Sc.030,DEVIANCEandSOCIALCONTROL
(Fall2012,Lyons202,TuesdayandThursday,10:30‐11:45AM)
StephenPfohl,BostonCollege,416McGuinnHall
OfficeHours:Tues.2‐3:30PM,andbyappointment.
TeachingAssistant:LiamMartin
"Withnoiseisborndisorderanditsopposite:theworld.Withmusicisborn
poweranditsopposite:subversion."—JacquesAttali
CourseOverview:
Thiscourseasksyoutoimaginesocialdevianceasnoise—acacophonyof
subversionsdisruptingtheharmonyofagivensocialorder.Socialcontrolisthe
opposite.Itworkstosilencetheresistivesoundsofdevianceandtotransformthe
noisychallengeofdifferenceintothemusicofconformity.Socialcontroliswhat
givesasocialorderitspower.Wheneffective,socialcontrolrituallyreduces,expels,
orconstrainswhatis"other"tothedominantorganizationofpowerwithina
specifichistoricalperiod.
Inimaginingthebattlebetweendevianceandsocialcontrolasacontest
betweenthosewithsufficientpowertoproduceandenforcesomeversionsofsocial
realitytotheexclusionof"others,"thiscourseinvitesyoutoengagewithastoryat
thecoreofsociologyitself.Howdosocietiesconstructboundariesbetweenwhatis
normativelyacceptableandthatwhichiscondemnedasdeviant?Whenandhoware
socialboundariesresistedandchanged?Whatarethematerialandimaginary
effectsofenactingboundariesincertainwaysbutnotothers?Howisthedivision
betweenwhatisperceivedasnormativeandwhatisviewedasdeviantrelatedto
therepeatedproductionand/ordeconstructionofvariousformsofsocialhierarchy?
How,inotherwords,isthebattlebetweendevianceandsocialcontrolshapedby
power‐chargedpracticesofgender,sexuality,race,andglobaleconomicposition?
Toexploresuchquestionsistopayattentiontohowsomeformsofbehaving,
thinking,andfeelingaremadetoappearasifnaturallygood,whileothersare
labeledevil,sleazy,dirty,dangerous,sick,immoral,crazy,orjustplain"deviant."
Thisisacoreanalyticconcernofthiscourse.
Inanalyzingtherelationshipbetweendevianceandsocialcontrol,this
courseisparticularlyconcernedwiththeriseandfallofdifferentwaysofthinking
aboutandactingtocontrolthreateningformsofnonconformity.Theoretical
perspectivesofthissortguidehowweimagineandreacttowarddeviance.Indeed,
throughouthistoryawidearrayofreligiousauthorities,legalexperts,philosophers,
politicians,police,therapists,activists,andsocialscientistshaveconstructed
competingtheoreticalstoriesaboutwhatcausesdevianceandhownonconformity
mightbestbecontrolled.Inordertounderstandthemeaningandsocialimpactof
suchperspectives,studentsenrolledinthiscourseareexpectedtocriticallyexplore
theconceptualimagery,methodologicalstrategies,andsocialcontrolpracticesof
ninetheoreticalperspectiveswhichhavecapturedthesocialimaginationof
northwesternsocietiesatvariouspointsinhistory.Theseperspectiveshaveoften
beenusedbythoseatthehelmofnorthwesternformsofpowerasritualdefenses
againstand/ortoolsfortheglobalsubordinationofthosetheylabelas"others."
Sometimestheseperspectiveshavesparkedsocialchange.
Alltheoreticalstoriesorperspectivesondeviancearetoldfrompower‐
chargedsocialstandpoints.Thesestandpointsframethewaysthatsocialactors
viewdevianceatdifferentplacesandtimesinhistory.Thetheoreticalperspectives
examinedinthiscoursearenoexception.Assuch,instudyinghowperspectiveson
deviancearehistoricallyconstructedandputtouse,studentswillbeaskedto
considerhowtheirownbiographicalsituationsonhistoryinfluencehowtheymake
senseofandrespondtodeviance.Thisisakeyaspectofa"power‐reflexive"
approachtosocialboundaries.Asamethodofsocialresearch,a"power‐reflexive"
approachdemandsthatstudentsofdevianceandsocialcontrolattempttodiscern
howtheirinterpretivepathwaysonnonconformityarebothfacilitatedandlimited
bytherelationsofpowerinwhichtheythemselvesaresituated.Inapproaching
deviancefroma"power‐reflexive"viewpoint,thiscourseexploreshowinfluential
ideasaboutnonconformityandwhattodoaboutitariseandfall.Itisalsointended
toprovideascholarlyfoundationforanethicallyinformedanalyticviewpointon
howbattlesbetweendevianceandsocialcontrolareensnarledinstrugglesfor
justiceinhistory.
CourseOutline/AssignedReadings
TopicOne:ControlandResistance:thetheoryandpracticeofdeviance.
Thissectionintroducesstudentstokeyaspectsofsociologicaltheoryand
methods,providingtheconceptualfoundationsforanalyticapproachesused
throughoutthecourse.Devianceandsocialcontrolarehereconceivedas
ritualsocialpractices,materialandimaginary"dramatizations"ofever‐
changingnaturalhistoricalrelationshipsbetweenknowledgeandpower.
Readings:
1. StephenPfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl:aSociological
history,2ndEd.,LongGrove,Illinois,WavelandPress,2009,pp.1‐16,401‐
417.
2. StephenPfohl,“TheRealityofSocialConstruction,”inJamesHolsteinand
JayGubrium,HandbookofConstructionistResearch,2008,pp.645‐668.*
3. MichelleAlexander,“Introduction“toTheNewJimCrow:Mass
IncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindness,NewYork:TheNewPress,
2010,pp.1‐19.
TopicTwo:SupernaturalControlsandSacredTransgressions.
ThissectionexaminestheriseofJudaic‐Christianperspectivesondeviance
as"sin"andtheimplicationsofthisdistinctivereligiousviewpointfora
sociologicalunderstandingofculture,sexuality,gender,andspirituality.
Readings:
1.Pfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl,pp.19‐58.
2.SusanGriffin,PornographyandSilence:culture'srevengeagainstnature,
NewYork:HarperandRow,1981,pp.1‐81.*
3.MonicaSjööandBarbaraMor,TheGreatCosmicMother:rediscoveringthe
religionoftheearth,SanFrancisco:HarperandRow,1987,pp.2‐48,116‐130,
165‐218,230‐263,276‐314.
4.BarbaraEhrenreich,Chapter4,“FromtheChurchestotheStreets:the
CreationofCarnival”andChapter5,“KillingCarnival:Reformationand
Repression”inDancingintheStreets:AHistoryofCollectiveJoy,NewYork:
HenryHoltandCompany,2006,pp.76‐117.*
Video:TheBurningYears.
TopicThree:SocialControlintheAgeofReason:"the(white)RightsofMan".
Thissectionexaminesthesociologicaldevelopmentofeighteenthcentury
legaltheoriesofdevianceas"rationalhedonism"andnineteenthcentury
notionsofnonconformityassickness.Incriticallyexaminingthese
perspectives,eachiscomparedwithmodernpornographicworldviewsthat
ariseatessentiallythesametime.Inwhatwaysdoespornographyrepresent
somethinglikearelativelyunacknowledgedshadowofclassicalrationality
andthepositivistmethodsassociatedwithmedicalizedperspectiveson
deviance?Whataretheimplicationsofsuchshadowsforthemodern
organizationofsex/gender,racialandeconomicinstitutions?
A.CoolManCalculating:theclassicalperspective.
Readings:
1.Pfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl,pp.61‐99.
2.PatriciaWilliams,"GildedLiliesandLiberalGuilt,"inTheAlchemyofRace
andRights,pp.14‐43.*
3.PaulButler,“SafetyFirst:WhyMassIncarcerationMatters,”inLet’sGet
Free:AHipHopTheoryofJustice,NewYork:TheNewPress,2009,pp.23‐40.*
4.JeffreyReimanandPaulLeighton,TheRichGetRicherandthePoorGet
Prison:Ideology,Class,andCriminalJustice,NinthEdition.Boston:Pearson,
2010,“Introduction:CriminalJusticethroughtheLookingGlass,orWinning
byLosing”and“CrimeControlinAmerica:NothingSucceedsLikeFailure,”
pp.1‐57.*
5.MichelleAlexander,Chapter1,“TheRebirthofCaste"inTheNewJimCrow:
MassIncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindness,NewYork:TheNewPress,
2010,pp.20‐57.
Video:TheDivineHorsemen:TheLivingGodsofHaiti.
B.DevianceasSickness:medicalpositivismandcontroloftheflesh.
Readings:
1.Pfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl,pp.101‐168.
2.EthanWatters,“TheAmericanizationofMentalIllness,”TheNewYork
TimesMagazine,January10,1010,pp.41‐45.*
3.RobertD.Romanyshyn,“TheAbandonedBodyanditsShadows,"in
TechnologyasSymptomandDream,NewYork:Brunner‐Routledge,1989,pp.
133‐175.*
4.MichelleAlexander,Chapter2,“TheLockdown,"inTheNewJimCrow:Mass
IncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindness,NewYork:TheNewPress,2010,
pp.58‐94.
Video:StephenPfohlandAveryGordon,CriminologicalDisplacements.
TopicFour:SociologicalSurveillance:pleasureofthescientificgaze.
Thissectionprovidesacriticalintroductiontotheconcepts,methods,and
thehistoricalcontextofperspectivesdominatingthesociologicalimagination
ofdeviancefromtheyearsfollowingWorldWarIuntilthe1950s.Particular
attentionwillbepaidtoeconomic,gendered,andmulticulturaldimensions
ofbothdevianceandsocialcontrol.
A.TheDisorganizationPerspective:socialrealismandsociological
surrealism
Readings:
1.Pfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl,pp.171‐218.
2.MichelleAlexander,Chapter3,“TheColorofJustice,"inTheNewJimCrow:
MassIncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindness,NewYork:TheNewPress,
2010,pp.95‐136.
B.FunctionalismandCybernetics:DevianceasAdjustiveFeedback.
1.Pfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl,pp.221‐249.
2.MichelleAlexander,Chapter4,“TheCruelHand,"inTheNewJimCrow:
MassIncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindness,NewYork:TheNewPress,
2010,pp.137‐172.
Video:TheGirlfriendExperience.
C.LostinDesire:theAnomiePerspective
1.Pfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl,pp.251‐294.
2.ChrisHedges,“TheIllusionofAmerica,”inEmpireofIllusion:theEndof
LiteracyandtheTriumphofSpectacle,NewYork:NationBooks,2009,pp.
141‐193.*
3.MichelleAlexander,Chapter5,“TheNewJimCrow,"inTheNewJimCrow:
MassIncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindness,NewYork:TheNewPress,
2010,pp.173‐208.
Video:TheInsideJob.
TopicFive:ConstructingtheNormalizedSubjectofDeviance
Thissectionprovidesanoverviewoftwoperspectivesfocusingontheroleof
mundanesocialinteractioninshapingboththedevelopmentofdeviant
behaviorsandthelabelingofdeviance.Bothperspectiveswereparticularly
influentialinthe1960sand1970s.(*ThereadingsfromImagesofDeviance
andSocialControlforthissectionarerelevanttothe"historical
autobiographies"assignmentandshouldbereadduringthefirstmonthof
thiscourse.)
A.NormalizingRelations:thelearningperspective
Readings:
1.Pfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl,pp.297‐343.
2.PaulButler,“JusticeonDrugs,”inLet’sGetFree:AHip‐HopTheoryof
Justice,NewYork:TheNewPress,2009,pp.41‐55.*
B.QuestioningNormalizingStrategies:theproblemofsocietalreaction
Readings:
1.Pfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl,pp.345‐398.
2.MichelleAlexander,Chapter6,“TheFireThisTime,"inTheNewJimCrow:
MassIncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindness,NewYork:TheNewPress,
2010,pp.58‐94.
TopicSix:Power‐ReflexiveReconfigurationsofDevianceandSocialControl
Thissectionconcludesthecoursewithadiscussionofavarietyof
convergencecriticalviewpoints.Ofparticularconcernarethecontributions
offeminism,Marxism,anarchism,anti‐racist,andpoststructuralistcritiques
ofhierarchicalorderingsofpowerandknowledge.
Readings:
1.Pfohl,ImagesofDevianceandSocialControl,pp.417‐513.
2.Williams,"OnBeingtheObjectofProperty,"inTheAlchemyofRaceand
Rights,pp.216‐236.*
3.StephenPfohl,“NewGlobaltechnologiesofPower:CyberneticCapitalism
andSocialInequality,”Chapter23inMaryRomeroandEricMargolis,eds.,
TheBlackwellCompanionforSocialInequalities.Cambridge,MA:Blackwell
Publishers,2006,pp.546‐592.*
4.ToniMorrison,TheBluestEye,NewYork,Penguin,1994(1970).
.
CourseRequirements:
Thisisacorecourseinsociology.Itisalsocross‐listedasacoursein
Women'sStudies.Itsaimistointroducestudentstothesociologicalstudyof
thetheories,methods,andpolicyimplicationsofvariousapproachestothe
socialcontrolofdevianceinhistory.Towardthisend,thecoursehasthree
majorindividualwritingprojects—twoessayexamsanda"historical
autobiography."Afourthassignment—thegroupethnographicproject—also
includesawritingcomponent.Adetailedexplanationofeachofthefollowing
assignmentswillbeprovidedtoeachstudentduringthecourseofthe
semester.
1."HistoricalAutobiography"ofinvolvementindevianceand/orsocial
control:5‐6pageessay(20%coursegrade),dueinclass,Thursday,October
11th.
2.FirstEssayExamination,dueinclassThursday,November8th(30%course
grade).ExaminationwillbedistributedinclassonThursday,October25th.
3.FinalEssayExamination(30%coursegrade),duenolaterthanMonday
December17th,11:00AM.Examinationwillbedistributedinclassonfinal
dayofcourse,Thursday,December6th.
4.GroupEthnographicProject:teamfieldresearch,description,and
theoreticalanalysisofaparticularhistoricalsceneofdevianceand/orsocial
control.Finalgroupprojectsinvolvebothawrittencomponentandpublic
mixed‐mediapresentation.Researchgroupswillbeorganizedbystudents'
topicalinterestsandwillmeetthreetimesoverthecourseofthesemester
withTeachingAssistantspriortofinalprojectpresentation(20%course
grade).
5.Theclasswillperiodicallybreakintosmallgroupstodiscussassigned
readingsandcoursethemes.Allstudentsareexpectedtoactivelypreparefor
andparticipateinthesediscussions.
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andresearch.Theuniversity’sacademicintegrityprocedureswillberigorously
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WWW.bc.edu/offices/stsrv/academic/resourses/politcy/#integrity