Abstract
Symbolic interactionism is a sociological perspective and research methodology that addresses how society is constructed and maintained through meaningful social interactions. Aimed at interpreting the subjective vantage point of individuals, symbolic interactionism is a useful tool for understanding individuals’ lived experiences and how individuals apply meanings to themselves and others as they navigate their social world. This chapter discusses how symbolic interactionism has been employed by scholars in the social sciences and healthcare fields to better understand issues related to public health. The chapter provides a background of the perspective and how it evolved as a distinct sociological paradigm and presents a review of the literature as it pertains to studies that have applied a symbolic interactionist research methodology to better understand phenomena related to global public health.
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Carter, M.J., Lamoreaux, L.V. (2023). Symbolic Interactionism and Global Public Health. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96778-9_39-1
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