SA 150 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Social Constructionism, Racial Profiling, Erving Goffman

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Sociology and Anthropology
• Course: SA 150
• Professor: Lindsey Freeman

Document Summary

Cultural differences in what is deemed deviant - has unfortunate sociological effects when one of cultures is dominant, other is minority in same country. Dominant culture"s definition might condemn deviant not just practice of minority culture, but minority culture itself. Defs of deviance will also differ w/i cultures. There is seldom total/near total agreement w/i culture as to what is deviant. When deviance contested in any given area - conflict deviance. Disagreement among groups whether/not something is deviant. One of reasons deviance contested - differing viewpoints of social constructionism & essentialism. Social constructionism - puts forward idea that certain elements of social life are artificial. Essentialism - argues there is something objectively determined about aspects of social life. Stigma - human attribute seen to discredit indiv"s social identity. Image constructed by dominant culture to characterize subculture/by colonizing nation to describe colonized. Deviant behavior, once associated w/ otherness, often subject to negative sanctions/punishment.