Paul Goodman

Paul Goodman (New York, 1911 – 1972) was an American writer, sociologist, psychotherapist and anarchist activist. Associated with the New Left, he became a central figure of the 1960s counterculture. His importance lies in combining social criticism with reflections on psychology, education and city life.

He grew up in Washington Heights, in New York, mostly under the care of his aunts and his sister, since his mother travelled for work selling women's clothing. He studied at City College of New York and then at the University of Chicago, where he was forced out in 1940 for what was described as "nonconformist sexual behavior". He received his doctorate in 1954. During the Second World War he moved towards pacifism and anarchism and wrote for libertarian journals. His career was unstable, and he lost several teaching and editorial jobs because of his openly declared bisexuality.

His output was broad: novels, poetry, literary essays and writing on urban planning and education. With his brother Percival, an architect, he wrote Communitas (1947). Together with Fritz Perls and Laura Perls he helped shape Gestalt therapy, and for much of the 1950s he practised psychotherapy without a licence. His 1960 book Growing Up Absurd made him a reference point for young Americans who felt alienated from a society that offered little community or meaningful work. He championed nonviolence, decentralisation and the capacity of each person to act autonomously and creatively.

His fame was intense in the 1960s but faded soon after his death. He is remembered today for his utopian proposals and his faith in human potential. He was also one of the early figures of the gay movement in the early 1970s.