Pragmatic Constructions of History among Contemporary Freemasons

Authors

  • James Scott Kenney Memorial University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jrff.v1i2.157

Keywords:

symbolic, reconstruction, pragmatism, the past, contemporary freemasons

Abstract

Despite considerable interest in Freemasonry developing among historians in recent years, the social sciences have played a lesser part in the burgeoning academic interest in this area. In this paper, I seek, in one small way, to bring a sociological perspective to bear on Freemasonry. Specifically, by utilizing G.H. Mead's (1932) theory of the past as a sensitizing concept, and exploring data from 58 videotapes, 118 interviews, and field observations, I explore how contemporary Freemasons pragmatically reconstruct the past in the present, in a variety of ways, for present ends. This exercise helps shed new light on a wide range of issues facing the Craft today, including membership, Masonic constructions of self, loss of Masonic built heritage, the influence of tradition, constructions of Masonic origin, and the role of Masonic mythologies today.

Author Biography

  • James Scott Kenney, Memorial University

    J. Scott Kenney is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Memorial University of Newfoundland. His interests include law and criminal justice, deviance, victimology, the sociology of health, social theory, social psychology and emotions. His prior research includes studies of gender, self, coping and agency among families of homicide victims; reviews of the unintended consequences inherent in clients’ encounters with victim service programs; and analysis of the interactional dynamics of restorative justice sessions. He is currently involved in studies of “illegitimate pain,” the sociology of genealogy, as well as conducting research on the construction of meaning among contemporary Freemasons.

References

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Published

2011-01-07

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Kenney, J. S. (2011). Pragmatic Constructions of History among Contemporary Freemasons. Journal for Research into Freemasonry and Fraternalism, 1(2), 157-183. https://doi.org/10.1558/jrff.v1i2.157