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Description
This course is an introduction to the sociological study of social interaction, specifically ethnomethodology, conversation analysis, and Goffmanian sociology. In general, we will center the everyday lived experience of participants in mundane social situations. We explore the theoretical justifications for such inquiry and study practical approaches for doing so.
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Modules
- Erving Goffman, The Interaction Order, and the Neglected Situation
- Transcription
- The Life and Work of Harold Garfinkel
- Intersubjectivity
- Trust, Reciprocity, and Indexicality
- Commonsense and Tacit Knowledge
- Conversational Structure
- Topics in Conversation Analysis
- Ethnomethodology, Conversation Analysis, and Sociology
- Race
- Gender
- Legal-Institutional Talk
- Medical-Institutional Talk
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Major Assignments
Transcribing Everyday Talk
Students collect and transcribe conversation from their everyday lives. Transcription is done in the conversation analytic style. Student transcripts are integrated into instruction on conversational structure and topics throughout the semester.
Students collect and transcribe conversation from their everyday lives. Transcription is done in the conversation analytic style. Student transcripts are integrated into instruction on conversational structure and topics throughout the semester.
Student Symposium
Students use what they have learned during the semester to prepare a presentation in the style of an academic talk. Talks are presented at an end-of-term symposium.
Students use what they have learned during the semester to prepare a presentation in the style of an academic talk. Talks are presented at an end-of-term symposium.
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Student Comments
“Professor Wiscons was a great instructor. His lectures were incredibly engaging and fascinating. and his style of teaching and interpretation of the material was very useful.”
“The projects helped me show my learning and growth in the course. I also I appreciated the Professor’s willingness to help students whenever they could.”
“Overall, the entirety of the course lived up to the expectations I had anticipated. I thoroughly enjoyed the class, and I was always engaged and thinking. Professor Wiscons did a great job of encouraging us to think outside the box and our discussions are always in depth.”
