Sociology of Everyday Life

Sociologists and philosophers have developed a number of theories to explain everyday life and other related issues such as social relations, face to face interactions, the construction and conception of social realities among others. While some sociologists believe that every day life is a stream of disorganized events, others contradict this view and propose that daily events are deliberately contracted.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology of Everyday Life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is among the many definitions of sociology of everyday life (Allan 53). The sociology of everyday life is important to the study of Sociology since it enables sociologist to understand the complexities of everyday life and the factors that determine social interactions. Harold Garfinkel and Erving Goffman are among major sociologists who have contributed to the study of sociology of every day life. Goffman and Garfi nkel agree that there exist social rules which govern daily lives. By following these rules, people become actors. Furthermore, through daily interactions people express themselves. Therefore, Garfinkel’s and Goffman’s contributions are vital to the understanding the sociology of everyday life Garfinkel’s and Goffman’s ideologies on the sociology of daily life have been interpreted differently by critics. However, the two sociologists agree that through social interactions, societies are made (Allan 257). Garfinkel and Goffman further agree that there exist rules which govern how people interact. These rules are socially constructed and are the basis of establishing a well ordered society. Goffmanian school of thought postulates that social rules are useful in daily life interactions since they not only help in directing social interactions but also help people to make â€Å"social meaning and the definition of the self† (Maynard 278). In this rega rd, Goffmanian school of thought suggests that self identity is created through social interactions. To explain this concept, Goffman uses heterosexuals as examples and suggest that heterosexuals can determine how people perceive them by managing how they appear in public. According to Garfinkel daily interactions are governed by preexisting rules which cannot be easily changed (Allan 83). This implies that the society is made up of rigid rules, whose adherence determines how people fit into it. Garfinkel and Goffman acknowledge that societies cannot exist without rules. Furthermore, both Goffman and Garfinkel focus on the relationship between people and these rules. Both Garfinkel and Goffman postulate that people’s lives are governed by existing rules. This suggests that people are actors in every day life. Goffman suggest that rules enable people to conduct daily interactions. By asserting that rules are interactions enablers, Goffman elevates people above the rules.Advert ising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This means that social rules exist to serve the complex and dynamic nature of human interactions needs. As such, the rules can change or be violated as human needs evolve. Goffman adds that violating the rules does not threaten social interactions but enables actors to derive new social meanings. As such, through social interactions, people portray their self-centeredness (Allan 56). Similarly, Garfinkel explains that social interactions occur within rigid social rules. However, Garfinkel contradicts Goffman and explains that social norms do not change within the course of interaction. As such people become actors since they follow predetermined social norms. This implies that, unlike Goffman, Garfinkel elevates social rules above the actor. As such, the rules do not exist to serve the actor but to govern the way the actors conduct daily interactions ( Maynard 278). Therefore, actors have to continuously learn what the society requires of them so as to maintain social order. Both Garfinkel and Goffman assert that daily interactions are a way of expressing the self. Garfinkelian school of thought postulates that a person is made up of two major components; personality and the self. These components don’t evolve but are constructed. The self is different from the personality. Sociology does not explain personality since the personality is not constructed socially. Rather, it is constructed psychologically. On the other hand, psychology cannot explain the self since the self is constructed socially. Therefore, self identity is constructed through the sociology of everyday life. Garfinkelian school of thought concludes that daily interactions not only help to construct but also to express the self (Allan 54). Similarly, Goffmanian school of thought stipulates that the self is expressed through social interactions. The self is c overt and the only way it can be revealed is through face-to-face interactions. Through these interactions, people give social signal which reveal personal traits. These social signals help others form notions about us (Allan 157). As such, Garfinkel and Goffman suggest that social interactions not only help in forming self identity but also expressing it. Garfinkel and Goffman have made major contributions to sociology of everyday life, with significant effects on the wider field of sociology. The two sociologists have asserted that the society is a product of social interactions since people construct and derive meaning through face to face interactions. Within the process of daily interactions, there exist rules which govern how people interact. As such, people become actors. Social interactions are also significant since they not only enable people to express themselves but also in contracting self identity. Despite the fact that Garfinkel and Goffman differ on some aspects, the ir theories have made significant contribution to sociology of everyday life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology of Everyday Life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Allan, Kenneth. Contemporary Social and Sociological Theory: Visualizing Social ` Words. Thousands Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press, 2010. Print. Maynard, Douglas. â€Å"Goffman, Garfinkel, and Games.† Sociological Theory 9.2 (1991): ` 277-279. Web. This essay on Sociology of Everyday Life was written and submitted by user Zoe Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Astronomy †Distance in The Stars and The Solar System

Astronomy – Distance in The Stars and The Solar System Free Online Research Papers Astronomy Distance in The Stars and The Solar System ***All italic words are located at the bottom accompanied by their definitions*** The Solar System The solar system consists of the Sun, nine planets, sixty-eight satellites (of the planets), large numbers of comets and asteroids, and the interplanetary medium. All the planets orbit in the same counter-clockwise direction looking down from above the Sun’s north pole or in a prograde direction. All except for Venus and Uranus, whose rotations are defined as retrograde. The nine planets are classified in several ways: By composition: Terrestrial or rocky planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars: The terrestrial planets are composed mostly of rock and metal and have relatively high densities, slow rotation, solid surfaces, no rings and very few satellites. o Jovian or gas planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune: ? The gas planets are composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, and generally have low densities, rapid rotation, deep atmospheres, rings and lots of satellites. By size: o Small planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Pluto. ? The small planets have diameters less than 13000 km. o Giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. ? The giant planets have diameters greater than 48000 km. o Mercury and Pluto are sometimes referred to as lesser planets (not to be confused with minor planets which is the official term for asteroids). o The giant planets are sometimes also referred to as gas giants. By position relative to the Sun: o Inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. o Outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. o The asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter forms the boundary between the inner solar system and the outer solar system. By position relative to Earth: o Inferior planets: Mercury and Venus. ? They are closer to the Sun compared to the Earth. ? The inferior planets show phases like the Moons when viewed from Earth. o superior planets: Mars thru Pluto. ? farther from the Sun than Earth. ? The superior planets always appear full or nearly so. By History: o classical planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. ? known since pre-historical times ? visible to the unaided eye o modern planets: Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. ? discovered in modern times ? visible only with telescopes Stars: Are huge spherical masses of gas that began radiating energy because of nuclear reactions occurring deep within their interiors They differ in size, shape, luminosity, temperature, and composition Distance To Stars: First measured by Friedrich Bessel in 1838, method called Trigonometric Parallax As the earth moves around the sun, a star relatively nearby will appear to shift its position in the sky relative to more distant stars. By measuring these minute angular shifts, the distance of a star can be determined trigonometrically. Half of the total apparent shift of the star with respect to the background is called the star’s trigonometric parallax. It follows that the parallax of a star is the angle formed t the star by the triangle formed between the star and each end of the radius of the earth’s orbit. Glossary: Jovian planets: The planets with orbits beyond that of Mars: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Parallax: The apparent change in position of a star relative to the distant, background stars as seen from the Earth at opposite points in its orbit around the sun. Prograde: Counterclockwise, when viewed from north of the ecliptic, rotation of a celestial body around its axis. Retrograde motion: The motion of a planet from west to east among the stars over a lengthy period of time. It is when the earth overtakes another planet as they both orbit the sun. Star: A celestial body made up of hot gases held together by its own gravity and emitting light and heat resulting from its internal nuclear reactions. Our Sun is a typical star. Terrestrial planets: The planets with orbits within the orbit of Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The Distance To A Star Tan( 1 ) = 93 000 000 Miles 9000 X X= 4.8 x 10 A.U.= Astronomical Unit= 150 million Kilometres = 93 million Miles 1 minute= 1 1 second= 1 60 3600 A= 0.4 seconds = 1 9000 Research Papers on Astronomy - Distance in The Stars and The Solar SystemThe Spring and AutumnWhere Wild and West MeetThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalDefinition of Export QuotasMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductResearch Process Part One