G.H. Mead

G. H. Mead is rightly considered to be one of sociologys founding fathers, yet to date there have been surprisingly few books devoted to his life and work. This book fills the gap by introducing Meads ideas to a younger generation of social scientists. Beginning with a biographical account of the main events in Meads career, Filipe Carreira da Silva provides a thorough examination of Meads social theory of the self, the reception of his ideas into sociology, and the relevance of his work to the contemporary social sciences. He focuses in detail on the core ideas associated with Meads work, including gesture and the significant symbol, the I-me distinction and the generalized other, as well as exploring less well-known aspects of his writing. This comprehensive introduction to Meads thinking will appeal to students across the social sciences, providing a refreshing perspective on the social nature of the individual self.