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Deviance

Deviance is a behavior that violates a social norm.

Arguments in this field are often arguments about what constitutes the NORM, and what kind of conduct is acceptable variation within the norm, and what conduct has gone beyond border of acceptable diverse performances.

Norms are much broader than just law and would include manners, etiquette, custom, "common sense", taboos, sins, abominations, folkways, mores and morals; even policy and procedures within an organizations can be considered norms. Pretty much anything that fits as the object of these kinds of sentences, "He/she is supposed to _______________" Norms are "supposes to", and Deviance is "...not suppose to...". As such, it is important to know the group, the time, the place, the situation in order to know if a norm is operative or not (e.g. wearing a swimsuit is not in itself a deviant act. But it is if you are attending a funeral).

Stigma - discrediting occupant of a social status. Can be stigma of body, can pertain to whole group (tribal stigma) that is discredited by another social actor/group. CFR Goffman's book "Stigma"

Primary and secondary deviance.

Deviances are an offence against solidarity. The greater the threat to a group's cohesion that a deviant behavior poses, the greater will be the social sanction imposed on the deviant. Analysis of deviations is a way of identifying social norms (cfr Garfinkel's work in Ethnomethodology)

There are Ritual Deviances that probably should not be considered deviance, but social methods to accommodate imperfection of social rules and controls (e.g., Carneval, the acceptable violence of ice hockey or football, teenager rebelliousness and hell-raising, cross-dressing on Halloween)

 

 
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