Social Structure and Anomie

1. Social Structure and Anomie Merton, R.K. (1938)

2. Modes of adaptation to anomie Cultural goals Institutional means • Conformity + + • Innovation + - • Ritualism- + • Retreatism - - • Rebellion x x [+] = "acceptance" / [-] = "elimination" / [x] = "rejection and substitution of new goals and standards“

3. self-fulfilling prophecy “The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the original false conception come 'true.' This specious validity of the self-fulfilling prophecy perpetuates a reign of error. For the prophet will cite the actual course of events as proof that he was right from the very beginning.” [Merton, R.K. (1968). Social Theory and Social Structure. New York: Free Press. pp. 477]

4. Key assumptions • Culture not biology accounts for crime • Structural strain breeds antisocial behavior • Lack of opportunity + stress on financial success + egalitarian ideology anomie • Poverty per se does not lead to crime

5. Ch. 17: Career Deviance Howard Becker, excerpted from Outsiders (1963)

6. Symbolic interactionism • Symbolic interactionism is a micro-level theory based on the idea that people act in accordance with shared meanings, orientations, and assumptions • Focus is on etiology (vs epidemiology), and the process by which a person becomes deviant • e.g., labeling theory

7. Labeling theory • Labeling theory assumes that public labeling, or branding, as deviant, has adverse consequences for further social participation and self-image • the most important drastic change is in public identity, which is a crucial step towards building a long-term deviant career

8. Master status • master status is a status that assumes priority, overrides other status considerations • “…possession of one deviant trait may have a generalized symbolic value, so that people automatically assume that its bearer possesses other undesirable traits allegedly associated with it” (199) – i.e., auxiliary traits • Becker gives example of race – Still the case? Or are we in a “post-racial” society? • Or do we need to look at the intersection of race and socioeconomic status?

9. …deviance a self-fulfilling prophecy • If the master status is deviant, deviant identification becomes the controlling one •  self-fulfilling prophecy • due to being excluded from participation in most other conventional groups • due to the “treatment,” which may itself produce increasing deviance

10. Ch.21: Information Control and Personal Identity Erving Goffman, excerpted from Stigma: Management of a Spoiled Identity (1963)

11. Society has a way grouping people into social categories, each with a set of typical attributes • Whenever we meet someone new, we use our experience to anticipate his/her category & attributes, his/her social identity • a person’s virtual social identity refers to the anticipated category and attributes • a person's actual social identity is their actual category and attributes

12. Stigma • Stigma is a discrepancy between actual and virtual social identity that causes us to alter our estimation of them downward • Stigma is an attribute that is deeply discrediting – but it depends on circumstances • an attribute that stigmatizes one person may be typical for another person and is therefore neither creditable nor discreditable in itself • e.g., some jobs cause employees w/o the expected college education to hide this fact; other jobs, however, can lead employees with a degree to keep it a secret, so that they aren't seen as outsiders • e.g., a middle class boy may have no problem being seen going to the library, whereas a gang member may worry about being seen by his associates •  Stigma then is really a special kind of relationship between attribute and stereotype

13. Stigmas vary in how obtrusive they are • When one possesses a stigma that is known about, s/he is discredited • focus turns to managing tension in interactions with “Normals” • If the stigma is not known about, s/he is discreditable • focus turns to managing undisclosed information about a supposed failing - passing

14. Symbols – of prestige & stigma • symbols are signs that convey social information • prestige symbol (aka, status symbol) coveys social information about an individual indicating prestige, honor, or desirable class position • stigma symbol are signs drawing attention to a debasing identity discrepancy, which reduce society’s valuation of the individual

15. disidentifier • In addition to prestige and stigma, there’s a 3rd type of sign – a disidentifier • disidentifiers are signs intended to break up an otherwise coherent picture, but in a positive direction desired by the actor • the actor attempts to undermine social stereotypes about him/her by displaying some symbol (a disidentifier) that doesn’t fit with the stereotype, e.g., • a homeless person reads a newspaper or book in an attempt to stay the night in some public space • putting on glasses in an attempt to look more “intellectual” • putting on “religious” attire in an attempt to feign belief • taking off “religious” attire in an attempt to disguise belief