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American Journal of Sociology.
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ABSTRACT
In- and outsidersconceiveofthe moderncityas a conglomerate ofstrangers, theindividualsbeinganony-
mous and traditionsand conventionslacking.Social relationsare governedby the two divergentaims of
avoidingidentityand establishingcells ofcommunity.Unlikethatof the rootedcommunity, theorientation
of the city is to time and not to place. Consequently,the traditionalsocial order disintegrates,
and new
groups,whichare not classes,emerge.This urban developmentwillspreadfromthe cityto the countryand
changetheways oflifeand patternsofvalues.
This paper attemptsto apply the socio- into a native.Even if he sharesmoreand
logicalconceptofthestranger to thatofthe moreexperienceswith the others,the un-
city. The city under considerationis the knownpart of his life differentiates him
modernmetropolisas we know it in the fromthatof thepeoplewho are rooted.He
Westernworld. may findhimselfan equal at one timeand
The conceptofthestranger'willbe used a partialstranger at another,but therestill
here in its broadestsense. In its original lurksthe possibilityof his beingagain the
narrowmeaningit is based on locality.The total stranger,eitherby the attitude of
nativeis one whois rootedin a givenplace. otherstowardhim or by his own attitude
The strangeris a migrant,and even if he towardthemor by both together,as the
settlesdown,he remainsa migrantby back- situationarises.
ground.The native'sfamilycan be identi- In itsbroadermeaningtheconceptofthe
fied,and so can his individualpast ex- strangerconnotesa relationof remoteness
perience. to any fieldin whichpeoplecan be rooted,
Nothingis knownabout the stranger's suchas thecommunity ofthefamily,a given
ancestryand his individualpast, and the culture,ora faith.It can meantotalorrela-
unknownas such is strange.He may tell tive remoteness;it can be permanentor
thestoryofhisownpeopleand life,but this changingin its degree.The strangercan be
self-identificationis differentfrom that an immigrant or an emigrant, one who has
gained by mutually shared experience. comeor one whohas left,but notnecessari-
Deviation fromthe values establishedin a ly in the physicalmeaningof the word.A
givenplace does notnecessarily changethe man can become a strangerin his own
native into a stranger.The man with the family,a strangerin his own country.The
bad background, the criminal,is knownto stranger can be a stranger becausehe is not
theneighbors, hiswaysarefamiliar to them. accepted or because he does not accept.
In about I848 two neighboring towns in The total strangerof the lattertypeis the
Germany correspondence.one who forhis way of lifetakes his own
had an interesting
The one toldtheotherthattheyhad caught guidance only and refuseseither to be
a thiefand politelyasked forpermission to guided by othersor to guide them. The
hanghimon thegallowsownedby theother Americanlanguagehas the word "maver-
town.Whereupon thistown'sfathers refused ick" forthiskindofman,thestronganimal
therequestbecause,as theywrote,"we have that has leftthe herd.This indicatesthat
builtthesegallowsforourownbelovednative the strangeris not alwaysconsideredan in-
sonsonly." ferioror one whois discriminated against.2
On the otherhand,acceptanceof estab- The conceptof thestrangermustnotbe
lishedvalues does not changethe stranger confusedwith that of the outsider.The
I For a recent discussionof the problemsee an 2 There is, however,a tendencyto ascribe indi-
article by Dr. Alfred Schuetz in the American vidual characteristicsof strangers to the whole
Journal of Sociology,XLIX, 499-507. groupfromwhichtheycomeand to do so by singling
476