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Many social behaviors have gone through cycles of stigmatization and acceptance. Cigarette smoking was once considered glamorous, even healthful; fat bodies were desirable; and it was not uncommon to have one more drink for the road. Today, the social definition of smoking has reversed; the ideal body is slender and athletic; and driving under the influence is a serious crime. Why and how have definitions of deviance undergone such reversals? What is the role of social movements in shaping new definitions? How do some behaviors come to be defined as crimes and others as mental illness? How do people who have been labeled deviant cope with that label? The course begins with an overview of sociological theories of deviance. It then introduces a more complex way of understanding and defining deviance in relation to interest- group conflict. Substantive readings will offer examples of the shifting nature of deviant behavior. Course requirements include short essays, class presentations, and a res earch paper.
COURSE FORMAT: Lecture
Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS SOC Grading Mode: Student Option
Prerequisites: SOC151
Last Updated on MAR-24-2000
Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459