Ethnomethodological Misreading of Aron Gurwitsch on the Phenomenal Field

Editors’ Abstract During the 1992–1993 academic year, Harold Garfinkel (1917–2011) offered a graduate seminar on Ethnomethodology in Sociology Department at University of California, Los Angeles. One topic that was given extensive coverage has not been discussed much length Garfinkel’s published works to date: Aron Gurwitsch’s treatment Gestalt theory, and particularly themes “phenomenal field” “praxeological description”. The edited transcript shows why he recommended “for serious initiatives ethnomethodological investigations […] Gurwitsch is theorist we can’t do without”. “misreading” mistaken reading, but more matter taking phenomenological demonstrations contextures phenomenal fields transposing them for making detailed, concrete observations descriptions organizationally achieved social phenomena. Where addresses organization perception as an autochthonous achievement, inherent stream field individual consciousness, extends elaborates this into world enacted practices. April 1993 also rich with brief asides digressions which comments about his use Alfred Schutz, attitude toward publishing, relationship Erving Goffman, many other matters.