The everyday world as problematic – An introduction to the sociology of everyday life - Einzelansicht

For a long time, the “everyday world” seemed to be overlooked in sociological inquiries. However, it is not exclusively in political debates, in parliaments, or in universities in which the principles of our social life are negotiated, navigated, and acted out. Rather, the social world is continuously reproduced and transformed in daily micro-routines. Routines such as eating, dressing, or doing the dishes seem so familiar to us that at the end of the day we even forget that we have done them. By rendering the everyday world ‘problematic’, i.e. making it the subject of sociological analysis, we can examine those social structures, norms, and power dynamics that often go unnoticed but ultimately contribute to the re-production of our societal status quo.

The aim of the seminar is to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches of a sociology of everyday life. Through an examination of routine activities, social interactions, and cultural artifacts, i.e. by looking at the gendered dynamic of cooking or doing laundry, participants will engage in critical micro-analyses of the social world.

The seminar consists of two sections: The first part introduces theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of the everyday world (e.g. Alfred Schütz, Dorothy Smith, Erving Goffman, Harold Garfinkel). This part takes place weekly until the 16^th of May. In addition, there is a block session on May 3^rd. After May 16^th, the course will no longer take place weekly, but students will have the opportunity to use the approaches they have learned to analyze everyday phenomena of their own choice. On June 28^th there is one last block session in which the students present and discuss their projects. Their findings can then be used for writing term papers or oral exams.

The seminar's language and texts are in English. In any case, it is not necessary to speak or read English perfectly. The language should not constitute a barrier. The lecturer is not a native speaker herself. Rather, the seminar serves to familiarize students with English sociological terminology and discussion culture and to provide an opportunity for learning and practice.