Undergraduate - UnitATS3734 - Sociology of deviance

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Offered	Gippsland Second semester 2014 (Day) Gippsland Second semester 2014 (Off-campus)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Nick Osbaldiston

Notes

Previously coded SCY3805

Synopsis

The unit focuses on a sociological analysis of deviant behaviour by examining a wide range of empirical case studies. This unit introduces a number of classical and contemporary theoretical perspectives on deviance to explore competing understandings of deviant behaviours. The unit considers why and how some behaviours are regarded as deviant and others are not across various historical and social contexts. Topics to be studied focus on marginality, identity, deviance, crime and social control.

Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students will:

Understand how deviant behaviours are socially constructed and contested;
Distinguish between sociological and non-sociological explanations of deviant behaviour;
Develop an awareness of different kinds of social control;
Critically evaluate sociological theories of deviance;
Analyse empirical case studies of marginality, deviance and crime.