The Material Culture of Social Camouflage

• In Event: 228 - Section on Sociology of Culture Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 11. Material Culture Network

Abstract

Camouflage is a set of deceptive, sensory-manipulating techniques and actions used to conceal the true nature of an actor, object, or system. All camouflage is social -- and to be social is to engage in camouflage. For the purposes of my argument here, however, we may think of “social camouflage” as the use of deceptive techniques to conceal personal information that is, could, or would be of significance in a given social context. This paper builds on the work of a number of sociologists -- most especially Erving Goffman’s observations in Stigma – to examine the material culture of social camouflage, including both physical and digital artifacts, and especially as it applies to the enactment of identity.

Author

• Christena Nippert-Eng, IUBloomington (SOIC)