Erving Goffman

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at how Erving Goffman began to emphasize ethnographic study and observation of people to see how they conform to their social environment and change behavior in different situations.

From the Paper:

"In The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959), Goffman uses the metaphor of a theater and actors to show how individuals "stage manage" when with others. He calls this "dramaturgy." A sociologist can study the character of social reality by observing how the actor perceives and interprets the social environment. Sometimes the sociologist is only watching what is being acted to gain insights into motives and meanings of human behavior. Other times, he/she is a part of the drama, yet objectively recording what is occurring. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Goffman, E. (1959) The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Anchor
• Goffman, E.(1961). Asylums. NY: Doubleday
• Goffman, E.(1963) Behavior in Public Places. NY: Free Press
• Goffman, E.(1967) Interaction Ritual, Chicago: Aldine.
• Goffman, E.(1974). Frame analysis: An essay on the organization of experience. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

More papers on Erving Goffman:

• Essay # 137737 : "Erving Goffman & Michel Foucault on Matters of Institutions."
• Analytical Essay # 32064 : "Erving Goffman and His Model of Social Interaction"
• Term Paper # 145094 : "Erving Goffman"
• Research Paper # 26308 : "Erving Goffman"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: