4.5.5 Look at the missing parts and fill them in the gaps. There is one extra you do not need.

1. of deviant behaviour

2. behaviour that breaks the law

3. forms of behaviour from

4. behaviour of most people

5. behaviour that differs

6. behaviour can result

7. of behaviour amongst deviant

8. deviant behaviour act

9. behavioural problems

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8

4.5.6 Writing argumentative essays

Write a 1000-word argumentative essay on one of the topics given below. Before writing the essay study Appendix 4.

1. All individuals acting out of selfishness will result in the greatest good for the society as a whole. It is in line with values of any sort of religion. Selfishness would be a good thing to base a society on.

2. Society is a moral community.

3. Human beings act towards things on the basis of the meaning that these things have for them.

4. “If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, is it not possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing about it?” ( Edward Bernays, “the father of public relations”).

5. Incarceration is one of the most blatant tools of social control.

6.Countries with the least punitive sanctions are those that are most highly developed and the least totalitarian.

7. Deviance is seen as a social process.

8. Deviants are different to “normal” people.

9. Deviant behavior is one of the most precise barometers of the social, political and moral climate in a society.

10. Systems of social control have developed as a combination of evolutionary human traits, institutional structures, and outright conspiratorial machinations.

4.6 Dialogue

Read and translate the following dialogue:

Sociological Theories to Explain Deviance

A.	Good morning, Mr B. Pleased to meet you.
B.	Good morning, Mr A. I’m also very glad to meet you again. If you don’t object I’d like to resume our conversation about social theories to explain deviance.
A.	OK. Let’s get down to business. There are many social theories on deviance. Conflict Theory, for instance, suggests that deviance stems from the conflicting values present in capitalist society and the power struggle it creates. Symbolic Interactionism Theory is based on the idea that we are all deviant and that the only difference us that some of us get caught while others do not.
B.	Definitely. Now that you’ve brought up the matter, I’d like to mention Cultural Transmission Theory which suggests that all behavior is learned; therefore deviant behavior is also learned. The theory focuses on the key variables involved in learning.
A.	If I’m not mistaken, these variables are:
	age of the "learner";
	intensity of contact with the deviant "teacher";
	ratio of "good" to "bad" social contacts in the "learner's" life.
B.	Quite precise. Theory predicts that the younger the "learner" is, in an intense relationship with the deviant "teacher", and the more contacts with significant others who are "deviant", then the greater the likelihood the "learner" will also be deviant. The reverse is also true.
A.	At this point we must consider Control Theory. This theory asks a different question than most of the others; it does not ask "why does someone commit deviance?" but rather control theory asks "why do most of us not commit deviance?" In other words, why do most of us, most of the time, act "correctly?"
B.	As far as I know, the theory answers that question this way: "normal behavior" is shaped by the power of social control mechanisms in our culture. Put differently, the social bonds that connect people help to keep us from committing deviance.
A.	Absolutely right in every detail. The basic social factors or components of a social bond between individuals are the following
	attachment, i.e. a measure of the connectedness between individuals;
	commitment, i.e. a measure of the stake a person has in the community;
	involvement, i.e. a measure of the time or energy a person is spending on activities that are helpful to the community;
	belief, i.e. a measure of the person's support for the morals and beliefs of the community.
B.	Fair enough. Let’s pass over to the Labeling Theory. It is noteworthy that the title of "labeling theory" can be a bit misleading, so be careful here. Labeling theorists say that labeling is a social fact, especially when we talk about social institutions like law enforcement, social service agencies, and mental health facilities. So, therefore, they study the power of labels in our society. Besides, note that this theory combines two theoretical perspectives: conflict theory and symbolic interactionism.
A.	Let me clarify that the theory explains deviance as a social process whereby some people are able to define others as deviant. It emphasizes that the deviance is relative: it is not until a label is given to someone by someone else in a position of social power that the person actually "becomes" a deviant.
B.	At this point we have to bear in mind that it has some important terms linked to the theory:
	- primary deviance, i.e. behavior that does not conform to the social norms, but the behavior might be temporary, fleeting, exploratory, trivial, or especially, concealed from most others. The person who commits the deviant act does not see him/herself as deviant; put differently, it is not internalized as a part of the person's self-concept;
	- secondary deviance, i.e. behavior that does not conform to the social norms, but the behavior tends to be more sustained over time. The person continues to do the deviant behavior even after being caught and labeled by a social institution. The person accepts the deviant label, incorporating it into the person's self-concept;
	- deviant career, e.i. continued secondary deviance, that becomes one's "job" and becomes one's primary economic activity. Person accepts the deviant label;
	- radical non-intervention, which is labeling theory's solution, at least to juvenile deviance. It has two parts: first, preferably do not label anyone, especially, not a juvenile. Sociology knows that many adolescents reduce or stop their deviance as they become adults and accept adult statuses and roles. So, labeling them might in fact prevent that "becoming good" transition as they become adults; second, if anyone has to be labeled, label fairly, that is don't "peak" and notice social class, race, sex, etc., and, therefore, label some individuals differently than others.
B.	Thank you for you most useful comments. As a matter of fact, there also exists Structural Strain Theory, sometimes called Anomie Theory, which explains deviance as the outcome of social strains due to the way the society is structured. For some people, the strain becomes overwhelming to the point where they do deviance as a way to manage the strain. Often their deviance is due to their feelings of anomie, meaningless due to not understanding how the social norms are to effect them.
A.	Could you be more specific, please?
B.	It isn’t as easy as that. I mean, this is usually because the norms are weak, confusing, or conflicting. There is a social consensus in the society about socially approved goals that each person ought to strive for and the socially approved of means to attain those goals. This consensus is largely due to a shared value system in the society.
A.	I’m clear now. Thank you very much for putting me into the picture. To finalize the matter I suggest considering Medicalization of Deviance Theory.
B.	Well, the theory argues that in the last 100 plus years, there has been a shift in which social institution primary is associated with the labeling/"handling" of deviance and deviants. In earlier times in Western Europe and America, the religious institutions had the social power to define/label deviant behavior and to "treat" it (e.g., exorcisms, etc.). But now science and especially medicine has taken over much of the social control processing of deviants.
A.	It is argued by those who support the theory that this shift is a more humane way of understanding deviant behavior. People are not "evil" but they are "sick." However, the "sick" label still has social consequences that "stick" to the person so labeled. Some of these consequences are:
	it absolves one of responsibility for the deviant behavior;
	there is little or no stigma (so the theory claims) to the label of sick;
	if the person fulfills the "sick role" appropriately, he or she is able to not receive a harsh negative label. But the sick role is a role and has a complicated behavioral set that the person has to follow or else;
	the key part of the sick role is that one has to accept that medical perspective is "correct" and therefore anything prescribed by physicians must be done;
	a more optimistic view of deviance.
B.	I’m very grateful to you for the opportunity to learn more about these significant points.
A.	I’m always at your service. I believe we’ve touched a lot of major points concerning sociological theories which explain deviance. Let’s have a rest, shall we?

Task 1. Report the dialogue. Use the following reporting verbs:

to inform	to clarify
to stress	to mention
to confirm	to make it clear
to explain	to finalize the matter

Task 2. Work with a partner. Look at the dialogue and discuss what A. and B. say about the sociological theories which explain deviance.

1. Symbolic Interactionism Theory;

2. Conflict Theory;

3. Cultural Transmission Theory;

4. Control Theory;

5. Labeling Theory;

6. Structural Strain Theory;

7. Medicalization of Deviance Theory.

Task 3. Do it in English:

A.

1 основные переменные, связанные с обучением

2 обратное также является верным

3 нормы нравственного поведения и убеждения сообщества

4 приводящий к неверному толкованию

5 правоохранительные органы и система социального обслуживания населения

6 временное, скоротечное, поисковое, обычное поведение

7 быть воспринятым как часть оценки человеком собственной личности

8 проявлять тенденцию к устойчивости

9 отклоняющееся поведение несовершеннолетних

10 подростки …становятся взрослыми и соглашаются с положением…

11 напряжение становится непомерным

12 слабые, вносящие путаницу, противоречивые нормы

13 согласие в обществе

14 стремиться к социально одобряемым целям

15 средства достижения целей

16 более гуманный способ восприятия

17 избавлять от ответственности

18 (зд.) получить резко негативную оценку (клеймо)

B.

В соответствии с социологическими теориями индивиды становятся девиантами, так как процессы проходимой ими социализации в группе бывают неудачными по отношению к некоторым вполне определенным нормам, причем эти неудачи сказываются на внутренней структуре личности. Когда процессы социализации успешны, индивид сначала адаптируется к окружающим его культурным нормам, затем воспринимает их так, что одобряемые нормы и ценности общества или группы становятся его эмоциональной потребностью, а запреты культуры частью его сознания. Он воспринимает нормы культуры таким образом, что автоматически действует в ожидаемой манере поведения большую часть времени. Ошибки индивида редки, и всем окружающим известно, что они не являются его обычным поведением. Наличие в повседневной практике большого числа конфликтующих норм, неопределенность в связи с этим возможного выбора линии поведения могут привести к явлению, названному Э. Дюркгеймом аномией (состояние отсутствия норм). По Дюркгейму аномия - это состояние, при котором личность не имеет твердого чувства принадлежности, никакой надежности и стабильности в выборе линии нормативного поведения. Роберт К. Мертон внес некоторые изменения в концепцию аномии, предложенную Дюркгеймом. Он считает, что причиной девиации является разрыв между культурными целями общества и социально одобряемыми (легальными или институциональными) средствами их достижения. Например, в то время как общество поддерживает усилия своих членов в стремлении к повышению благосостояния и высокому социальному положению, легальные средства членов общества для достижения такого состояния весьма ограничены: когда человек не может добиться благосостояния с помощью таланта и способностей (легальные средства), он может прибегнуть к обману, подлогу или воровству, не одобряемым обществом.

Task 4. Use Supporting Materials below to continue the dialogue about Conflict Theory. Make use of the underlined helpful phrases from Dialogue 4.6.

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Conflict Theory

Why are some people's behaviors more apt to be negatively labeled by the criminal justice system? While labeling theorists point to the role of moral entrepreneurs or social movements, for the conflict theorists the answer has to do with the balance of power and privilege in society. Everything from material goods to quality education to religious freedom is in short supply, and therefore the typical relationship among groups in society is competition and conflict. Conflict theorists are typically categorized according to which inequalities they prioritize.

Marxist theory. Marx gives priority to economic inequalities. In his view, all societies are marked by the conflict of social classes, sometime overt, sometimes hidden, but always the major source of stability and change in society. Those who control the productive property of any society (land, factories, equipment) use their economic power to dominate other spheres--culture, religion, education, politics, and certainly the criminal justice system. There may be laws that benefit everybody, but mostly "the general interest" is a fiction that covers up class interest. "Justice" and "fair play" are public relations for a system that actually protects private property and treats transgressions against the upper classes much more seriously than transgressions against the lower classes.

Steven Spitzer points out that a capitalist economy, by its very nature, creates a surplus population. As businesses compete with one another, the successful capitalist will be the one who is the most technologically innovative. Advanced technology (i.e., automation) allows skilled workers to be replaced by less skilled workers, and ultimately it allows industrial production to be moved to whatever countries have the lowest standard of living and therefore the cheapest labor force. The current stage of the economy, which Marxists like Spitzer term "monopoly capitalism," (meaning the world economy is dominated by a few hundred multi-national corporations) is particularly aggressive in eliminating jobs and/or moving them overseas. The less educated and less skilled are increasingly not needed at all. The capitalist system needs to minimize the threat from this surplus population (in Spitzer's terminology, keep "social junk" from turning into "social dynamite.") The social welfare system may be part of the solution, but since the early 1970s, the ruling class has turned more and more to the criminal justice system as the primary means of control.

Group conflict theory. Where Marx believed that social class is the most basic division in any society, Max Weber saw conflict as having many possible bases--including social class, but also religion, race, ethnicity, and more. Where Marx believed that class inequalities would ultimately be ended by revolution, Weber saw conflict as eternal, although it could take new forms. Group conflict theory derives from Weber's vision. A good example is Joseph Gusfield's book, Symbolic Crusade. Gusfield shows that the social forces behind the Prohibition Amendment were the forces of small-town and rural Protestant America unifying against the encroachment of the alien immigrants, mostly Catholics and Jews. The restrictive immigration laws passed by the U.S. Congress in 1921 and 1924 represent the victory of these same social forces.

When it comes to new laws, or the more aggressive enforcement of old laws, the question for the group conflict theorists is always: Who benefits and who loses? As Chambliss and Seidman put it: "the rule is that discretion at every level... will be so exercised as to bring mainly those who are politically powerless into the purview of the law."

Feminist Theory. One inequality that didn't receive much attention even from the conflict theorists is gender. Theorists sometimes apologized for their lack of attention to girls and women, but there was an assumption that the more dramatic and interesting forms of deviance were primarily the purview of the boys and men. Official crime data confirmed their preponderance both as perpetrators and aggressors. Only since the rise of modern feminism in the late 1960s and early 1970s has that assumption been systematically tested. The first focus of the feminist theorists was domestic violence and rape. The criminal justice system, by largely ignoring male violence against women in intimate relationships, helped to perpetuate a patriarchy that was at least as basic to American society as class or racial domination.