About
Erving Goffman (1922-1982) was a major sociologist known for his microsociological analyses of everyday life. Born in Canada, he studied at Toronto and then Chicago, where he earned his PhD in 1953. He taught at Berkeley and then at the University of Pennsylvania. His work explores social interactions, total institutions, and the construction of the self. He served as president of the American Sociological Association and received numerous honors.
* 1922-06-11 — † 1982-11-19
Major works
- The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1956)essay
- Asylums (1961)essay
- Stigma (1963)essay
- Frame Analysis (1974)essay
- Forms of Talk (1981)essay
Key milestones
- 1958Appointed professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
- 1968Appointed Benjamin Franklin Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania.
- 1981Elected president of the American Sociological Association.
Themes
Social interactionPresentation of selfStigmaTotal institutionsFrames of experience
Sources: asanet.org · berose.fr · uc.utoronto.ca