Erving Goffman (1922-1982) was a Canadian-American sociologist and social theorist. He is best known for his groundbreaking work in the field of symbolic interactionism, which examines how people interact with each other and how they interpret the meanings of their interactions. He is also known for his influential works on the presentation of self in everyday life, stigma, and total institutions. Goffman's work focused on the ways in which people present themselves to others in order to gain acceptance and approval. He argued that people use a variety of strategies to present themselves in the best possible light, such as emphasizing certain aspects of their identity while downplaying others. He also argued that people use a variety of strategies to manage the impressions that others have of them, such as by using humor or by avoiding certain topics of conversation. Goffman's work has had a major influence on the field of sociology, as well as on other disciplines such as psychology, anthropology, and communication studies. His work has been widely cited and has been used to explain a variety of social phenomena, such as the dynamics of social interaction, the formation of social identities, and the ways in which people manage their public image.