Dorothy E. Smith
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Edith Smith is a Canadian sociologist
with research interests, besides in sociology, in many disciplines including women's studies
, psychology
, and educational studies, as well as sub-fields of sociology including feminist theory
, family studies, and methodology. She also founded the sociological sub-disciplines of feminist Standpoint theory
and Institutional Ethnography
.
Smith was born on July 6, 1926 in Northallerton
, Yorkshire
England
to Dorothy F. Place and Tom Place, into a family including three brothers. One of her brothers, Ullin Place
, is well known for his work on consciousness as a process of the brain, another is a recognized British poet, Milner Place.
Smith did her undergraduate work at the London School of Economics
, earning her B.Sc in Sociology with a Major in Social Anthropology in 1955. She then married William Reid Smith, whom she had met while attending LSE, and they moved to the United States. They both attended graduate school at the University of California at Berkley, where she received her Ph.D in Sociology in 1963, nine months after the birth of their second child. Not long afterwards she and her husband were divorced; she retained custody of the children. She then taught as a lecturer at UC Berkeley from 1964 to 1966. In 1967 she moved with her two sons to Vancouver
British Columbia to teach at the University of British Columbia
, where she helped to establish a Women's Studies Program. In 1977 she moved to Toronto
, Ontario
to work at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
, where she stayed until she retired. In 1994 she became an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria
, where she continues her work in institutional ethnography.
, including the American Sociological Association's Career of Distinguished Scholarship Award (1999) and the Jessie Bernard Award for Feminist Sociology (1993). In recognition of her scholarship, she also received two awards from the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association: the Outstanding Contribution Award (1990) and the John Porter
Award for her book "The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Sociology." (1990).
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
with research interests, besides in sociology, in many disciplines including women's studies
Women's studies
Women's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective...
, psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, and educational studies, as well as sub-fields of sociology including feminist theory
Feminist theory
Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical, or philosophical discourse, it aims to understand the nature of gender inequality...
, family studies, and methodology. She also founded the sociological sub-disciplines of feminist Standpoint theory
Standpoint theory
Standpoint theory is a postmodern method for analyzing inter-subjective discourses. "Developed primarily by social scientists, especially sociologists & political theorists. It extends some of the early insights about consciousness that emerged from Marxist/socialist feminist theories and the wider...
and Institutional Ethnography
Institutional Ethnography
Institutional ethnography is a sociological method of inquiry. IE was created to explore the social relations that structure people's everyday lives. For the institutional ethnographer, ordinary daily activity becomes the site for an investigation of social organization.IE was first developed by...
.
Smith was born on July 6, 1926 in Northallerton
Northallerton
Northallerton is an affluent market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It has a population of 15,741 according to the 2001 census...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Dorothy F. Place and Tom Place, into a family including three brothers. One of her brothers, Ullin Place
Ullin Place
Ullin Place was a British philosopher and psychologist. Along with J. J. C. Smart, he developed the identity theory of mind. Place was born in Yorkshire and studied under Gilbert Ryle at Oxford University. There, he became acquainted with philosophy of mind in the logical behaviorist tradition,...
, is well known for his work on consciousness as a process of the brain, another is a recognized British poet, Milner Place.
Smith did her undergraduate work at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, earning her B.Sc in Sociology with a Major in Social Anthropology in 1955. She then married William Reid Smith, whom she had met while attending LSE, and they moved to the United States. They both attended graduate school at the University of California at Berkley, where she received her Ph.D in Sociology in 1963, nine months after the birth of their second child. Not long afterwards she and her husband were divorced; she retained custody of the children. She then taught as a lecturer at UC Berkeley from 1964 to 1966. In 1967 she moved with her two sons to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
British Columbia to teach at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, where she helped to establish a Women's Studies Program. In 1977 she moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
to work at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto is a teachers' college in Toronto, Ontario.-History:OISE/UT traces its origins to the founding of the Provincial Normal School in 1847...
, where she stayed until she retired. In 1994 she became an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
, where she continues her work in institutional ethnography.
Selected works
- Institutional Ethnography: A Sociology for People (2005)
- Mothering for Schooling -- with Alison Griffith (2004)
- Writing the Social: Critique, Theory, and Investigations (1999)
- The Conceptual Practices of Power: A Feminist Sociology of Knowledge (1990)
- Texts, Facts, and Femininity: Exploring the Relations of Ruling (1990)
- The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Sociology (1987)
- Feminism and Marxism: A Place to Begin, A Way to Go (1977)
- Women Look at Psychiarty: I'm Not Mad, I'm Angry -- Collection edited by Smith and David (1975) Press Gang Publishing
Professional recognition
In recognition of her contributions in "transformation of sociology", and for extending boundaries of "feminist standpoint theory" to "include race, class, and gender", Dr. Smith received numerous awards from American Sociological AssociationAmerican Sociological Association
The American Sociological Association , founded in 1905 as the American Sociological Society , is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the discipline and profession of sociology by serving sociologists in their work and promoting their contributions to serve society.The ASA holds its...
, including the American Sociological Association's Career of Distinguished Scholarship Award (1999) and the Jessie Bernard Award for Feminist Sociology (1993). In recognition of her scholarship, she also received two awards from the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association: the Outstanding Contribution Award (1990) and the John Porter
John Porter (sociologist)
John Arthur Porter was one of Canada's most important sociologists during the period from 1950 to the late 1970s. His work in the field of social stratification opened up new areas of inquiry for many sociologists in Canada.Porter was born in Vancouver and completed his education at the London...
Award for her book "The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Sociology." (1990).