Symbolic Interaction in Authoritarian Times: A Frommeadian Synthesis

The symbolic interactionist (SI) tradition has been criticized for having an overly optimistic view of human development within democratic society. As we see an increasing trend toward authoritarian and fascist movements globally, it becomes especially important to foster a more critical theoretical framework for SI. Introducing Erich Fromm to SI allows for the exploration of new research questions that dig deeper into structural conditions and how they interact with unconscious emotional drives. We compare the social psychology of Fromm to the intellectual precursor of symbolic interactionism, G. H. Mead, and consider how to creatively combine their approaches. This “Frommeadian” synthesis is not without challenges, so we consider this combination in a way that is logically consistent while still being true to the source material. We present this integrated model with the hope it might inspire new research questions as we strive to understand the processes of ideological recruitment across social contexts.