CRM 2306 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Total Institution, Symbolic Interactionism, Erving Goffman

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRM 2306
• Professor: Kate Fletcher

Document Summary

Playing the role establishes social identity, become who one is. Goffman says that our social identities are shaped by our statuses. Members of society are comparable to actors on a stage, our behaviour is taking place in the presence of others. We become what we practice being (symbolic interactionism). We change our identity based on others reactions (looking glass self). We have front stage and back stage fronts. Front stage is when we are in front of others and back stage is when you"re alone. Prison as a total institution: small segregated society. All the parts of life of individuals merge together in these places. Social hybrid: it is both a residential community and formal organization (formal institutions that have particular goals. Goffman went into mental health institutions and became and orderly to study what was going on. He published a book called assylums about it.