{"id":733,"date":"2017-11-19T19:39:41","date_gmt":"2017-11-20T02:39:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/socialtheory\/?p=733"},"modified":"2017-11-19T19:40:12","modified_gmt":"2017-11-20T02:40:12","slug":"the-stranger-and-mobility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/socialtheory\/2017\/11\/19\/the-stranger-and-mobility\/","title":{"rendered":"The Stranger, and Mobility"},"content":{"rendered":"

Georg Simmel introduces the concept of stranger as one of social roles or categories within a group in his notable and influential essay \u201cThe Stranger\u201d. According to Simmel, the stranger is the one who is attached to the combined contradictory qualities of \u201cnearness\u201d and \u201cremoteness\u201d (p.264). In other words, the stranger is one who is in the social bounds but, at the same time, is not organically connected. Therefore, the stranger has social mobility<\/strong> within the society with being free from organic ties between the groups. He claims the appearance of \u201cmobility within a bound group occasions that synthesis of nearness and remoteness which constitutes the formal position of the stranger\u201d (p.246). In short, the contradicted senses of insider and outsider give the stranger crucial meanings of existing in the society.<\/p>\n

As noted above, Simmel regards the stranger as the mobile person who is free from social and material binds. He states, \u201cthe purely mobile person comes incidentally into contact with every single element but is not bound up organically, through established ties of kinship, locality, or occupation, with any single one\u201d (p.246). Therefore, the stranger has. When I first read his essay, I wondered if people with social mobility can really exist in a society, and what is the meaning of their presence within a society if they are not fully engaged with the group bunds. As thinking about the concept carefully, I realized that the clearest example that could answer the questions supposes to be international students who hold the combined senses of being insiders and outsiders. They do not exist in the society from the beginning, and there is no guarantee that they will continuously attached to the bonds of the society. As an international student, I am often asked my opinion regarding my racial and ethnic background. This is because, people expect me to perform a social role as an outsider, which is the stranger, to the society. I do not feel isolated, but rather feel the society gives me the role that I can contribute well. In other words, the social mobility lets me to carry different viewpoints from my culture, and that gives me a social role and value to exist as an insider within the society. Therefore, I believe that the sense of being the stranger gives the sense of belonging. The social mobility, which international students hold and makes them the strangers, gives them unique perspectives that attaches them crucial meanings of being in the society as insiders at the same time.<\/p>\n

Simmel concluded that \u201cbeing a stranger is of course a completely positive relation; it is a specific form of interaction\u201d (p.246) since the stranger holds important social functions that to bring idea or perspectives that other members, who are not strangers, cannot realize.<\/p>\n

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Questions for discussion:<\/p>\n