Search

This essay was delivered as a speech by the outgoing president of the Swedish Sociological Association in connection with the bi-annual Sociologidagarna in Uppsala 16-18 March 2022. Guitar playing and sociology has many things in common, including how competence and skills are achieved. Based on everyday observations, four generalised stages in learning are outlined, that apply equally to guitar playing and sociology. To clearly differentiate each successive stage in the learning process, innovative analogies to bird life was used. In chronological order from novice to genius, the following separate stages of learning were identified: the birdhouse, the magpie, the lyrebird, and the nightingale. The birdhouse is characterised by surprise, confusion and almost total inability or ignorance, whereas the most prominent features of the magpie is curiosity, high energy and repetition. The lyrebird is occupied by imitation, self-centring and identity creation, whereas the nightingale shows clear signs of excellence and genuine innovation. Few guitar players and sociologists make the move from lyrebird to nightingale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this text is to introduce perspectives, questions and empirical examples regarding children's identity construction in play with dolls and figures that represent women and men in both gender-typed and non gender-typed ways. Videotaped play of two 4-year old boys and three 5-year-old girls in a preschool setting is analyzed from complementary interactionistic and socio-cultural perspectives. The level of plasticity in the toyplay is interpreted. The results suggest ways in which the gender-plastic character of toy play can be founded in children's intentions as well as in the toys' character as mediating tools. The analysis is based on whether children play with, through, in or beside their toy gestalts. These and other similar distinctions help to differentiate identity consequences in play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]