The Relativity of Deviance

The Relativity of Deviance is a primer on the constructivist perspective on deviance—the idea that deviance cannot be explained in terms of absolutes, nor can it be understood apart from its social setting. The book is frequently used alongside all of the major core deviance textbooks on the market. It answers such questions as: What is deviant? What is deviant behavior? How should the deviant be treated? Why is the same act sometimes praised and sometimes condemned? Readers will see that what qualifies as deviance varies from place to place, time to time, and situation to situation. The book explores some of the most frequent contexts for deviant behavior in ways that challenge definitive or objective judgments.  The Fifth Edition has been updated to include the most current developments in American society, including deviance at the highest levels of national politics and corporate life, sex abuse scandals, the opioid crisis, and the growing decriminalization of marijuana.

Table of Contents:
Preface Chapter 1 The Dynamic Nature of Deviance Being Left in a Right World Relationships and Rule Breaking Sociological Relativity The Social Construction of Reality Theoretical Views: The Old and the Not-So-Old Relativity and Social Deviance Whose Side Are We On? Conclusions References Chapter 2 Being Deviant The Original Blue Man (and Woman) Group Being and Doing Deviance and Responsibility The Social Construction of Spoiled Identities Managing Stigma Conclusions References Chapter 3 Power, Social Networks, and Organizational Deviance Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely The Carrier’s Case: Other People’s Belongings and the Crime of Theft White-Collar Crime and Elite Deviance The Relativity of Terrorism Conclusions References Chapter 4 Mental Disorders Medicalization on 34th Street The Medicalization Process Manufacturing Madness Mental Health Buccaneers and Social Control Sense and Nonsense in the Psychiatric Enterprise Meltdown in the DSM Conclusions References Chapter 5 Predatory Violence The Social Construction of Murder and Violence Arbitrary Meanings Patterned Violence Vocabularies of Motive and Interpersonal Accounts The Curious Case of Jack the Ripper Variable Violence: When Killing is Not Murder? Conclusions References Chapter 6 Sexual Violence Defining Rape The Symbolic Organization of Sexual Violence Rape and Social Conflict Rape Scenes Normalizing Sexual Violence The Rape of Males Conclusions References Chapter 7 Suicide Social Frames and Definitions of the Situation The Meanings of Suicide The Curious Case of Autoerotic Asphyxiation Sociocultural Variations in Suicide: Motive, Intent, and Interpretation Suicide, Stigma, and Responsibility Conclusions References Chapter 8 Sexual Diversity Sex, Gender, and Sexuality Sexuality: A Sociocultural Understanding The Curious Case of the Berdache Sexual Differentiation and Sexual Asymmetry The Myth of the Universal Turn-On Sexual Politics and the Transformation of Intimacy Deviantizing Sexual Matters Conclusions References Chapter 9 Drugs and Drug Taking The Social Reality of Drug Use Getting Stoned in the Animal Kingdom Imprecise Definitions and Arbitrary Meanings The Social Dynamics of Human Drug-Taking Experiences Moral Entrepreneurs and Drug Crusades Conclusions References Index About the Author

About the Author :
John Curra (PhD, Purdue University) is a professor at Eastern Kentucky University where he has taught courses in introductory sociology, social deviance, criminology, sociological analysis, social problems, social psychology, juvenile delinquency, and criminological theory since 1975. He has taught. In 1981, he received the prestigious Excellence in Teaching Award from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. In 2005–2007, he was selected as a Foundation Professor, one of the highest honors a professor can receive at Eastern Kentucky University. In 2012, Curra moved to the Department of Criminal Justice in the School of Justice Studies. That same year, he was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Department of Criminal Justice in the College of Justice and Safety. Curra has authored or co-authored several texts, an instructor’s manual, and a reader.

Review :
"Easy read and explanation of topics." "The text is well written and explains various behaviors in detail with examples for experiential learning opportunities" "It covered all of the major topics, but it did so in a unique way with unique and thought-provoking examples that appeal to my students." "It has complete coverage, it is an interesting read, it approaches certain topics with a unique perspective (e.g., the medicalization of mental illness), it is reasonably priced.." "The primary reason is because deviance is presented in terms of a social constructionist perspective. Most textbooks look at deviance from a functionalist or positivistic perspective. The examples used in the text are outstanding in terms of presenting the relative nature of deviance." "Besides the fact that it doesn′t have ancillary materials (which might scare some instructors away), it challenges students to think critically about the subject matter." "I adopted The Relativity of Deviance because of the relativistic perspective it provides, because of the interesting examples and topics covered, because it′s well-written and because it provides great opportunities and jump-off points for class discussion." "If you teach this course, you should teach it from multiple perspectives and this book offers a nicely packaged way to present the relativistic perspective of deviance."