Chapter 7 Projects

Project Assignment

Purpose

Society's views on what is considered deviant or the norm change over time. Some behavior that might have been taboo in the 1800s could be normal practice now, and what was considered normal a few years ago could be considered deviant today. The purpose of this project is to give you the opportunity to explore deviance in society and how it can change over time.

Directions

Part 1

Select a practice or behavior that was either once considered deviant and is now normalized or something that is still viewed as deviant. Some examples are marijuana use, alcohol use, women's roles in the workplace and at home, and family structures. Research this practice or behavior using reliable sources. Try to find answers to the following questions:

• How was this practice or behavior originally viewed by society? For instance, was it seen as a medical problem, a mental health problem, or an issue of immorality ("bad" behavior)?

• Have societal views of this practice or behavior changed over time? Has the practice or behavior you chose ever been illegal? Has that changed? If so, how?

• Was a social movement, such as #MeToo or Black Lives Matter, involved in changing society's view of this practice or behavior? If so, explain the movement and how it influenced societal views on the practice or behavior.

Part 2

Write a brief summary of your research that includes the history of the practice or behavior you chose as well as key moments in history that influenced societal views. Use your summary to create a brief presentation. Use a presentation program/app, physical materials, a skit, etc.; feel free to get creative with how you present your research to the class.

Part 3

Present your research to the class. When your classmates are presenting, make note of any practices or behaviors that are/were considered deviant that surprised you.

Part 4

Gather in groups of three or four and share the practices or behaviors that surprised you. Discuss how society's changing views on what is deviant affects how you view deviance. Is there anything that you think is considered deviant today that could change over time?

Materials

Sources related to the student's chosen practice/behavior, pen and paper for writing a summary, materials for creating a presentation

Checklist

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Writing Assignment

Purpose

Individual and societal views on what is deviant can differ, and they can change over time. Consider something you thought was deviant but you now believe is not so. Sociologists study this kind of change in deviance and deviant behavior on the societal level. The purpose of this writing assignment is to help you understand deviance and societal views on deviance.

Directions

Write an essay (in APA style) three to four pages in length. Consider how sociologists define deviance. (Remember, it is not always criminal and not always necessarily "bad.") With that definition in mind, choose something that is considered deviant today. Within your essay, make sure to answer the following prompts:

• What is deviance from the sociological perspective?

• What is crime from the sociological perspective?

• What is the difference between deviance and crime?

• What is social control?

• How does deviance relate to social control?

• How is the practice or behavior you chose considered deviant, and what group or groups define this as deviance?

• Select one of the theories described in Lesson 7.2 and use it to explain the deviance of the practice or behavior you chose.

All sources should be cited properly, and your essay should be free of spelling and grammatical errors.

Materials

Sources related to the practice/behavior you chose, word processing software

Checklist