7,937 research outputs found
Unsettling Appearances: Diane Arbus, Erving Goffman and the Sociological Eye
Both the photographer Diane Arbus and sociologist Erving Goffman were fascinated by the way we present ourselves to others and this paper sets out how each understood the drama of human interaction. It begins by exploring how their work parallels some developments in the sociology of deviance, and notes how Goffman was one of the earliest critics of this field, before briefly sketching out Arbusâs controversial career and then turning to a more detailed look at three of her images. It concentrates on how the gap between intention and effect, or what Goffman terms the difference between the impressions we âgiveâ and those we actually âgive offâ, are at the core of her work and this sociological insight animates her compositions. The paper then describes how their work unsettles ânormal appearancesâ and provides rich resources for understanding human conduct
Just One? Solo Dining, Gender and Temporal Belonging in Public Spaces
In recent years, various lifestyle websites have offered tips on eating out alone as well as lists of the best restaurants for solo dining in major cities of the world. Utilising the theoretical concepts of participation units, territories of the self (Goffman 1972[1971]) and belonging (Author B2011, 2013), this paper explores the challenges that spatio-temporal conventions pose for women solo diners in particular. Through the lens of solo dining, we explore being alone and belonging in shared public spaces, and the gendered nature of aloneness and respectability. The papercontributes to existing theory by examining the influence that time has on a woman solo dinerâs âsingleâ participation unit, her ability to lay claim to public space and her relationship with the surrounding social environment. The paper concludes by exploring what the new trend of solo dining can offer and the consequences this has for how sociologists conceptualise sociality inpublic spaces
Narratives of self and identity in women's prisons: stigma and the struggle for self-definition in penal regimes
A concern with questions of selfhood and identity has been central to penal practices in women's prisons, and to the sociology of women's imprisonment. Studies of women's prisons have remained preoccupied with women prisonersâ social identities, and their apparent tendency to adapt to imprisonment through relationships. This article explores the narratives of women in two English prisons to demonstrate the importance of the self as a site of meaning for prisoners and the central place of identity in micro-level power negotiations in prisons
Broadcasting graphic war violence: the moral face of Channel 4
Drawing on empirical data from Channel 4 (C4) regarding the broadcasting of violent war imagery, and positioned within Goffmanâs notion of the interaction ritual (1959, 1967), this article investigates how C4 negotiate potentially competing commercial, regulatory and moral requirements through processes of discretionary decision-making. Throughout, the article considers the extent to which these negotiations are presented through a series of âimaginingsâ â of C4 and its audience â which serve to simultaneously guide and legitimate the decisions made. This manifestation of imaginings moves us beyond more blanket explanations of âbrandingâ and instead allows us to see the final programmes as the end product of a series of complex negotiations and interactions between C4 and those multiple external parties significant to the workings of their organization. The insights gleaned from this case study are important beyond the workings of C4 because they help elucidate how all institutions and organizations may view, organize and justify their practices (to both themselves and others) within the perceived constraints in which they operate
Infinite-dimensional Compact Quantum Semigroup
In this paper we construct a compact quantum semigroup structure on the
Toeplitz algebra . The existence of a subalgebra, isomorphic to
the algebra of regular Borel's measures on a circle with convolution product,
in the dual algebra is shown. The existence of Haar functionals
in the dual algebra and in the above-mentioned subalgebra is proved. Also we
show the connection between and the structure of weak Hopf
algebra.Comment: 17 page
Performative embodiment and unravelling grandparent-grandchild relationships
This article seeks to intertwine womenâs embodied experiences of wartime, dancing, and chronic illness. The author introduces âGrannyâ through the unraveling rhythms of grandparentâgrandchild relationships. Through narrative poems, the author shares Grannyâs dramatic stories of World War II. Bodies are socially and historically located, which therefore illuminates the ways in which her past is sedimented into her body and provides an understanding into the multi-layered ways her wartime, her performing bodily experiences, and asthma, encompass the past, the present, and the anticipated future. The author reflects on how some of these stories echo the breathless battle weary heroes referred to by Homer in the Illiad, which is where asthma can be traced back to
Recommended from our members
The selfie and the transformation of the publicâprivate distinction
The selfie is a contemporary form of self-portraiture, representing a photographic image of the human face. The selfie is created for the purpose of reproduction and to communicate images visually with others from a distance. The proliferation of web 2.0 technologies and mobile smart phones enables users to generate and disseminate images at an unprecedented scale. Coupled with the increasing popularity of social media platforms, these technologies allow the selfie to be distributed to a wide audience in close to real time. Drawing upon Erving Goffmanâs approach to the study of face-to-face social interaction, this article presents a discussion of the production and consumption of the selfie. We draw upon Goffmanâs dramaturgical approach, to explore how the âpresentation of selfâ occurs in the context of a selfie. Next, we consider how the selfie as a form of visual communication holds critical implications for mediated life online as individuals go about doing privacy. We conclude by reflecting on the role of the selfie and its impact on the boundaries between public and private domains in contemporary social life
Empathy Gaps Between Helpers and Help-Seekers: Implications for Cooperation
Help-seekers and potential helpers often experience an âempathy gapâ â an inability to understand each otherâs unique perspectives. Both parties are concerned about their reputation, self-esteem, and relationships, but these concerns differ in ways that lead to misinterpretation of the other partyâs actions, and, in turn, missed opportunities for cooperation. In this article, we review research that describes the role-specific concerns of helpers and help-seekers. We then review studies of emotional perspective-taking, which can help explain why help-seekers and helpers often experience empathy gaps. We go on to discuss recent work that illustrates the consequences of empathy gaps between helpers and help-seekersâsocial prediction errors that prevent helping and misguided intentions that can lead to unhelpful help. Finally, we discuss some promising directions for future research
Measuring the symptomatic, physical, emotional and social impacts of dry mouth: A qualitative study
Objective
To explore the impacts of dry mouth in order to develop a comprehensive conditionâspecific OHRQoL measure.
Background
Dry mouth has been shown to have significant, if not more severe impacts on OHRQoL, than dental caries. Yet there remain few studies reporting on how to develop a comprehensive measure of the impact of dry mouth on OHRQoL.
Methods
This study was a qualitative study using semiâstructured interviews. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 17 people with dry mouth (14 women, three men). The sample was drawn to capture a comprehensive range of impacts of dry mouth. These interviews were analysed using a framework approach informed by existing functionalist approaches to OHRQoL.
Results
Participants reported a huge range of symptoms associated with perceived dry mouth resulting in extensive impacts on physical, emotional (psychological) and social functioning. Dry mouth could also result in restrictions in social participation which, under some conditions, could be disabling. These impacts were modified by psychological, social and environmental factors.
Conclusions
If we are to measure the impacts of oral conditions, it is important that this is done systematically and with reference to existing conceptual models of health. Current measures of the impact of dry mouth cover symptoms, discomfort and physical impacts along with some aspects of how people cope with the condition. This study proposes a more comprehensive approach that includes the full range of impacts people experience. Such an approach may enable us to focus on âdownstreamâ and âupstreamâ interventions for dry mouth
- âŠ