Thomas J. Scheff
Encyclopedia
Thomas J. Scheff is Professor, Emeritus, Dept of Sociology, UCSB. His fields of study are the emotional/relational world, mental illness
, restorative justice
, and collective violence. He holds a BS from the University of Arizona
in Physics (1950), and a PhD in sociology from the University of California
(Berkeley) (1960). He was at University of Wisconsin from 1959-63, when he joined the faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
He was advisor to California State Legislature
on the writing of the Lanterman, Petris, Short Bill, Later adopted in all of the other states, regulating involuntary commitment
of persons deemed mentally ill.
He has honorary doctorates
from the University of Karlstad
, Karlstad, Sweden
(2003), and Copenhagen University
, Denmark (2008), and he has held visiting appointments at Carleton University
, Canada, Oslo U., Norway, Lund and Karlstad Universities, Sweden. He is a former Chair of the section on the Sociology of Emotions, American Sociological Association
, and former President of the Pacific Sociological Association.
His fields of research are social psychology
, emotions, mental illness, restorative justice and collective violence. His current studies concern solidarity-alienation and the emotional/relational world. One of his books, Emotions and the Social Bond, concerns part/whole, a unified approach to theory and method in the human sciences.
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
, restorative justice
Restorative justice
Restorative justice is an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of victims, offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or punishing the offender...
, and collective violence. He holds a BS from the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
in Physics (1950), and a PhD in sociology from the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
(Berkeley) (1960). He was at University of Wisconsin from 1959-63, when he joined the faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
He was advisor to California State Legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
on the writing of the Lanterman, Petris, Short Bill, Later adopted in all of the other states, regulating involuntary commitment
Involuntary commitment
Involuntary commitment or civil commitment is a legal process through which an individual with symptoms of severe mental illness is court-ordered into treatment in a hospital or in the community ....
of persons deemed mentally ill.
He has honorary doctorates
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from the University of Karlstad
Karlstad University
Karlstad University is a state university in Karlstad, Sweden. The university, being a former university college was granted university status in 1999 by the Government of Sweden. Originally it was a branch of the University of Gothenburg...
, Karlstad, Sweden
Karlstad Municipality
Karlstad Municipality is a municipality in Värmland County in west central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Karlstad....
(2003), and Copenhagen University
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
, Denmark (2008), and he has held visiting appointments at Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
, Canada, Oslo U., Norway, Lund and Karlstad Universities, Sweden. He is a former Chair of the section on the Sociology of Emotions, American Sociological Association
American Sociological Association
The American Sociological Association , founded in 1905 as the American Sociological Society , is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the discipline and profession of sociology by serving sociologists in their work and promoting their contributions to serve society.The ASA holds its...
, and former President of the Pacific Sociological Association.
His fields of research are social psychology
Social psychology
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. By this definition, scientific refers to the empirical method of investigation. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all...
, emotions, mental illness, restorative justice and collective violence. His current studies concern solidarity-alienation and the emotional/relational world. One of his books, Emotions and the Social Bond, concerns part/whole, a unified approach to theory and method in the human sciences.
Books
2011. What's Love Got to Do with It? The Emotional World of Pop Songs. Boulder: Paradigm Publishers- 2006 Goffman Unbound: A New Paradigm for Social Science. Paradigm Publishers.
- 2002 Toward a sociological imagination: bridging specialized fields. Co-edited with Bernard Phillips and Harold Kincaid. University Press of America
- 1997 Emotions, the Social Bond, and Human Reality: Part/Whole Analysis Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
- 1996 Strategy for Community Conferences: Shame and the Social Bond (with S. Retzinger), B. Galaway and J. Hudson, Eds.). International Perspectives on Restorative Justice. Crim. Justice Press
- 1996 Crime, Shame, and Community: Mediation against Violence. Wellness Foundation/ U. of California, Distinguished Lecture Series, Vol. VI.
- 1994 Bloody Revenge: Emotion, NationalismNationalismNationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
and War. Westview Press (Reissued by iUniverse 2000).\ - 1991 Emotion and Violence: Shame and Rage in Destructive Conflicts. (with S. M. Retzinger) Lexington Books. (Reissued in 2001 by iUniverse)
- 1990 Microsociology: Emotion, Discourse, and Social StructureSocial structureSocial structure is a term used in the social sciences to refer to patterned social arrangements in society that are both emergent from and determinant of the actions of the individuals. The usage of the term "social structure" has changed over time and may reflect the various levels of analysis...
. Univ. of Chicago Press - 1979 Catharsis in Healing, Ritual and Drama University of California PressUniversity of California PressUniversity of California Press, also known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish books and papers for the faculty of the University of California, established 25 years earlier in 1868...
(Reissued by iUniverse 2001) - 1975 Labeling Madness. Spectrum Books
- 1967 Mental Illness and Social Processes. Harper and RowHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
, (edited collection of articles) - 1966 Being Mentally III: A Sociological TheorySociological theoryIn sociology, sociological perspectives, theories, or paradigms are complex theoretical and methodological frameworks used to analyze and explain objects of social study. They facilitate organizing sociological knowledge...
. Aldine PressAldine PressAldine Press was the printing office started by Aldus Manutius in 1494 in Venice, from which were issued the celebrated Aldine editions of the classics . The Aldine Press is famous in the history of typography, among other things, for the introduction of italics...
. New Editions, 1984, and 1989
Selected Journal articles
- 2007 Hidden Emotions: Responses to a War MemorialWar memorialA war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology 13(2), 1-9. - 2001 Curtailment of emotions in pop songsPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and novels. Journal of Mundane BehaviorJournal of Mundane BehaviorThe Journal of Mundane Behavior is a scholarly sociology journal devoted to everyday behavior and experiences.From the webpage: "Journal of Mundane Behavior, co-hosted by the Department of Sociology/Anthropology at Millersville University and the Department of Sociology and the College of...
4. - 2001 Social Components in Depression. Psychiatry. 64, # 3, 212-224.
- 1997 A Vision of Sociology: 1996 PSA Presidential Address. Sociological Perspectives 40: 529-538.
- 1996 Academic Gangs. Crime, Law, and Social ChangeSocial changeSocial change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. It may refer to the notion of social progress or sociocultural evolution, the philosophical idea that society moves forward by dialectical or evolutionary means. It may refer to a paradigmatic change in the socio-economic...
, 23, 157-162 - 1988 Shame and Conformity: The Deference/Emotion System. American Sociological ReviewAmerican Sociological ReviewThe American Sociological Review is a bimonthly, peer-reviewed academic journal covering all aspects of sociology, including new theoretical developments, results of research that advance the understanding of fundamental social processes, and methodological innovations. It is published by SAGE...
, June. 53, 395-406 - 1974 The Labeling TheoryLabeling theoryLabeling theory is closely related to interactionist and social construction theories. Labeling theory was developed by sociologists during the 1960's. Howard Saul Becker's book entitled Outsiders was extremely influential in the development of this theory and its rise to popularity...
of Mental Illness American Sociological Review, 39, pp. 444-452 - 1967 Toward a Sociological Model of Consensus American Sociological Review, (February) pp. 32-46.