The Sociology of Deviance: Differences, Tradition, and Stigma by Robert Franzese - Book Report/Review Example

?Book Review on “The Sociology of Deviance: Differences, Tradition, and Stigma” Introduction Robert j. Franzese jr is a of philosophy and holds a PhD in government, he also holds several other qualifications such as A.M., Economics, Harvard University, 1995, A.M., Government, Harvard University, 1992, and B.A. with distinction in all subjects, and Economics and Government, Cornell University, 1990 from Harvard university. He is also a research professor at the center for political studies, at the institute of social research. He is also the professor and the associate chair at the department of political science at the University of Michigan. In addition, he is the president of society for political methodology. This is a book review of the book “The Sociology of Deviance: Differences, Tradition, and Stigma” which is authored by Franzese, Robert in 2009. Charles C Thomas Publishers published the book in the same year. The book introduces a broad array of subjects from the sociology concerning deviance. The book takes into consideration the sociological analysis of deviance, a word that is often used to refer to differences. The book is one of the most sought after due to its specialty in certain disciplines among many of the students. The book mostly focuses on the central differences. He uses the book to present a specific angle from which it reviews various traditions in the sociology of deviance. Franzese, Robert uses particular approach in the book to illuminate more through subtitles, particularly in the addition of the word stigma, which he uses to pay tribute to the work of Erving Goffman. He also uses the subtitle to put more emphasis to the benefits of societal reaction perspectives. Review His book is alienated into the outline part and two main parts on philosophy and utilitarian matters, correspondingly. The numbers of chapters are presented by through descriptive circumstances to enable scholars’ indulgence into more nonconcrete subjects in the sociology of nonconformity. Franzese, Robert introduces overall description of deviance founded upon existing conceptualizations from his work. In stipulating comprehensive representations of deviance, Franzese, Robert yet again count on current conceptualizations, precisely those held back by Alex Thio and Ruth Shonle Cavan. The other preliminary section fleetingly presents the principal organizational social science standpoints of ethnography, survey research, and secondary data analysis. This part emphasizes consideration on the main theoretical approaches in the study of deviance. Franzese, Robert first fleetingly assesses the models and the proceeds to compromise longer impressions of an assortment of philosophies. The philosophies that he discusses in his book directly relate to the class of the normal suspects. Paramount among them, Franzese, Robert converses anomie while Robert Merton developed strain theory. Secondly, a chapter is dedicated on current strain theories, for instance those developed by Robert Agnew and by Richard Rosenfeld and Stephen Messner. More so in the outline are the control theories of crime, particularly those that were advanced by Travis Hirschi and, later, in collaboration between Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson. Chapter 7 then concentrates on the focal point of this book, allotting a debate on reaction of the society theory. In addition, the important protagonists of labeling theory, this section too comprises the workings of Edwin Sutherland and Ronald Akers. Among the subject matters are the conflict and feminist theories last theoretical part. The concluding fragment of this book evaluates numerous substantive topics on deviance, precisely, suicide, vehemence, material abuse, psychological disorders, voluptuous deviance, and selected and power deviance. The following chapters follow the same structure of contributing lengthy reviews of experimental trends. In the theoretical sections, the author’s orientation mostly favors societal reaction perspectives.   The word difference is often used to refer to the difference in attitudes, behaviors, lifestyles, and the values of the different people. Franzese Robert introduces the term deviance or deviant behavior as labels and uses them carefully. For instance is the way he uses the above words in chapter 14 whereby he says the “elite and power deviance.” the word deviance is used concurrently in the chapters because it is a term that is used by the theorists addressed. In one part of the title, Franzese Robert uses the word tradition, which he used to refer to tradition topics, which he covers. For instance, he highlights suicide, mental disorders and physical disabilities, addictions and substance abuse and use, criminal behaviors, and sexual behaviors and differences.  The book Sociology of Deviance: Differences, Tradition, and Stigma have one chapter that the author has devoted to criminal behaviors where he places emphasis on violent and property offenses. The author uses the word stigma in the title for two different reasons. One is the honor to the contributions of Erving Goffman to the study of differences, and is used to highlight the significance of societal response to assertiveness, comportments, regimes, and standards that are diverse and dissimilar in a mixed society. This is most common in chapter 12, “Societal Reaction and Stigmatization: Mental Disorders and Physical Disabilities.” In this book, the author has used several case studies and examples, which are relevant to the chapter. He also uses this chapter to recognize the different individuals who have made varying contributions to the different subject matter in the book. The great part of the book is composed of analysis and empirical assessments of the theories, which are discussed thereof in chapter 4 to chapter 8. This book is singled out as one that gives a comprehensive analysis of the theories and their empirical viability. The intention of this book is not to imitate other books and texts, which discuss the same subject matter, but to show variety in the way in which different substantive topics are covered. For instance, Franzese, Robert draws attention to the historical developments where he discusses the mental disorders and the physical disabilities. Franzese, Robert has covered, in chapter 11, gambling as a form of addiction, an area commonly not given a lecture in other manuscripts on deviant behavior. Nevertheless, the relative permanence in the middle of imprints leaves all of what is admirable about this reader complete. The extensiveness of the reader is consummate, and the occasions the book offers for revealing to the students to an inordinate multiplicity of voices are notable. This newfangled version will not astonish lecturers of sociological theory courses since they are by now acquainted with this book. The book endorses that those unacquainted with it to look deep into it, granting, since they are uncertain that they will be agreeably surprised with Lemert’s excellent reader. However, the book does not introduce anything and is of less value where the book is more original. What the book contains can also be derived from other books. However, the unique thing about this book is that it offers both theoretical and substantive discussions, a very useful combination that is not often explored in other textbooks. However, the two main parts of the book do not hold together besides a general orientation toward societal reaction theory. The qualities of each of the three parts are also rather limited. However, this book does make a worthwhile influence to the teaching of the sociology of deviance. In effect, there is anxiety that records like these, give the field of the sociology of deviance the unscrupulous character, which it often has on the part of those who are not familiar with the very best research and teaching materials that the field has to offer (Franzese, 2009). Although the language used by the author is easy to understand for a college level student, some of the concepts are presented in an abstract manner that would demand further explanation from and expert in sociology. Nevertheless, the book is a great contribution to the world of sociology especially in behavioral sociology. Reference Franzese, R. (2009). The Sociology of Deviance: Differences, Tradition, and Stigma. 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