Social Gestures as the Condition of Efficiency and (Existence) of Social Acts

Abstract

The thematization of social gestures and social acts is practically inexis-tent, despite a classification of various such actions emerging in texts by great philosophers of the beginning of the last century. My intention is to argue, drawing on entirely marginal suggestions of several authors who belong to different genres of philosophy and sociology, that there are indeed acts that are justifiably called “social gestures”. Their role in the construction of a group or institution may be significant. Not only would they not be a mere parasite or addition to social acts (which usually refers to linguistic acts), but they would directly participate in the construction of social acts and enable their efficient conduct. In addition, the role of social gestures, whose main characteristics are corporeality, visibility, and vivacity, could be a kind of a priori to the existence of the social group as such.