description Alice Goffman Overview
Alice Goffman is an American sociologist and urban ethnographer known primarily for On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City, published in 2014. The book draws on years of fieldwork in a Black neighborhood in Philadelphia to examine how policing, warrants, court supervision, and the threat of imprisonment shape everyday relationships. Goffman's work became a subject of methodological and ethical debate, making her relevant to readers studying ethnography, inequality, and criminal justice.
help Alice Goffman FAQ
Who is Alice Goffman?
Alice Goffman is an American sociologist and urban ethnographer. She is best known for On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City, published in 2014.
What is On the Run about?
The book draws on years of fieldwork in a Black neighborhood in Philadelphia. It examines policing, warrants, court supervision, and how criminal justice pressure shapes daily life.
Why was Alice Goffman’s research debated?
On the Run attracted debate about research ethics, evidence, and the methods used in close-up ethnographic work. Those questions became part of the public discussion surrounding the 2014 book.
What does urban ethnography mean in Alice Goffman’s work?
Urban ethnography means studying social life through detailed, close contact with people in a particular city setting. Goffman used that approach to describe experiences connected to policing and court systems in Philadelphia.
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