Social Context of
Deviance
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Explaining Deviance:
Rule Creation and Enforcement.
(these
ideas drawn from Goode, 1994-2008
chapter 4;
and Pfohl, Images of Deviance and Social Control, 1985. See the disclaimer)
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Previous Theories
Focused on Causation.
Now We Focus on:
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What makes a particular behavior
an infraction?
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Why and How are the rules made?
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Who makes them?
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Focus is now directed towards the
social context of deviance.
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Functionalism
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Basic Ideas:
- Norms as necessary, Deviance
as functional.
- Focus on the consequences of behavioral
patterns.
- NEEDS of the system. (Understand
behavior by relating to system needs)
- Deviance (in general) is universal
and persistent.
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Durkheim: Pathological
and Normal Societies
- Crime as normal and Necessary
- Functions of Deviance
- Boundary Maintenance
- Group Solidarity
- Innovation
- Tension Reduction
- Dysfunctions of Deviance:
Anomie
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Merton:
- Manifest and Latent Functions
- Dysfunctions
- Deviance can be either functional
or dysfunctional
- Universal forms of dysfunctional
deviance
- Incest (in general vs. specific).
Impact on social system.
- Murder (in general vs. specific)
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Latent Functionality of Deviance
(condemned, but tolerated).
- Prostitution
- Political Machines
- Drug Use
- Organized Crime
- Punishment
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Manifest Functionality of Deviance
- Quakers: Oddness of member==>
target of group tolerance and care (central values of religion)
- Army trainees: bumbler==>
reduce tension, develop helpfulness, build unit, express feminine emotions
- Erikson:
System tends to produce and sustain the deviant==> Prisons, The Homeless;
and subculture formation
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Functionalist Perspective Displays:
- Complexity of the relationship
between deviance and conformity
- Dispels notion of pathology
- Leads to a certain appreciation
of deviance
- Deviance as being a viable way
of life
- The continuum of behavior: Not
either/or reality
- Deviance as part of normal society
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BUT, the Functionalist perspective:
- Glosses over conflict and competing
group/class interests.
- Doesn't ask, "Functional
for Whom?"
- Assumes th objective reality of
norms.
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See a Swedish translation of this page by Eric Karlsson: https://medicinskanyheter.com/eric-karlsson/sociala-sammanhang-av-overensstammelse.html, May 2020.
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Social
Disorganization
Labeling Theory
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URL: http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/200/function.html
Owner: Robert O. Keel rok@umsl.edu
References and
Credits for this Page of Notes
Last Updated:
Sunday, May 31, 2020 1:34 PM