SOCI 215 - Perspectives on Deviant Subculture

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

Sociology as a discipline offers a variety of perspectives on deviance. In recent years mainstream approaches—Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Social Constructionism and Labeling Theory—have been supplemented by Cultural Studies (Gramscian Marxism) and Post Structuralism (including the ideas of Michel Foucault). These different ways of seeing, analyzing, and interpreting “deviance” are deployed in this course by focusing on various marginal communities and deviant subcultures. In particular we look at traditional as well as new religious movements, bohemian subcultures, and music-centered youth culture (punk, hip hop). Other relevant examples and case studies are explored on a selected basis. Mr. McAulay.