A Theory for Educational Research: Socialisation Theory and Symbolic Interaction

This article develops a theory of socialisation based on the Chicago School of symbolic interactionism, infused with new insights from contemporary scholars on roles and relationships in the 21st century, particularly within the informational, network, and global context. While rooted in the seminal ideas of Mead and Blumer, who formulated the foundational theoretical stance of symbolic interaction, this article refines their contributions to offer an updated version of interactionism and socialisation. This framework aims to assist those seeking to understand key aspects of education. The article acknowledges that Mead and Blumer wrote for different times and places, and argues for the necessity of understanding a new world with evolving roles, relationships, selves, and identities.