Howard S. Becker

Jean Peneff is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Aix-Marseille, France. He has played a leading role in introducing qualitative research methods to French sociology, pioneering the use of participant observation. Robert Dingwall is a consulting sociologist and part-time professor of sociology at Nottingham Trent University, UK. He has written widely on law, medicine, science, and technology, focusing on professions, work, organizations and interaction, and on research methods and ethics.

• Foreword, Introduction to the English edition, Preface, Introduction, 1.Why should we read Howard Becker?, 2. The Sociologist of Work, 3. The Social Worlds of Organizations, Institutions and Professions, 4. From Pragmatism to Interactionism, 5. Professor Becker’s approach to Teaching, 6. Becker in France, Conclusion

"Howard Becker’s long and distinguished career receives a welcome and engaging review. Peneff’s book, in Dingwall’s translation, more than does justice to Becker’s clarity of thought and expression. The modesty of Becker’s claims is matched only by the scale of his achievements. The reception of Becker’s sociology in France is a particularly intriguing aspect of the book and of his contribution to sociological reasoning more widely." - Paul Atkinson, Cardiff University, UK"Peneff suggests intriguing insights into the work of Howard Becker through his lens as a French sociologist. He encourages the reader to think more broadly and in depth about Becker’s work and to question some of our assumptions about French sociology. Extensive quotes from Becker’s interviews may be unfamiliar to many readers, further illuminating his contributions to sociology." - Ruth Horowitz, New York University, USA"Peneff provides an original and comprehensive appreciation of Howard Becker’s work conducted over more than 50 years examining the processes and interactions that mark everyday life in a variety of social worlds. An important study for qualitative researchers and for all those working in the spirit of classic Chicago sociology!" - Bob Emerson, University of California, Los Angeles, USA"It is a welcome addition to the literature on Becker and his work and provides a unique insight into the place of Becker’s work in the context of French sociology." - Scott Grills in Symbolic Interaction