Best Answer
Choosing how to start your essay on deviance depends on the type of essay you are writing and the type of coursework you are trying to complete. Deviance is a broad topic that is covered in many of the soft sciences, including (but not limited to) sociology, psychology, and criminology. It is also discussed in the humanities, particularly philosophy and history. Therefore, we would probably begin the essay with two things: a definition of deviance and an explanation of how that definition fits into the context of the essay we are writing.
Generally, deviance is a sociological concept that is tied to the norms of the surrounding society. Deviant behavior is behavior that violates the norms of the society where it is occurring and that behavior is dependent on time and place. For example, human trafficking violates the norms of modern-day-society, but was considered “normal” behavior in much of the world for much of the world’s history. That does not mean that deviant behavior was ever moral, right, or appropriate, just that it was accepted as a common behavior. We would almost certainly highlight this distinction in an introduction to a paper on deviance.
Another thing we would include in the introduction is why we are discussing the concept of deviance. There are four prominent theories of deviance in sociology: anomie, labeling, control, and differential association. They all give different reasons or explanations for deviant behavior and the theory of deviance can make a difference in “correcting” deviant behavior or even whether a person believes that deviant behavior should be corrected. For example, under labeling theory, deviant behavior is really a reflection of who is in power rather than any pro-social behavioral norms. A great example of this would be examining changing American ideas towards the criminalization of marijuana.
