Tma04 Introduction to Social Science
TMA04
Compare and contrast the views of Goffman and Foucault on how social order is produced.
Social order can be considered as invisible rules, almost subconscious. It is a way of behaving that we are not always aware of. Silva (2009, p131) suggests that social order is about people fitting together, and how they practice their social existence. There are different views of social order, and this essay will look at the contrasting views of Goffman and Foucault. Goffman’s view is that individuals are key to social order and their everyday interactions; whilst Foucault believes that those with knowledge only have the authority and power to create social order. A detailed comparison of both of these will be looked at in the essay, using the examples of traffic management by Monderman and Buchanan.
In the view of Goffman (as seen in Silva,2009,p316) social order is produced by individuals and their actions. Their face to face interaction on meetings with each other, depending on any given situation. We perform, like actors on a stage, sometimes consciously or subconsciously, changing expressions and body language to get the response we want. An example of this would be when we go into a shop, the assistant will be charming and welcoming while she is with us, but, may well be pleased to see us go and possibly suggest we were a waste of her time, and be quite condescending. We read situations so that we know how to react, we learn and are bound by rules of conduct by using these bodily gestures to get the response we want. These repetitive practices allow us to live together, mostly, in harmony. This also produces invisible social order and generates understanding by living together.
In Foucault’s view (as seen in Silva,2009,p319) social order is brought about by discourses, which are sets of ideas. In particular these discourses are produced by those with power, those in authority and those considered to have knowledge particularly scientific knowledge. He
Compare and contrast the views of Goffman and Foucault on how social order is produced.
Social order can be considered as invisible rules, almost subconscious. It is a way of behaving that we are not always aware of. Silva (2009, p131) suggests that social order is about people fitting together, and how they practice their social existence. There are different views of social order, and this essay will look at the contrasting views of Goffman and Foucault. Goffman’s view is that individuals are key to social order and their everyday interactions; whilst Foucault believes that those with knowledge only have the authority and power to create social order. A detailed comparison of both of these will be looked at in the essay, using the examples of traffic management by Monderman and Buchanan.
In the view of Goffman (as seen in Silva,2009,p316) social order is produced by individuals and their actions. Their face to face interaction on meetings with each other, depending on any given situation. We perform, like actors on a stage, sometimes consciously or subconsciously, changing expressions and body language to get the response we want. An example of this would be when we go into a shop, the assistant will be charming and welcoming while she is with us, but, may well be pleased to see us go and possibly suggest we were a waste of her time, and be quite condescending. We read situations so that we know how to react, we learn and are bound by rules of conduct by using these bodily gestures to get the response we want. These repetitive practices allow us to live together, mostly, in harmony. This also produces invisible social order and generates understanding by living together.
In Foucault’s view (as seen in Silva,2009,p319) social order is brought about by discourses, which are sets of ideas. In particular these discourses are produced by those with power, those in authority and those considered to have knowledge particularly scientific knowledge. He
References: Silva E B (2009) Making Social Order, in Taylor S, Hincliffe S, Clarke J and Bromley S (eds) (2009) Making Social Order, Open University, Milton Keynes. Self-reflection I would not say that I was particularly confident about my study skills at this moment in time. However, saying that, I feel that I have made, almost, a quantum leap from the position I was in when I first started. Careful and skilled help and guidance from my tutor has brought me a long way in losing my fears about study and what I can do. I still feel that I may not be good enough for this task that I have taken on, although I have waited a long number of years to be able to do this. I need to believe that with time and help I can make a good job of studying, and learn to enjoy it more.