Sociology of
Deviant Behavior (Spring 2008)
Professor John
Rice
Office: SBS
208D (962-7313; ricej@uncw.edu)
Course Web
Page: http://www.uncw.edu/soccrj/about-faculty-rice.html
(Course page
link at bottom of my department page)
Office Hours:
MWF, 1:00-1:30; 3:00-3:30; MW, 5:00-5:30; R, 2:00-3:15
(and by appointment)
NOTE:
If you prefer a PDF version of the syllabus, click here
I. Course Description
Every society is organized according to someone's design. This design
varies historically and cross-culturally, and the "designers"
themselves are most often quite invisible. Nonetheless, a social order reflects
someone's judgment that this, rather
than another, is the way that things
will be done. Social institutions both embody and reproduce this decision. From
this decision, design, or judgment, then, the social category of "the
deviant" is born.
Deviance has been an inexhaustible subject of inquiry, as well as a
major source of employment, not only for those who have made a
"career" of their deviance but, among others, for the legal
profession, the police, criminologists, penologists, psychologists, social
workers, and, of course, sociologists. All have been concerned with the obvious
questions: Why do people deviate? How can this be stopped? How can we keep them
from doing it again? The Deviant, however, is not an unchanging social role:
public attitudes change, becoming more "liberal," or more
"conservative," more or less punitive, more or less
"scientific," more or less "moralistic." Not surprisingly,
this ebb and flow in how laws, norms, and sanctions are thought about is
reflected in what is and is not considered deviant, in social control
practices, and in the study of deviance. Broadly speaking, the sociological
perspective has shifted its focus from asking why people deviate, to asking how
they do so, and to who decides what is and is not deviant. These three
orientations correspond with what we will call the naturalistic, the
appreciative, and the critical approaches toward deviance, and the emergence of
each new approach is grounded in and issues from larger societal, cultural, and
historical changes.
This course will present an overview of these three approaches, in something
of a rough chronological order. By the end of the semester, students will have
been exposed to and will be expected to have a solid grasp on the major
sociological perspectives on deviant behavior and, more importantly, they will
learn that the study of those modes of personal conduct that a society
relegates to the status of "outsiders" offers a vital glimpse into
the nature of that society as a whole.
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II. Course Requirements/Texts
A. There will be two texts for the course:
Classics
of Criminology, 3rd edition, by Joseph E. Jacoby
Outsiders:
Studies in the Sociology of Deviance, by Howard S. Becker
B. It will be possible to earn 100 total points in this
course, which will be broken down by your scores on the following:
1.
An early-semester exam worth 25 points.
2. A mid-term exam worth 25 points.
3. A term
paper worth 15 points (3 of these points will be decided by a 3 to 4 page
prospectus/draft, to be submitted early in the semester -- see below).
4. A final exam worth 30 points.
5. Attendance
and Participation: worth 5 points. A successful and enjoyable class depends to a
significant degree upon the active intellectual involvement of both students
and professor. Students are not simply receptacles into which teachers
"pour" information, and learning involves the ability to actively
engage – wrestle with, think through, challenge – the ideas presented in the
class. I both encourage and expect that active intellectual involvement
in my classes, and that involvement requires that students be present in class
(both physically and mentally) and that they be prepared for the class.
a. In the
interests of fairness, I start all student scores on this measure at 4 points
(which is 80% of the total points you can earn for attendance/participation),
and either add to or subtract from those points based upon your in-class
performance. Points will be added for perfect or near-perfect (all but 1 or 2
classes) attendance, and for positive involvement in the life of the class;
they will also be added in the event that – for those reluctant to actively
participate in discussions – students take advantage of my office hours to
clarify any points about which they are uncertain or interested. Points will be
subtracted for excessive absences and/or late arrivals, and for being a
negative presence in the class (disruptions, mentally absent). At the extremes,
it is possible to earn all 5 points or to earn no points at all.
Exams will cover both lecture and
reading material, with somewhat greater emphasis placed upon lecture material.
The tests will comprise short answer, and short and long essay questions.
The prospectus/draft mentioned in #2,
above, will be a 3-4 page, typed, double-spaced paper, describing: (1)
the subject you have chosen to study; (2) the analytical approach you will be
taking; and, (3) a complete list of some of the relevant references you
will be using. I will provide you with more detailed specifications about a
month into the semester. The prospectus/draft will be due in class on Monday, March 10th.
Primarily, the prospectus/draft is one way of ensuring that you do not put in
too much work on a paper that is too ambitious, not ambitious enough, too
unfocused, or not appropriate for a sociological inquiry. The prospectus/ draft
will be handed back to you, with detailed suggestions for improving your
papers, early enough in the semester that you will have time to make changes or
select a new topic if the need arises.
The term paper itself will be 8-10
pages (including the appropriate references and end-note sections). The content
of the paper should develop a sociological analysis of some form of
"deviance." The analysis may (AND
MUST) employ any of the major sociological
perspectives we will be covering during the semester. (I stress
"sociological," because we will also devote some time to biological
and psychological approaches, but, as this is a sociology course, I will expect
a sociologically informed analysis.) There is, in short, a great deal of
freedom involved in putting together your paper. The prospectus will help
guarantee that that freedom does not become a form of suffering.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
III. Exam Dates, Absences, Late Papers, Grading.
A. The first
exam will be given during regular class time on Friday, February 8th
B. The second exam
will be given during regular class time on Wednesday, March 19th
C. The Final Exam will be given on Wednesday, April 30th
from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
D. You must
notify me in advance if you have to miss an exam. If you do not, and you do not
have a legitimate (e.g. emergency surgery) and provable excuse, you will not be
allowed to make up the exam.
E. The
Prospectus/draft, again, will be due during class time on March 10th. The Term Paper will be due on April 28th, at the beginning
of the class period.
1. The requirements for turning in papers are
the same as for excused absences from tests; you must check with me. Late
Papers will be docked one letter grade for each day late, unless you have a
legitimate excuse.
F. Grades: Your Course Grades will be
based upon a standard conversion of the total points you have earned into a
corresponding letter grade. (Because you can earn 100 points, your scores are
your percentages.)
A = 93 and above B+ = 87-89 C+ = 77-79 D+ = 67-69 F = 59% or less
A- = 90-92 B = 83-86 C
= 73-76 D = 63-66
B- = 80-82 C- = 70-72 D- = 60-62
G. Cheating, Plagiarism: All work – tests,
papers – must be the product of your own efforts. Any attempt by a student to
represent the work of another as his or her own is
considered plagiarism. Plagiarism includes copying the answers of another
student on an examination or copying or substantially restating the work of
another person or persons in any oral or written work without citing the
appropriate source, and collaborating with someone else in an academic endeavor
without acknowledging his or her contribution.
Pay close
attention to this definition, because
if you are guilty of plagiarism you will receive an “F” for the entire course. It is not
difficult to tell when a term paper or exam has been plagiarized, and I do
take the time and make the effort to apprehend cheaters. Academic
dishonesty is nothing other than lying and stealing; if you choose to lie or
steal you will be treated accordingly.
Course Outline
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Part I. The
Naturalistic Approach |
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Date |
Topic and |
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Jan.
9 |
Course Introduction
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Jan.
11, 14 |
The Demonic Perspective Deviance
as the work of the devil |
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NO CLASS JANUARY 21st:
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY |
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Jan.
16, 18, 23 |
The Classical Perspective Deviance
as Rational and Intentional Individual Action In Jacoby: Lombroso-Ferrero,
pp. 141-156; Dugdale, pp. 157-164; |
|
|
Jan.
25, 28, 30 |
The Bio- and Psycho-pathological
Perspective Deviance
as Irrational, Beyond Individual Control Lombroso Sheldon XYY
syndrome, etc. In Jacoby: Shaw and
McKay, pp. 19-25, 240-247; Sellin, pp. 235-239; Thrasher, pp. 4-8 Helpful
additional info, not required: |
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Feb. 1, 4, 6 |
Urbanization
and Social Disorganization Deviance as the Product of Rapid
Social Change, Disorganization, & Cultural Conflict Review
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Feb.
8 |
EXAM #1 In Jacoby: Durkheim, pp. 119-123 |
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Feb.
11, 13, 15 |
Functionalism Deviance as a Necessary and Positive
Part of Society Return, go over exams In Jacoby: Durkheim, pp. 208-213; Merton,
pp. 214- 223; Cohen, pp. 248-253; Cloward and
Ohlin, pp. 283-287 Helpful, but
not required: http://www.crimetheory.com/Merton/index.html
(Explanation of Merton’s version of Anomie) http://home.comcast.net/~ddemelo/crime/cohen.html
(Cohen) http://home.comcast.net/~ddemelo/crime/diff_opp.html
(Cloward and Ohlin) |
|
|
Feb.
18, 20, 22 |
Anomie
Deviance as the product of normlessness and social strain Durkheim Merton In Jacoby: Sutherland, pp.
272-275; Burgess and Akers, pp. 275- 282; Sykes and Matza, pp. 268-271;
Hirschi, pp. 294-301 In Outsiders (Becker):
Chapter 3 Helpful, but
not required: http://home.comcast.net/~ddemelo/crime/hirschi.html
(Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory) http://home.comcast.net/~ddemelo/crime/differ.html
(Sutherland, Differential Association Theory) http://home.comcast.net/~ddemelo/crime/sykes_matza.html
(Sykes and Matza, “Techniques of Neutralization) |
|
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Feb.
25, 27, 29 |
Deviance as Learned Behavior Sutherland,
"Differential Association" Hirschi, “The Social Bond” Sykes and Matza, "Techniques
of Neutralization" Burgess and Akers,
"Differential Reinforcement" |
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NO
CLASS, Week of March 1st – SPRING BREAK!! |
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Part II: The Appreciative
Approach |
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|
In Jacoby: Tannenbaum, pp.
312-313; Lemert, pp. 314-316 In Outsiders (Becker):
Chapters 1and 2 (NB: Term Paper Draft Due,
March 10th) |
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Mar.
10, 12 |
Labeling and Social Constructionism Theoretical Background: Phenomenology,
Ethnomethodology, Symbolic Interactionism Becoming Deviant In Outsiders (Becker):
Chapters 7 and 8 |
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Mar.
14, 17 |
Creating Labels: "Banning," Moral
Entrepreneurialism and Moral Crusades The Marijuana Tax Act Review |
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Mar.
19 |
EXAM #2 In Jacoby: Skolnick, pp. 419-432;
Black and Reiss, pp. 433-439 |
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NO CLASS MARCH 21st:
STATE |
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Mar.
24, 26, 28, 31, Apr. 2, 4 |
Return, go over exams Applying the Labels: Contingencies, Counting Deviance, and
Status Degradation Child Predators In Jacoby: Clemmer, pp. 506-510;
Sykes, pp. 511-520 |
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Apr.
7, 9, 11, 14 |
Consequences of the Label: Stigma, Deviance Amplification, and
the Reorganization of Identity In Jacoby: Marx, pp. 124-130; Quinney,
pp. 131-140; Chambliss, pp. 381-390
Helpful, but not required: http://www.sociology.org.uk/devtmarx.doc Scroll down: Pp. 10-end) |
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Part III:
The Critical Approach |
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Apr.
16, 18, 21 |
Beyond Labeling Theory:
Criticisms of the Interactionist View Conflict Theory and The
Political Economy of Deviance |
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Apr.
23, 25, 28 |
The Political Economy of Deviance:
Professionalization and Medicalization Last Day of Class: Wrap up and Review |
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(NB: TERM PAPERS DUE IN CLASS, April
28) Wednesday April 30th: Final Exam, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
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