PART A This activity can be carried out as a role play, or you can just work out through discussion what reactions might result in real situation. Imagine one of the following situations: Sitting down next to someone in a bus /library, when there are plenty of other free double seats /areas available. Telling someone you don’t like their birthday gift to you. What are the … [Read more...]

Read the section explaining Giddens’ structuration theory and identify similarities between his theory and the following concepts used by action theorists: Schutz – commonsense knowledge Mead – the role of the other Garfinkel – indexicality Berger and Luckmann – social construction of reality Goffman – the dramaturgical model … [Read more...]

Look at Goffman’s two key concepts of the presentation of self and impression management on page 246. Question 1: Politicians increasingly seem to use these techniques. How do they do it, and why do they feel they need to do so? Find examples to illustrate your answer. Question 2: Imagine two people with very different careers. One is a teacher or civil servant, the other is a rock singer or … [Read more...]

Theories that focus on the actions and interactions of individuals rather than on the wider social structure. Gestures/body language, clothing, spoken language, ‘props’ such as equipment, furniture etc. Structural theories see society as something objective, existing outside individuals and shaping or constraining them. Action theories see society as the creation of its members through … [Read more...]