SA 150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Symbolic Interactionism, Social Conflict, Structural Functionalism

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Sociology and Anthropology
• Course: SA 150
• Professor: Ann Travers

Document Summary

Recognized violation of cultural norms: varies from culture to culture. Some people believe: norms are the will of god, reflect natural human nature. Symbolic interactionism: the labelling theory of deviance. 4 functions of deviance: affirms cultural values and norms, responding to deviance clarifies moral boundaries, responding to deviance promotes social unity, deviance promotes social change. Example: smoking: used to be acceptable but is now a stigma. Durkheim believed that deviance is good for society. Emphasize relationship between deviance and power: if you have power in society, you get to enshrine what is moral and deviant. Norms and especially laws generally reflect interests of the rich and powerful. The widespread belief that norms and laws are natural: people used rational processes to discern laws that would be beneficial to everyone. Social conflict theorists believe that people made laws to benefit themselves but do a good job in convincing others that it is beneficial to them as well.