A Sociology of Awkwardness

A Sociology of Awkwardness shows how awkward feelings are the outcome of social interactions going wrong. Combing insights from cultural sociology and the sociologies of interactions and emotions, this book develops the first comprehensive sociology of awkwardness. It provides an understanding of how people define, express, and experience awkwardness, while locating its causes not within individuals, but within social interactions. Furthermore, it uniquely includes how both time and space impact on awkwardness. The book also offers a unique perspective by examining how both time and space contribute to the experience of awkwardness. Additionally, it delves into the various ways people cope with awkward situations. Drawing on rich empirical data on everyday encounters, dating, work and self-help, this book develops a unique typology of awkwardness. Using rich empirical data from everyday life, dating, work, and self-help contexts, A Sociology of Awkwardness introduces a novel typology of awkwardness. This book will appeal to scholars across the social sciences, particularly those interested in culture, social interactions, and emotions. It will also attract readers seeking to understand awkwardness as a cultural phenomenon, though not as a self-help guide.