Social structuring of conformity and deviance
Description
We turn our attention to the topic of social deviance that captured the fascination of the earliest sociologists, continuing to the present post-modern era. How do people conform to social norms and how and why do they deviate from social norms? Some of the observation research at midterm addresses this research question. Consider the following questions: Defining the social structuring of deviance through sociological frameworks: Make sure to give examples to apply social theory to IRL- real life. 1. When one thinks of deviance, crime often comes to mind. Compare and contrast the social structuring of deviance and conformity. Give real-world examples to illustrate the theories involved in your response. 2. Emile Durkheim and his structural-functional perspective asserts the position that deviance has many positive effects on society. How does deviance support social norms? Give real-world examples to illustrate this point of view. 3. Robert K. Merton in strain theory examines the relationship between cultural emphasis on material success and conspicuous consumption or symbols of property/ wealth and a structural absence of of opportunities to achieve wealth. How does this lead to deviant behavior according to strain theory? Give specific examples in your response. 4. Considering Merton’s modes of adaptation further: contrast innovators and conformists. Give two examples of each type. 5. Examine symbolic interaction and labeling theory. Write about Goffman’s idea of stigma. Give examples. 6. https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/09/18/social-dilemma-director The Social Dilemma is available on Netflix What are the collateral consequences of the digital era? Here are a few excerpts of observation research by prisoners in a maximum security prison. In the free online text, Chapter 7 is key to the sociology of deviance; as well, from the Syllabus, the following sources are useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9W0GQvONKc Ch 7 free online text Goffman e. Stigma https://www.freelists.org/archives/sig-dsu/11-2012/pdfKhTzvDIi8n.pdf Clair (2018). Goffman on Stigma. Harvard U. https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/matthewclair/files/stigma_finaldraft.pdf
