Constructions of Deviance: Social Power, Context, and Interaction

by Patricia A. Adler, Peter Adler

Packed with the most recent and relevant articles in the field, CONSTRUCTIONS OF DEVIANCE: SOCIAL POWER, CONTEXT, AND INTERACTION, Seventh Edition, shows you how to apply the concepts and theories of deviance to the world around you. The text's current, comprehensive coverage includes both theoretical analyses and ethnographic illustrations of how deviance is socially constructed, organized, and managed. Seasoned authors and award-winning professors, Patricia Adler and Peter Adler cover a wide variety of deviant acts--challenging you to see the diversity and pervasiveness of deviance in society. The text presents deviance as a component of society and examines the construction of deviance in terms of differential social power. Its unique "interactionist" or "constructionist" perspective on deviance explores the processes in society that create deviance. Ethnographic in character, the authors' intriguing selected studies focus on the experiences of deviants, the deviant-making process, and the ways in which people labeled as deviant in society react to that label. The balanced selection of readings is timely and engaging, while in-depth introduction, explanation of theory, and discussion questions after each reading guide you through the fascinating material.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sociology, Psychology, Social Science, Textbooks, Crime, Read For School

624 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting chaps, could do without the slurs tho

[Noah Szlovák · Rating 2 out of 5]

some of the theories are pretty good, but a lot of the stuff is really outdated and doesn’t seem as relevant anymore

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of essay's compiled by the Adler's, a well-known and accomplished couple in the field of sociology. Topics covered include rape, pedophilia, gangs, stripping, sexual asphyxia, etc. While it sounds graphic, the articles themselves are academic in nature, so most read like research, not novels. Still, for anyone interested in learning more about these topics or fascinated by social power and interaction, this collection is good enough to keep you interested. Though I had to read this for class, I plan on keeping the book as a reference tool for the future. I could easily see myself picking it up again and rereading the essays for "fun".

[Juliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

mmm, deviance.

[Kelley]

note to self: read "Real Punks and Pretenders" essay

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

Needs an index to be even remotely useful.

[Laurie Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great textbook full of interesting articles on deviance. It is very insightful and thought provoking.

[rhea]

For my Social Deviance class, interesting stuff.

[Sab · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 and half stars