Parsons' Concept of "Generalized Media of Social Interaction" and its Relevance for Social Anthropology

Bibliographic Data

ID2273594
AuthorsTerence Turner (0000-0002-5378-3593, Cornell University, corresponding author), Terence S Turner
Year1968
Volume38
Issue2
Pages121-134
Publication date1968-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociological Inquiry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0038-0245 • E-ISSN: 1475-682X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1475-682x.1968.tb00678.x
OpenAlexW2084308414
LanguageEN
Citations received17

The concept of "generalized symbolic media of social interaction" was introduced by Parsons five years ago in his two articles on the concepts of power and influence.1 I believe that it represents a theoretical development of the first importance, which has received much less attention-particularly in my own field of social anthropology-than it deserves. The purpose of the present paper is to review and criticize the concept itself and to point out its relevance to certain problems in social anthropology

Applied anthropology · Epistemology · Field (mathematics · Political science · Power (physics · Relevance (law · Social anthropology · Social relation · Social science · Sociology · Anthropology · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Mathematics · Philosophy