The intellectual relationship between Erving Coffman and Everett C. Hughes is explored in the context of an apprenticeship model derived from correspondence between the two sociologists. Coffman is identified as a "reluctant apprentice" because his work and his letters to Hughes display a tension between a striking originality and a fidelity to his "master." Three phases of their ambivalent relationship are described and an explanation for Coffman's reluctant acknowledgment of Hughes's influence is briefly explored.
The sociology of time has recently witnessed a shift in its underlying theoretical preferences. Early work emphasized system balance and the primacy of the social: a sense of optimism pervades these writings. In contrast, more recent analysts emphasize time's tyranny and the primacy of the individual; a gloomy pessimism pervades these writings. This paper analyzes representative writings of each period in order to demonstrate the shift. The current phase, the‘romantic interlude,’is said to derive from both a pessimistic national mood and dissatisfaction with academia during a period of educational contraction.
Erving Goffman's interest in spies and espionage is widely recognized in commentary on his work. Where did this interest come from? While the context of Cold War America provided the broad cultural horizon of this work, deeper roots may be found. Goffman's contact with two University of Chicago professors, Edward A. Shils and Douglas Waples, both of whom served in U.S. intelligence organizations during World War II, also shaped Goffman's interest in the subject. This paper explores these relationships and their connection to Goffman's writings on spies, secrecy, and information control in postwar America. Goffman's view of spies and espionage as analogues to American postwar lives is explored.
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