The world as a symbolic interaction: Symbolic interactionism as a starting point for the research of the theatricality of public events

Abstract

The paper presents the concept of symbolical interactionism, its theoretical background, adjoining methodologic tools, and its relation to the issue of theatricality of public events. The symbolic interactionism, a sociology-based concept stating a symbolical nature of empirical knowledge, influenced a great number of strands of thinking both in social sciences and humanities. At the same time, the concept gained recognition also in Theatre and Performance Studies for its ability to grasp the symbolic nature of human interaction, its processuality, and temporal-spatial aspect. First part of the study is devoted to the philosophy of pragmatism and George Herbert Mead's social psychology that deeply influenced Blumer's definition of the symbolic interactionism. The second part comprises the basic theoretical and methodologic background of symbolic interactionism demonstrated on the example of filed research carried out by the authors, citizen meeting with Czech President in Brno in 2013.