U.S. cultural institutions are subject to comparison with the world of fashion and, true to the rule, sociology continues to contribute to the maintenance of institutionalized fads. Although phenomenology has held a small but real beachhead in U.S. philosophy since the late thirties-early forties, it was not until very recently that one could speak about phenomenology above a whisper in sociological quarters. True, early efforts were made by Berger, Goffman, Garfinkel and a few others. Yet, the old gods held sway. Only recently has a new consumer market developed. There have been traditional minority appeals from “Chicago School” descendents, but more recently cries for new garments to replace the outmoded sociological scientism in its myriad variations have been voiced.