Abstract

This paper discusses Goffman’s first article “Symbols of class statusµ which was published in 1951. Goffman’s great ability to construct concepts, a veritable arsenal of theoretically dense neologisms that gives us back the world of interaction, is already evident in this article which testifies to his theoretical skills and how much these inform his empirical observations in a virtuous circle that allows him to return to analytical systematization making it flexible and meaningful. Although written before the dramaturgical turn, we can already see from the first lines of this essay some elements that will later be central to Goffman's approach, such as the idea that the social order is based on an operational consensus, the interactional nature of the social order, the role of the ceremonial game around identity, the role of forms of communication in dividing people into categories. Goffman’s major works do not deal directly with class divisions, but reading this article we can reach a new perspective on his work and consider that many of his observations could be re-elaborated to shed light on the symbolic boundaries and strategies that divide social classes