Erving Goffman was born on June 11, 1922 in Canada. He was a major Canadian-American sociologist who had a significant role in the development of American Sociology. Goffman is considered as the pioneer of micro-sociology especially that of symbolic interactionism. He believed that modern social interactions construct the modern self which he studied by looking at the conditions in which it is being manipulated. Besides from his famous works regarding Dramaturgy, Goffman also created the concept of framing and frame analysis as well as developing the foundation for impression management.

Dramaturgy’s Premise:

SOCIETY IS A STAGE!

Unlike other micro-sociologist, Goffman uses the Durkheimian tradition to explain symbolic interactions. Goffman stressed the idea that social structures always come first and individual consciousness is “secondary and derivative”. This is seen in his theory regarding the presentation of the self in which the modern-day model of the said entity is enforced by social structures rather than the subjective consciousness that individuals possess privately (Collins 277).

Dramaturgy is basically the “study of social interactions in terms of theatrical performance” (Macionis 172). In this premise, individuals are considered actors who assume different roles and who take on one role at a single time.

The “frontstage” is the venue in which socially acceptable activities are done since it is the visible portion of our “performance” that is publicly seen. For example, aspects that belong in the “frontstage” are our costumes or clothes, our demeanor that follows a norm in a certain cultural context and many others. To be able to perform well in the “frontstage” of society, individuals must follow a script or a set of scripts which will give guidance to the actions they will make in order to be acceptable. In a social setting, the scripts need not be too formal since events are not inherently planned out in an exact manner. However, deviation from scripts can result in consequences especially due to the violation of social norms.

The “backstage” on the other hand is a venue in which we keep the things that we do not want to reveal to the public eye. In this region, no one from the “audience” is allowed to enter since it houses materials that are not processed enough to be performed in front of other people. In the “backstage”, individuals are able to manage their emotions and behaviors so as to present an organized role in front of the public. The “backstage” region is also the place where certain groups discuss on how they can improve themselves and become more influential to the perceptions of the “audience”. The act of influencing the perceptions of outsiders in a dramaturgical sense is called impression management.