional construction of the social world. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in better identifying the most important questions for the future of civic society in ways that give us any hope of answering them.
