Abstract
George Psathas was one of the most important “central figures” or “intellectual promoters” in a “phenomenological sociology” movement not only in the United States bur also in the world. This essay, using the term “phenomenological sociology” in a broader sense, i.e., as a sociological perspective, aims to demonstrate this by tracing his research and publication activities, educational activities, and activities for making up intellectual networks and scientific organizations in reference to various materials including a detailed curriculum vitae compiled by him in 2008 and an interview with him in 2009.
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Notes
As for the conditions for the success of an intellectual movement, see Nasu (2012: 11).
We made the interview under the Waseda University Grand for Special Projects (“Research on the Developmental Process of Phenomenological Sociology Movement and the Construction Process of Scientific Community in the United States” 2009A-016).
This “significant” might be identified or actually attached to these experiences ex post facto by looking backward at and positing them in his following research career. In other words, this was realized through Psathas’ efforts to develop and change his perspectives on social interaction.
I can remember that Psathas often expressed to me his dissatisfaction with some young ethnomethodologists who have never read the works of Schutz, Husserl, and Goffman.
The story did not stop at this point. Some of the members of this group “were beginning to talk about organizing a journal” (Psathas 2009a: 56). This idea and candid frank discussions about it among the members resulted finally in founding Human Studies. A Journal for Philosophlongy and the Social Sciences in 1978 (see Psathas 1989: 432; 2010: 190–192).
In 1975, summer seminars were arranged in two courses; the one was “Ethnomethodology: Perspectives and Progress,” and the other was “Critical Perspectives in European Social Theory”. Each course had two visiting professors: H. Garfinkel and H. Sacks for the former, and Anthony Giddens and Claus Offe for the latter. Garfinkel had two seminars: “How to do Ethnomethodological Studies” for the undergraduate students, and “Topics in Ethnomethodological Research” for the graduate students. Sacks also had two seminars: “The Social Organization of Conversational Sequences” for the undergraduate students, and “Studying Extended Conversational Sequences” for the graduate students.
As for the Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy, see Nasu (2012: 6f.).
Psathas came to Japan 6 times including one year stay (1988–1989, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004).
I have described some impacts of Psathas’ appearing to Japanese young sociologists. See Nasu (2002: 481f.).
This conference committee consisted of G. Psathas as a chair, J. Coulter, Hideo Hama (University of Tsukuba), Y. Kitazawa (Waseda University), A. Nishizaka (Meiji Gakuin University), Keiichi Yamazaki (University of Saitama), and H. Nasu.
The number of presenters is counted only by reference to the program, and therefore, includes several expected “participants” who could not actually appear. The name of “Harold Garfinkel,” for example, can be found in the program along with the title of his scheduled lecture of which he informed me, but unfortunately and regrettably, he could not come.
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This is a revised and extended version of a paper read at the Memorial Session for George Psathas at the annual meeting of the Society for Phenomenology and the Human Sciences, October 31, 2019, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A.
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Nasu, H. George Psathas and His Contributions to a “Phenomenological Sociology” Movement. Hum Stud 43, 321–336 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10746-020-09542-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10746-020-09542-7