The purpose of this assignment is have students examine the sociology of deviance. For this assignment, students will apply three sociological theories to the study of deviant behavior: (1) labeling theory, (2) conflict theory, and (3) Merton’s strain theory.
Task:
Write a story about someone who engages in primary deviance and then becomes a secondary deviant. Make sure your story teaches the reader about the concepts of primary and secondary deviance and how one becomes a secondary deviant.
How would conflict theory explain the secondary deviance committed by the character in your story? What are the key propositions of conflict theory and how do they impact the character’s chances of becoming deviant? How may conflict theory explain the character’s chances of being convicted of a crime?
How would Merton Strain Theory explain the secondary deviance committed by the character in your story? What are the key propositions of strain theory and how do they impact the character’s chances of becoming deviant? What do you think are one or two weakness of strain theory?
