New Books in Critical Theory Pauwke Berkers and Yosha Wijngaarden, "A Sociology of Awkwardness: On Social Interactions Going Wrong" (Taylor & Francis, 2025)
Aug 30, 2025
Yosha Wijngaarden, a media and creative industries scholar, and Pauwke Berkers, a sociology professor specializing in popular music, delve into the complex world of social awkwardness. They discuss how awkwardness in interactions is shaped by social contexts rather than personal traits. The duo reflects on navigating these dynamics in a post-pandemic landscape, emphasizing insights from their empirical research. Listeners will find relatable anecdotes and a fresh perspective on managing discomfort in everyday social scenarios.
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Awkwardness Is Social Not Personal
- Awkwardness is a product of social interactions going wrong, not an individual trait.
- The feeling arises from perceived interaction failure and is shaped by cultural labeling.
Awkwardness Versus Embarrassment
- Awkwardness differs from embarrassment by duration and context.
- Embarrassment follows brief individual mishaps while awkwardness can be anticipatory or retrospective and longer-lived.
Data Came From Old PhD Work And Student Projects
- Yosha reused an ethnographic study from his PhD about open workspaces to study awkwardness.
- Students and colleagues also gathered dating interviews and Twitter data across years for the book.
