Garfinkel, Parsons, and the Discovery of Culture

• In Event: 3268 - Trespassing /Poaching /Raiding /Transcending, Session II: Culture, Action, Practice, and Occasion

Abstract

Parsons’ conception of culture has become one of the “foundational notions” of modern sociology, such that “the most basic theoretical debates in the discipline…now take place largely under the auspices of ‘cultural theory’” (Lizardo 2016). To the extent that the contemporary conception of culture is traced to Parsons (Alexander, 1984; Swidler, 2001), he tends to be blamed for problems in cultural theory. We argue, by contrast, that weaknesses in cultural theory are not the consequence of focusing on Parsons, but rather of focusing on only one side of Parsons’ legacy – the symbolic approach developed by Clifford Geertz (Parsons’ PhD student from 1950-1956) – while ignoring the practice-oriented side of that legacy developed by Garfinkel (Parsons’ PhD student from 1946-1952). Garfinkel aligned with Parsons in arguing that an adequate theory of modernity needs to explain how cultural objects both mediate, and are mediated by, interaction. Both thinkers developed conceptions of culture as an independent level of social interaction. Insofar as Garfinkel addressed shortcomings in Parsons’ conception (and did so with Parsons’ support), overlooking Garfinkel’s contribution leaves cultural theory incomplete. A focus on symbol systems, while important, is only one piece of the picture. We propose that Garfinkel’s approach to culture, which treats the order properties of interactional practices as media of cooperation for making culture, is the missing piece of Parson’s conception.

Author

• Jason Turowetz, University of Siegen