Goffman and the Media

Erving Goffman’s much-loved works are widely cited in media and communication studies. His books have stimulated research on news framing, mass media and social media, inviting new insights about how communication, self, audiences and public life are mediated by, but also transcend, particular technological forms. What explains the continuing relevance of this highly original theorist?

In this book, Peter Lunt critically examines how and why the concepts developed by Goffman – face-work and...