Introduction to Sociology/Deviance/Jeong Hyeonsu

1. Summary

According to the explanation on this page, Deviance is behavior that violates cultural norms. In this sentence, Norms are social expectation about human behavior. Deviance is divided into two types. One is crime, called formal deviance and the other is informal deviance. Informal deviance is violation of informal social norms. Since cultural norms are relative, standards for deviance are relative. The next part is theories of deviance. By five theories site, different aspects of deviance are illuminated. For example, structural-functionalism focuses on the function of deviance. Deviance is necessary to promote social solidarity, to know what can be done and to know. Conflict theory focuses that the crime of vested interests is not properly investigated and unreported, despite the significance of the matter.

2. Interesting&new thing


It was interesting to me that DRAG was a deviation. I was interested in Drag culture, but I didn’t think about it. It’s understandable that a hetero white male carrying female’s gender role is deviance, but that isn’t easily understood since Drag is temporary descent and could be brought back to his status, Drag is deviance.

3. Discussion point

I want to discuss what is needed to reduce formal deviance. I think a lot of informal deviances are not problem. Most of informal deviance will not be defined as a deviation if people become more tolerant. However, formal deviance is criminal act that produces victims. For example, in context, that is mentioned sexual violence on college campuses in USA. This problem exists on campuses in Korea. How can we solve this problem? I want to hear your opinion.

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