Howard S. Becker

For the American sociologist active earlier in the twentieth century, see Howard P. Becker.
Howard S. Becker
Becker in 2012
Born
Howard Saul Becker

(1928-04-18)April 18, 1928
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedAugust 16, 2023(2023-08-16) (aged 95)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Other namesHowie Becker
SpouseDianne Hagaman[1]
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Chicago
ThesisRole and Career Problems of the Chicago Public School Teacher (1951)
Academic advisorsEverett Hughes
Influences
Academic work
DisciplineSociology
Sub-discipline
School or tradition
InstitutionsNorthwestern University
Doctoral students
Notable worksOutsiders (1963)

Howard Saul Becker (April 18, 1928 – August 16, 2023) was an American sociologist who taught at Northwestern University. Becker made contributions to the sociology of deviance, sociology of art, and sociology of music.[2] Becker also wrote extensively on sociological writing styles and methodologies.[2] Becker's 1963 book Outsiders provided the foundations for labeling theory.[3] Becker was often called a symbolic interactionist or social constructionist, although he did not align himself with either method.[3] A graduate of the University of Chicago, Becker was considered part of the second Chicago School of Sociology, which also includes Erving Goffman and Anselm Strauss.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference nyt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "For Students". howardsbecker.com.
  3. ^ a b Plummer, Ken (2003). "Continuity and Change in Howard S. Becker's Work: An Interview with Howard S. Becker" (PDF). Sociological Perspectives. 46 (1): 21–39. doi:10.1525/sop.2003.46.1.21. S2CID 144144955.
  4. ^ "The Chicago School, So-Called", available at Becker's website ("Howie's page"), (last visited 2013/04/16).