F
rom its beginnings in
the early 19th century,
sociology sought to
examine not only the institutions
and systems that created social
order, but also the factors that
maintained social cohesion.
Traditionally, this had come
from the shared values, beliefs, and
experiences of communities, but
with the advent of “modernity” in
the form of industrialization and
secularization, the structure of
society was radically transformed.
Although it was recognized that
modernity had changed the way
people associated with one another,
it was not until the 20th century
that culture—the ways that people
think and behave as a group, and
how they identify themselves as
members of a society—became
an object of study in its own right.The emergence of sociology—the
systematic study of how society
shapes human interaction and
identity—had coincided with the
establishment of anthropology
and psychology, and there was a
degree of overlap between the three
disciplines. It is unsurprising,
then, that one of the first cultural
sociologists was also a pioneering
social psychologist, G.H. Mead.
He set the scene for a sociological
study of culture by highlighting the
connection between the individual
and society, and especially the
notion of a social identity. An
individual, he argued, can only
develop a true sense of identity
in the context of a social group,
through interaction with others.
The connections with social
psychology continued throughout
the 20th century, notably in thework of Erich Fromm in the
1950s, who argued that many
psychological problems have
social origins. In the process of
connecting with wider society
and identifying with a particular
culture, individuals are expected
to conform with society, and this
stifles our individualism so that
we lose a true sense of self. Around
the same time, Erving Goffman
began discussing the problems
of establishing a sense of identity,
and in the 1960s, he focused on
the stigma attached to those who
do not conform or are “different.”Culture and social order
Norbert Elias, in the 1930s, had
described the imposition of social
norms and conventions as a
“civilizing process,” directly
regulating individual behavior.INTRODUCTION
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1930 S
1958
1963
1939
1955
In Culture and Society and
the essay “Culture is
Ordinary,” published in the
same year, Raymond
Williams places the
concept of culture
center stage.Antonio Gramsci argues
that dominant social
groups impose their values
and beliefs on others
in the process of
“cultural hegemony.”Norbert Elias’s
three-volume The
Civilizing Process
examines the
connection between
social order and
individual behavior.In The Sane Society,
sociologist and
psychologist Erich
Fromm criticizes the
conformity imposed
by modern society.In The Social Self,
social psychologist
G.H. Mead explains
that a sense of
identity is only
possible in a
social context.
In Stigma, Erving Goffman
examines how individuals
become marginalized in
society and come to assume
stigmatized identities.174