This essay will compare and contrast two social science views on the ordering of social life. It will examine what social order is and how it impacts our daily lives and explore the differences and similarities between the work of Erving Goffman and Michel Foucault. It will consider Buchanan and Monderman's views on the ordering of public space to highlight Goffman's focus on how individuals interact with each other and Foucault's emphasis on authoritative knowledge by authorities or experts. Social order is the term used to describe a “stable social situation in which connections are maintained without change, or change occurs in a predictable way”. (Taylor S, 2009, p173) Each of us is an individual with our own thoughts and experiences, yet we are also beings who need to interact with each other for social contact and reassurance. It is in these moments that the behaviors we adopt, and the behaviors we expect others to adopt, allow us to live with an understanding of the rules. that are imagined and practiced in everyday life. Social order is constructed and shaped by society, so there are many different types of order within different environments and cultures, as well as different social orders that coexist in the same society change and adapt, choosing a social order that suits their needs at any particular time. To maintain the social order there is a set of unwritten norms that we should live by. These norms are defined as “shared sets of values ​​or expectations about how people will or should behave.” (Silva E, 2009, p307). Sociologist Erving Goffman and social philosopher Michel Foucault are both concerned with a broader understanding of how society is produced...... middle of paper ...... lva E, 2009 p322) In conclusion, it would be very difficult to coexist in society without some sort of order and structure. Both scientists present their arguments for the social order through a significant amount of evidence gathered both from practical observations, as in the case of Goffman, and from historical observations, as in the case of Foucault. Neither Goffman's nor Foucault's theories offer a perfect solution to the production of social order, but both can be used in particular times and places because social order differs depending on time and place. Goffman's theory considers the individual and his impact on society while Foucault considers the individual as a characteristic of society. Both use knowledge, discourse and authority to convey their imagined social order in public spaces and this shows that when we put these theories into action we can all live together within a harmonious society..