William Isaac Thomas (comtat de Russell, 13 d'agost de 1863 - Berkeley, 5 de desembre de 1947) va ser un sociòleg estatunidenc, considerat com una figura clau de la teoria de l'interaccionisme simbòlic.
Amb l'ajut del sociòleg polonès Florian Znaniecki, Thomas va desenvolupar i influir en l'ús de metodologies empíriques en la investigació sociològica i va aportar teories a la sociologia de les migracions. Thomas va formular un principi fonamental de la sociologia, conegut com el teorema de Thomas, pel qual afirma que «si les persones defineixen les situacions com a reals, aquestes són reals en les seves conseqüències».Thomas, William I., and Dorothy S. Thomas. 1929. The Child in America (2nd ed.). Alfred A. Knopf. p. 572. Aquest concepte microsociològic va servir com a fonament teòric per al camp de l'interaccionisme simbòlic que va ser desenvolupat pels col·legues més joves de Thomas, principalment a la Universitat de Chicago.
Obra publicada 1903 (as editor): Minnesota stories: A collection of twenty stories of college life. Collected and arranged by Charles Flint, McClumpha and W.I. Thomas. Minneapolis, Minn.: Wilson. 1903: The relation of the medicine-man to the origin of the professional occupations. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press. 1907: Sex and society: Studies in the social psychology of sex. Chicago, Ill., London: University of Chicago Press / Unwin. 1909: (as editor): Source book for social origins. Ethnological materials, psychological standpoint, classified and annotated bibliographies for the interpretation of savage society. Chicago, Ill., London: University of Chicago Press / Unwin 1909. 1917: (with Herbert S. Jennings, John B. Watson, and Adolf Meyer): Suggestions of modern science concerning education. New York, N.Y.: Macmillan (includes Thomas's essay "The persistence of primary-group norms in present-day society: Their influence in our educational system"). 1918–1920 (with Florian W. Znaniecki): The Polish peasant in Europe and America. Monograph of an immigrant group. complete 5 vol online free 1918: Volume 1: Primary-group organization. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press. 1918: Volume 2: Primary-group organization. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press. 1919: Volume 3: Life record of an immigrant. Boston, Mass.: Badger. 1920: Volume 4: Disorganization and reorganization in Poland. Boston, Mass.: Badger. 1920: Volume 5: Organization and disorganization in America. Boston, Mass.: Badger. 1921 (with Robert E. Park and Herbert A. Miller as main authors): Old world traits transplanted. New York, London: Harper. 1923: The unadjusted girl. With cases and standpoint for behavior analysis. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown 1923 1928: (with Dorothy Swaine Thomas): The child in America: Behavior problems and programs. New York: Knopf. 1937: Primitive behavior: An introduction to the social sciences. New York, London: McGraw-Hill 1951 (edited by Edmund H. Volkart): Social behavior and personality. Contributions of W.I. Thomas to theory and social research. New York: Social Science Research Council 1951. 1966: (edited by Morris Janowitz): W.I. Thomas on social organization and social personality. Selected papers. Edited and with an introduction by Morris Janowitz. Chicago, Ill., London: University of Chicago Press 1966
Referències
Bibliografia Lewis A. Coser: Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in Historical and Social Context. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich.
Categoria:Persones de Virgínia Categoria:Morts a Berkeley Categoria:Professors de la Universitat de Chicago Categoria:Sociòlegs estatunidencs Categoria:Professors de l'Oberlin College Categoria:Alumnes de la Universitat Humboldt de Berlín Categoria:Alumnes de la Universitat de Tennessee Categoria:Morts el 1947 Categoria:Nascuts el 1863