Harold Garfinkel

Harold Garfinkel (1917-2011) was an American sociologist who founded ethnomethodology, a major sociological paradigm focused on how people make sense of and accomplish everyday social activities. His groundbreaking work Studies in Ethnomethodology (1967) established new ways of analyzing social order and human interaction. As a professor at UCLA from 1954-1987, Garfinkel developed research methods that examined how ordinary people construct and maintain their social reality through daily practices and conversations. His approach challenged traditional sociological methods by focusing on the detailed observation of routine activities rather than abstract theoretical frameworks. Garfinkel's "breaching experiments" became a distinctive research technique where social norms were deliberately violated to reveal the usually invisible rules governing social behavior. These experiments demonstrated how people rely on shared assumptions and unspoken rules to maintain orderly social interactions. His influence extends across sociology, linguistics, and social psychology, particularly in the areas of conversation analysis and the study of institutional settings. Garfinkel's work continues to influence contemporary research on social interaction, organizational behavior, and the construction of social reality.

Readers describe Garfinkel's works, particularly "Studies in Ethnomethodology," as dense and challenging texts that require multiple readings to grasp the concepts. Many note the revolutionary approach to studying everyday social interactions and appreciate how he questions basic assumptions about social order. Readers liked: - Detailed examples that illuminate abstract concepts - Fresh perspective on mundane social situations - Influence on qualitative research methods Readers disliked: - Complex, unclear writing style - Repetitive explanations - Dense academic language that obscures main points One reader noted: "His writing style makes Parsons look straightforward." Another commented: "Important ideas buried under impenetrable prose." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (28 ratings) Most reviews acknowledge the difficulty of reading Garfinkel while recognizing his contribution to sociology. Graduate students frequently mention requiring study groups to work through his texts.

Studies in Ethnomethodology (1967) A foundational text that introduces ethnomethodology and presents key concepts through studies of gender, organizational behavior, and everyday social interactions.

Seeing Sociologically: The Routine Grounds of Social Action (2006) A collection of Garfinkel's early writings from 1948-1952 that explores the theoretical foundations of his approach to studying social order.

Ethnomethodological Studies of Work (1986) An examination of how people accomplish their work activities, featuring studies of scientific practices and professional occupations.

Ethnomethodology's Program: Working Out Durkheim's Aphorism (2002) A detailed exploration of ethnomethodology's research program and its relationship to classical sociological theory.

Toward a Sociological Theory of Information (2008) An early manuscript from 1952 discussing information theory and its relevance to sociology and social organization.

Parsons' Primer (1962) A critical analysis and interpretation of Talcott Parsons' social theory, examining its fundamental concepts and methodological assumptions.