David Karp, a professor in the sociology department, received the George Herbert Mead Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of the Study of Symbolic Interaction. The society is an “organization of scholars interested in the study of a wide range of social issues with an emphasis on identity, everyday practice, and language,” according to a release by the Office of News and Public Affairs.

Karp’s early work focused on cities, everyday life and aging, and how various people invest their daily lives. More recently, his research has centered on mental illnesses. He has been teaching in the sociology department at Boston College since 1971.

William Gamson, professor emeritus, received the 2012 W.E.B DuBois Career of Distinguished Scholarship Award from the American Sociological Association.

Gamson specializes in political sociology, specifically political discourse and social movements. He joined BC’s sociology department in 1982, and retired from full time teaching in 2000. The award recognizes outstanding commitment to the profession of sociology and significant contribution to the advancement of the discipline.