On Microsociology of Toys: Material Turn and Non-Symbolic Interactionism

Abstract

Everyday face-to-face interaction is the domain of unquenchable interest for microsociologists. However recent changes in sociological theory (e.g. “material turn”, actor-network theory development) led to some reconceptualisations of the very notion of interaction. The concept of face-to-face relationship is broadened and includes now communication with toys and other “existential objects”. What role such animated objects play in assembling and reassembling social interaction? What is emotional dimension of human-toy-communication? And what theoretical language should we chose to talk about toys in non-trivial sociological way? In this brief article I will try to answer these questions.