How relevant is Goffman for understanding disability?

Let us return to the criticism which hails Goffman as a sociologist of deceit. This label has been derived by critics who have interpreted his analyses to imply that social actors are seeking only to outdo and exploit one another. However, whilst it is apparent that many passages in Goffman’s work may support such an interpretation, it can be conjectured that Goffman describes false impressions not because he thinks they are more common than authentic ones but because they better illustrate the expressive function of certain activities. Also, although manipulation does appear to be a particularly significant aspect of Goffman’s description of social encounters, that is not to say that manipulation is necessarily disrespectful of the wishes, needs and interests of those with whom we interact. A disabled person may disguise the truth to level the playing field, to avoid positive discrimination to himself, and negative discrimination to others – this maybe the case where the government set targets to institutions on their employment of certain categories of people, whether it be by ethnicity, gender, or physical capability. However, the disabled may also disguise the truth because they want to be treated equally, without pity or special treatment, which reiterates the cynicism in Goffman’s work. In addition, much criticism has been leveled at the limitations of the dramaturgical model which Goffman employs, including Goffman himself. It is apparent that the world is not a stage. Although we may play roles, take part in team performances, distinguish between different regions of performance, we are not all actors engaging in performance permanently. But rather aspects of our everyday lives exhibit features which can be likened to features of the theatrical world. Stigmatized individuals may be skilled at stigma management, but that must be seen outside the dramatic sphere and into the area of the intentions of the ‘actors’.

These people will often, but not always bring discredit upon themselves. Goffman describes many attributes which may lead to discredit and thus stigma, but is keen to emphasize that these attributes possess no intrinsically discreditable meaning. But because stigma threatens presentations of self, it must be considered in relation to the normative expectations that govern specific dramaturgical contexts. Thus, thirty years ago a person educated at an independent school may have sought to highlight this attribute, hoping it would gain him privy to the privileges of the old boy network, whilst today against the wave of controversy of discrimination against independent schools, with regards to university entrance, he may seek to conceal the fact. This example highlights that individuals are constantly aware that their identities are discreditable and maybe discredited later in time. This observation led Goffman to distinguish between a virtual and actual social identity, where the former is assumed and unchallenged and the latter is proven and demonstrated. It is the role that stigmata plays in relationships with which Goffman was truly concerned with, specifically the ability of the stigmatized to project himself to others with as little discrepancy between the virtual and actual social identity as possible i.e. to conceal or manage his stigma. Simplistically it is easy to associate the concept of stigmata with physical defects and abnormalities, that is, with disabled people. However, if we carefully examine this term, disabled, it is apparent that practically everyone is dis-abled - prevented from doing something in some situation or manner. For example, women in male dominated professions may claim the pe

Some topics in this essay:
Specifically Goffman, Indeed Ryan, , Indeed Manning, stigmatic attribute, social interaction, stigmatized individuals, dramaturgical model, social identity, identity norms, information management, social situations, tension information, definition situation, dramaturgical model goffman, self everyday life’, tension information management, virtual actual social, actual social identity,