Urban Sociology - Essay Example

Question one Concepts of deviance are social constructions. Every society in the world has their rules of behaviors. The behaviors go hand in hand with the society’s cultures. Society leaders demand the people to adhere to these social constructions because it governs the society. For instance, people consider a tattoo in the society as completely deviant. However, nowadays people have tattoos, and they consider them as normal, especially among the adolescents. Such scenario means the tattoos nowadays have been absorbed by the social norms.

The tattoos have become less deviant. It is evident deviant behavior is relative. It becomes deviant after the social norms define it as such. The dominant groups in the society have the social control. They are the ones who define what deviant behavior is. For example, people who sell illegal drugs in Mexico do not follow the correct way of earning money, though they have to look for the source of incomes. However, other countries view selling illegal drugs as culturally unacceptable (Downs 1-24).

Question twoConflict theory is the reason for crime. It arises when there are material inequalities. Some people who feel the pain of the material inequality act in a deviant manner to change the situation. They opt to join the crime. Labeling theory is another cause of crime. Some people become criminals after a criminal label is applied to them. It forces the people to adopt the label by exhibiting criminal behaviors. Experts argue that the people may act so because they feel stigmatized. The experts further argue that is not okay for individuals to be deviant though deviant behavior could contribute to long-term social stability if the society’s changing norms respond to deviance (Downs 1-24).

Work citedDowns, William. "Control Theory, Labeling Theory, and the Delivery of Services for Drug Abuse to Adolescents." Adolescence (1997): 1-24.