SOC 221: Sociology of Deviance and Crime [S/B]

This course introduces students to the sociological study of social behavior that violates society's accepted norms, namely, deviance and crime (hereafter: deviance). Specifically, the course will help students understand types of crime, non-criminal deviant behavior (such as mental illness and addiction) and how society responds at various levels to these behaviors. Students will learn about the theoretical approaches (labeling theory, differential association theory, control theory, for example) that explain the causes, extent and consequences of deviance in society. Student will also learn how deviance relates to aspects of class, ethnicity and race and to various social institutions, such as family, media, and power.