Dmitri N. Shalin, a Professor of Sociology at UNLV and author of the first true biography of Erving Goffman, dives deep into Goffman's life and work. He reveals how Goffman’s upbringing as a Russian Jew and personal losses shaped his sociological insights. The conversation explores the significance of the Goffman Archives and touches on themes such as identity, mental health, and the influence of gambling on his theories. Shalin also discusses Goffman’s evolving views on gender and his interdisciplinary legacy, emphasizing the interplay of personal and sociological narratives.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Discovering Goffman through Archives
Dmitri Shalin discovered Goffman's work through an American student's gift during his studies in Russia.
He created the Erving Goffman Archives to collect materials for Goffman's biography amid sealed papers.
insights INSIGHT
Goffman's Early Life Influences
Goffman's upbringing in a divided Winnipeg influenced his sensitivity to social status and face work.
His Jewish background and personal stature added layers to his sociological imagination.
insights INSIGHT
Goffman's Sociological Path Diverges
Goffman's work blends observation of class and stigma, moving beyond his mentor Warner's focus.
'Cooling the Mark Out' explores managing social failure to sustain societal harmony.
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Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates
Erving Goffman
This book is an analysis of life in 'total institutions' – closed worlds such as prisons, army training camps, naval vessels, boarding schools, monasteries, nursing homes, and mental hospitals. Goffman describes what these institutions make of the inmate and what the inmate can make of life inside them. Special attention is given to mental hospitals, drawing on the author's year of field work at St. Elizabeth's in Washington, D.C. The book argues that the most important factor in forming a mental-hospital patient is the institution itself, rather than the illness, and that the patient's reactions and adjustments are similar to those of inmates in other types of institutions.
Interaction ritual
Erving Goffman
Erving Goffman's 'Interaction Ritual: Essays on Face-to-Face Behavior' is a seminal work that examines the intricacies of social interaction. The book consists of six essays that delve into concepts such as 'face-work', deference, and social organization, providing insights into how individuals manage their social identities during interactions. Goffman's work emphasizes the importance of maintaining social order through rituals and mutual respect in face-to-face encounters.
Escape from Freedom
Erich Fromm
In 'Escape from Freedom', Erich Fromm examines the human relationship with freedom, distinguishing between 'freedom from' (negative freedom) and 'freedom to' (positive freedom). The book discusses how the rise of democracy and the destruction of feudal societies led to a new kind of freedom that many individuals found overwhelming. Fromm argues that this sense of freedom can lead to feelings of alienation, anxiety, and a desire to escape these feelings through mechanisms such as authoritarianism, destructiveness, and automatic conformity. He also analyzes the psychosocial conditions that facilitated the rise of Nazism and other totalitarian regimes. The book is divided into sections that explore the historical transition from medieval to modern society, the psychological factors at play in contemporary society, and the dissection of authoritarian societies with a vision of potential alternatives.
Stigma
The Machinery of Inequality
Imogen Tyler
Imogen Tyler's "Stigma: The Machinery of Inequality" examines the mechanisms through which social inequalities are produced and maintained. The book focuses on the role of stigma in creating and reinforcing social hierarchies, exploring how stigmatized groups are marginalized and excluded from society. Tyler's analysis draws on various theoretical perspectives, including critical theory and social psychology, to understand the complex interplay of power, identity, and social control. The book provides a critical examination of the ways in which stigma operates in different social contexts, highlighting the need for social justice and equality. "Stigma" offers a powerful critique of social inequalities and provides valuable insights into the challenges of overcoming stigma and promoting social inclusion.
Frame analysis
Arthur Stanley Hall
G. D. H. Cole and British Sociology
G. D. H. Cole and British Sociology
Matt Dawson
G.D.H. Cole and British Sociology: A Study in Semi-Alienation explores the life and work of G.D.H. Cole, a prominent figure in British sociology. The book delves into Cole's contributions to the field, examining his intellectual development and his influence on the discipline. It also analyzes Cole's relationship with other sociologists and his role in shaping the development of British sociology. The book provides a comprehensive overview of Cole's work and its lasting impact on the field. It is a valuable resource for scholars and students interested in the history of British sociology.
The presentation of self in everyday life
E Goffman
1st Edition Goffman
Erving Goffman
In this landmark work, Erving Goffman uses the imagery of theatre to portray the importance of human social interaction. He argues that individuals manage their self-presentation to control the impressions others form about them, treating social interactions as performances with settings, props, and audiences. Goffman's dramaturgical approach highlights the fluid and consciously maintained nature of human character, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a coherent definition of the situation in social interactions. The book is considered one of the most important sociological works of the 20th century, receiving the American Sociological Association's MacIver award in 1961 and being listed as the tenth most important sociological book of the 20th century by the International Sociological Association in 1998.
Behavior in public places
Behavior in public places
Erving Goffman
We have long lacked a biography of Erving Goffman. Partly this can be explained by Goffman’s direction for his papers not to be opened to researchers after his death. This meant those who may wish to write Goffman’s biography had a lack of material to draw upon. Dmirti Shalin, author of Erving Manuel Goffman: Biographical Sources of Sociological Imagination (2025, Routledge), has overcome this by developing the Erving Goffman Archives, a collection of correspondence, family histories, syllabi and reminisces which allows for this book to exist as the first true biography of the great scholar. In providing the details of Goffman’s life, Shalin has provided new ways of looking at Goffman, showing how factors like his upbringing in a family of Russian Jewish immigrants, his relationship with, and the sad suicide of, his wife, his interactions with colleagues and his everyday interactions shaped his sociology. Along the way we are encouraged to look anew at Goffman’s work on topics such as the presentation of self, mental health, gambling and gender. In doing so, we learn much about Goffman not just as a scholar, but as a man.
In our conversation we cover the whole of Goffman’s life, moving from his youth and onto the significant points in his career and their impact upon his sociology. We also discuss the archive and how it came to be and discuss what Goffman’s legacy maybe for the future of democratic politics.
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