Call For Submissions -- special issue of SI journal

Symbolic Interaction, a peer-reviewed journal published quarterly by the
University of California Press, invites submissions for a special issue
dedicated to the application of symbolic interactionism to internet
research.

Erving Goffman's concept of "the presentation of self" has become
foundational to much scholarly understanding of online identity in chat,
email, game environments, blogs, and social networks. Yet other aspects
of the rich tradition of symbolic interaction -- including other
concepts developed by Goffman -- have been largely ignored by internet
researchers.

For this special issue, we welcome a broad range of approaches to
studying computer-mediated interactions between individuals and within
communities online, that utilize other lines of thought by Goffman, or
the works of George H. Mead, Charles Cooley, Herbert Blumer, James
Carey, Carl Couch, Norman Denzin or other theorists in the
interactionist tradition. Definitions of the social situation,
negotiation of meanings, social processes, framing, and other
interactionist principles are possible theoretical foundations.

Qualitative studies will be privileged in the evaluation of submissions,
as well as those reflecting recent theoretical developments in symbolic
interaction theory. Topics may include online communities, virtual
environments, games, social networking sites and any other forms of
computer-mediated communication.

Papers that are supplemented by online materials are encouraged, and
space will be made available on the journal’s website
(http://is.gd/gQ4Z) for authors to place links, examples, illustrations,
or further discussion of the published texts.

Please send submissions electronically to mjohns@luther.edu Deadline
for submissions is August 1, 2009.