Harold Garfinkel
Early Life and Education
Harold Garfinkel was born on October 29, 1917, in Newark, New Jersey. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Newark, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1939. Garfinkel then pursued his graduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a Master's degree in Sociology in 1942. Following his Master's, he moved to Harvard University to work under the tutelage of renowned sociologist Talcott Parsons, where he received his Ph.D. in 1952.
Career and Contributions to Sociology
Garfinkel is best known for his work in developing the theory and method of ethnomethodology, a significant branch of sociology. His work in this field began in the late 1950s and early 1960s while he was a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Ethnomethodology, as conceptualized by Garfinkel, is the study of the methods people use to make sense of their social world, create social order, and understand social situations.
One of Garfinkel's most significant contributions to sociology and ethnomethodology is his concept of "indexicality". Indexicality refers to the idea that our understanding and interpretation of actions and statements are context-dependent. This concept has had a profound impact on the field of sociology, particularly in the study of social interactions.
Garfinkel also introduced the concept of "breaching experiments". These experiments involve intentionally disrupting social norms to reveal the underlying patterns of social behavior. These experiments have been widely used in sociological research and have contributed significantly to our understanding of social order and norms.
Ethnomethodology
Ethnomethodology, as developed by Garfinkel, is a distinctive approach to the study of social life. It focuses on the ways in which people make sense of their world, convey this understanding to others, and produce a mutually shared social order.
Garfinkel's ethnomethodology rejects the idea that social order is a pre-existing structure out there in the world. Instead, it argues that social order is continually being constructed and reconstructed by individuals through their interactions. This perspective has had a profound influence on the field of sociology and has led to a deeper understanding of the complex and nuanced ways in which social order is maintained.
Legacy and Influence
Garfinkel's work has had a significant impact on the field of sociology. His development of ethnomethodology has provided a unique and insightful perspective on the study of social life. His concepts of indexicality and breaching experiments have been widely adopted and utilized in sociological research, contributing to our understanding of social interactions and social order.
Garfinkel's influence extends beyond sociology. His work has also influenced other fields such as anthropology, linguistics, and computer science. In particular, his ideas have been instrumental in the development of the field of social informatics, which studies the social aspects of computer use.