John Rommel Case Study
Why would John be considered a deviant? What social foundations of deviance appear to be evident in this case study?
Deviance is defined as the recognized violation of cultural norms. Social deviance is defined as any behavior that violates the social norms within a culture or greater community. This behavior can be criminal but does not necessarily need to violate a law to qualify. Criminal acts such as theft or assault are common types of social deviance, but so are incidental behaviors like lying, excessive drinking, or nose picking. The theory of social deviance is the foundation of the study of criminology and splinters into three classes of deviant behavior: conflict, structural functionalism, and symbolic interactionism.
2.Examine the three theoretical foundations of deviance (structural-functional, symbolic-interaction, and social-conflict). Determine which foundation applied to John's situation, and why. Give specific examples.
British sociologist A.R. Radcliffe-Brown developed the structural-functionalism theory, a perspective on deviance linking the established social structure to individual development of accepted social behaviors. The symbolic interactionism theory is considered a major perspective...
Mead. The four theories of symbolic interactionism indicate a subjective rather than structural explanation of deviance. They include: differential association, neutralization, labeling, and control.
The social-conflict is based on the paradigm that society is composed of competing groups, which are not harmonious. The focus of social conflict theories is on inequalities in society and the struggle to gain control over scarce resources. Once a group achieves dominance over others, it seeks to use the available mechanisms of social control to its advantage in order to maintain a dominant position. The conflict theory, rooted in the theories of Karl Marx, views deviance as a by-product of oppression and the personal quest for material gain.
Based on John's situation, his life may be classified and in all three foundations. For example, his life was shaped by social structure. Consequently, his lifestyle was shaped by social behaviors that were deemed acceptable. His illegal activities, such as Campbell Lane, stealing, and dabbling and organize crime, became a way of life. Furthermore, symbolic interactionism was evident by…
