SOAN 206 | Theories of Deviance and Social Control

This course offers an in-depth exploration of multiple theories of deviance and social control. Each section of the class is organized around a particular theoretical orientation; each theory will elucidate both how deviance happens and the mechanism of social control that align with that particular theory. Every theory covered in this course is situated within a social, historical, and political context. Social and scientific theories are socially constructed, and thus, the context in which they emerge and exist is fundamental to their basic understanding. Students also learn how to use this diverse set of theories to make sense of how knowledge, power, and inequalities are all fundamentally tied to the ways in which a society comes to define and control deviance. As the semester progresses, students synthesize and integrate these theories to allow for a deeper, holistic understanding of deviance and social control.