Dorothy Smith

Dorothy Smith is a Canadian sociologist renowned for developing institutional ethnography, a research approach that examines how everyday people's experiences are shaped by larger social and institutional systems. She advocates for understanding society from the perspective of those directly involved, aiming to reveal how institutions like education, healthcare, or government influence individuals' lives. Her work emphasizes the importance of listening to people's stories to uncover how social structures operate behind the scenes, making visible the often-invisible forces that organize daily life.