Herbert Blumer (1900-1987) was a pioneer in the field of sociology who was responsible for redefining the parameters of the inquiry process in the discipline. Central to his methodological approach was the conviction that all human behaviour - and, in particular, the field of sociological analysis - is determined by social interaction. Given that all human beings exist within a network of social interaction, Blumer argued that it is necessary for researchers to both interrogate their own position of study, as well as to obtain data by the study of the interactions of their subjects in real-world situations. In this context, as we shall see, the central focus of Blumer's life and work lay in both the theory and practice of industrialization. 7 pgs. 14 f/c. 11b.
