230142 SE The American Dialogue: Parsons, Goffman, Garfinkel, Sacks (2010W)

Ann Rawls pointed out that for a couple of time four major US American social theorists met on a regular basis to discuss issues of social theory: Talcott Parsons, Erving Goffman, Harold Garfinkel, and Harvey Sacks. All of them saw a thrust of modernization during the 1960 and responded from within the frame of their scientific interests. Although Garfinkel and Sacks later on criticized Parsons' work, they still shared some central ideas concerning social theory. Although using different theoretical frameworks for social analysis like theoretical biology (Goffman), phenomenology (Garfinkel), cybernetics and structural linguistics (Parsons), they still had a common understanding of social theory in terms of frames of reference. The seminar will follow this interrelated strands of reasoning and ask how it can be used for contemporary theorizing.