Sheldon Stryker (1924–2016) was an American sociologist. Born in

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 311,527, making it Minnesota's second-most populous city a ...

, on May 26, 1924, Stryker was raised by his grandfather and his aunts after his mother died. He sought to enlist in the United States Army in 1942, but was rejected due to bad vision. Stryker was drafted and became a combat medic the next year. After World War II ended, he enrolled at the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

to study social work. Stryker changed his major to sociology and later completed a doctorate in the subject at UM in 1955. He taught at

Indiana University, Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship campus of Indiana University and its largest campus, with over 4 ...

from 1950 to 2002. Stryker served as editor in chief of ''

Social Psychology Quarterly ''Social Psychology Quarterly'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes theoretical and empirical papers in the field of social psychology. The editors-in-chief are Jody Clay-Warner, Dawn Robinson, and Justine Tinkler (University of Geor ...

'' from 1967 to 1969, and assumed an equivalent role for the ''

American Sociological Review The ''American Sociological Review'' is a bi-monthly peer-reviewed academic journal covering all aspects of sociology. It is published by SAGE Publications on behalf of the American Sociological Association. It was established in 1936. It is along ...

'' between 1982 and 1986. He died on May 4, 2016, in

Sarasota, Florida Sarasota () is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida, the southern end of the Tampa Bay area, and north of Fort Myers, Florida, Fort Myers and Punta Gorda, Florida, Punta Gord ...

, aged 91, of surgical complications.Alt URL
/ref> Stryker's significant contribution to sociology was in the area of sociological social psychology. With his book entitled ''Symbolic Interactionism: A Social Structural Version,'' he provided an elusive linkage between personality and social structure. His book represents a herculean task in sociology.

References

1924 births 2016 deaths American sociologists American academic journal editors University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts alumni Indiana University Bloomington faculty People from Saint Paul, Minnesota American Sociological Review editors Social Psychology Quarterly editors United States Army personnel of World War II {{US-sociologist-stub