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Sociology

The Interaction Order and the Micro-Sociology of Public Life

Quick fact

Sociologist Erving Goffman coined the term 'interaction order' to describe the set of rules and rituals that govern even the briefest encounters; for instance, strangers on a sidewalk typically perform 'civil inattention'—acknowledging each other's presence with a quick glance while signaling that they are not a threat.

Why this is interesting

You walk down a busy street, glancing at strangers but never truly engaging. How do we manage to share public space with hundreds of people without chaos or constant conversation?