Peter J. Burke Wins 2003 Top National
Award for Career Achievement
By Ferda Mehmet, student intern of CHASS College
Computing
 Professor
of Sociology Peter
J. Burke has been announced as this year’s
recipient of the Cooley-Mead Award of the American
Sociological Association’s Section on Social
Psychology. This award is given annually to an individual
in recognition of a lifetime of distinguished scholarship
and contributions to social psychology. Throughout
his career of almost 40 years, Burke participated
in the writing of some 60 published scholarly books
and articles. He also served as editor of Social
Psychology Quarterly, the flagship journal
in social psychology of the American Sociological
Association. In addition to receiving the award,
Burke will make a scholarly presentation to the
Social Psychology Section at the award ceremony
of the ASA Meeting in Atlanta. One of the originators of Identity Theory, his research draws on Complexity Theory, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Simulation to understand (1) how individuals, acting as agents with particular identities, come together in interaction to create larger aggregates, groups, organizations, and societies, and (2) how these social structures constrain and limit the kinds of actions that individuals can take. Burke received his Ph.D. in Sociology from Yale University in 1965 and his research interests include self/identity, social interaction, group process, and research methodology. The American Sociological Association’s Section on Social Psychology is honored to announce Peter Burke as the recipient of the Cooley-Mead Award for 2003. |