Patrick Williams

Patrick Williams is a cultural sociologist and social psychologist trained in the symbolic interactionist tradition of sociology. He has theoretical interests in identity and authenticity, methodological interests in ethnography and grounded theory, and empirical interests in youth cultures and subcultures, digital technology and social media, and games. He has authored and edited a number of books on topics such as subcultural theory, identity and authenticity, music, and tabletop and video games.

Patrick teaches (or has taught) courses in cultural sociology, cultural studies, social psychology, symbolic interactionism, youth cultures and subcultures, media and society, technology and society, science fiction, qualitative research methods, and the philosophy of science. He is a dedicated mentor and supervisor and has won every major teaching award at NTU, including the School (2011), College (2013) and University (2018) awards.

He is a past-Vice President (2013-14) of the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction. He earned his PhD from the University of Tennessee (2003).

Professor Williams is trained in the symbolic interactionist tradition of sociology, a social-psychological perspective that foregrounds language and meaning as key dimensions of understanding the everyday life.

Prof Williams' research focuses on youth cultures and subcultures, self and identity, digital media, and games. Much of Prof Williams' publications has centered on the construction of subcultural selves/identities among young people who feel in some way separate from mainstream society. His main contributions to sociology have been theorizing (1) the role new media technologies play in facilitating the development and diffusion of subcultures and subcultural identities and (2) theorizing the social construction of subcultural authenticity. His second interest relates to the increasing salience of fantasy and digital games in everyday life.