Exploration of a journal article in sociology

¶ … Self-relations in Social Relations" was featured in the Sociological Theory journal and discusses with regard to the role that self-relation plays in social relations. The article is meant to discuss how all interactions are not only influenced by other individuals, as one's connection with him or herself also shapes how he or she is going to behave toward others. Silver and Lee emphasize that while most analysts tend to focus on external factors in trying to learn more concerning relations between different types of people, it is also important to acknowledge the significance of examining the self and the degree to which it determines people's reactions to particular ideas.

When hearing the word social many are inclined to think about relations between individuals and factors that influence these relations. While Silver and Lee focus on providing new information concerning this idea, most of their research is based on discussing Georg Simmel's work. By integrating the German sociologist's theories in trying to provide more information about the importance of the relational self, the two theorists manage to demonstrate that there is actually much more to social life than being social.

Personal identity is essential in determining people's ability to successfully integrate social groups and to interact with individuals effectively. A person who discovers his or her personal identity is better prepared to deal with challenging situations, as he or she also has the power to identify behaviors that are likely to reflect positively both on him or herself and on his or her relationship with others. Silver and Lee basically want their readers to understand that a complex understanding of the self can enable people to be more successful in developing relations with others.

Discovering one's personal identity does not necessarily have to involve a process in which the respective individual would spend large periods of time considering his or her actions and his or her thinking. Instead, one can also discover more about him or herself by interacting with others and observing how he or she gains a more complex understanding of what he or she wants. Self-relational dynamics can be better understood as long as one concentrates on understanding them in the context of social relations.

Silver and Lee emphasize that their article is not meant to "interpret, clarify, or defend Simmel" (Silver & Lee 217), as they actually want to elaborate on their theory concerning forms of interaction by using the German sociologist's work.