Sociologist- Ervin Goffman

A)

For many years, sociologists have been studying the importance of human interaction and how it contributes to society. Sociologist like Erving Goffman and Harold Garfinkel, and Max Weber have made great contributions to helping us understand how society is created through social interaction, routines, organization and order. In my report, I will be demonstrating how society and social order are maintained through social interaction, and relationships in a retail store named “Urban planet”.

Throughout my report I will be referring to sociologist to Erving Goffman. I will be observing how customers and employees demonstrating the importance of Erving Goffman’s ideology of Civil inattention and why individuals demonstrate this concept.

I will be also being exploring how his ideology of dramaturgy is applied to social institution and this concept maintains social order. I will also be exploring the importance of public and person space.

I will be also be exploring his term “Saving face” and how this is a important to maintaining face in society and the importance of having a front stage and a back stage, this concept was demonstrated by both customers and employees.

Throughout my report will be comparing the reoccurring scenes at Urban planet other social institutions I will be looking at the similarities and differences. I will be also exploring how adolescents gain independence through cultural objects like clothes, car, etc. and how gender order, plays a significant part in social order.

B) The first case study that I will be focusing on is “Meanwhile Backstage: Public Bathroom And The Interaction Order” by Spencer Cahill. The concepts that I will be drawing from in this case study are dramaturgy, and the i...

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... front stage , they are representing the store or else customer will not enjoy their shopping experience. When I was working in retail social order was maintained by rules, for example no food, drinks, or chewing gum on the sales floor. By enter the backstage, you get to break these rules that you had to maintain on the front stage which is a example of saving face.

References

Best, Amy L. (2006) Freedom, Constraint, and Family Responsibility: Teens and Parents Collaboratively, Negotiate Around the Car, Class, Gender, and Culture.” Journal of Family Issues 27, 1, pp 55-84

Cahill, Spencer E. "Meanwhile Backstage: Public Bathroom And The Interaction Order." Urban Life 14 (1985)

Newson, Janice A. "Social Order and Social Organization." 2013-2014. Lecture.

Gidden, Anthony, “Social Interaction And Everyday Life”. In Introduction to Sociology to Sociology (1991)