Erving Goffman: Sociologist of Drama
This article is devoted to the timeless and insightful writings of Erving Goffman. Goffman embedded the use of language and his observations of people in the metaphor of the theatre and drama. He draws on individuals’ performances, dramatic realizations, and role expectations in his works. His brilliant books, Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959) and Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity (1963) are classics in sociological thought. He delved into the intricacies of people’s attempts to role play and to hide their faults and failures, both physical and psychological. This article gives an overview of Goffman’s writings. Then I apply his dramaturgic sociological concepts to early elementary school classrooms and to the educational scene.
