Undergraduate Module Descriptor

SOC2009: Deviance: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

The central aims of the module are to enable you to develop an understanding of and to critically explore the cultural dimensions and significance of deviance; to use theoretical concepts and modes of reasoning from a range of different disciplinary perspectives to do so; to reflect critically on and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different disciplinary perspectives. The module seeks to go beyond orthodox social science accounts of deviance which cast deviance as reducible to ‘hard’ social-structural variables on the one hand, and individual-centred ‘psychological’ factors on the other.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the current state of cultural criminological, cultural sociological and social and cultural anthropological debates related to deviance 2. Show a developing understanding of specific issues related to the understanding of deviance such as performativity, punishment, subcultures, embodiment based on criminological, sociological and anthropological literature.
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. link theoretical concepts with empirical examples and case studies; 4. Show competence in assessing claims about deviance using sociological and cultural theory
Personal and Key Skills	5. Understand and communicate theoretical ideas clearly both orally and in writing; 6. work independently and in groups, within a limited time frame, to complete self-directed and group-based tasks

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The module’s precise content is liable to annual variation. Nonetheless the module will cover some or all of the following themes:

Classical social and cultural theoretical perspectives on deviance
Subcultural studies in America
Subcultural and Post subcultural studies in Britain
Constructing deviants – exploring cultural representations and structures mobilized in the construction of deviant individuals, groups and behaviours
Embodiment – sexuality, gender, disability
Identity politics and the politics of deviance – deviance, inclusion and exclusion (normativity, boundary marking and making)
Punishment – historical account exploring normative and moral constructions, understandings and responses to deviance
Control and resistance – critical exploration of Foucault and ‘weak’ cultural approaches to deviance and normativity
Performativity, ritual and deviance – collective and ritualistic expressions of and responses to deviance
Risk and anomie – normative precariousness and social disorder in late modernity

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
24	126	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and teaching Activity	11	11 x Weekly one-hour lectures
Scheduled Learning and teaching Activity	11	11 x Weekly one-hour seminars
Scheduled Learning and teaching Activity	2	1 x 2 hour Lecture Exam revision session
Guided independent study	36	Readings for seminars and tutorials
Guided independent study	10	Preparation for seminar presentation
Guided independent study	20	Researching and writing the essay
Guided independent study	60	Readings and revisions for exams

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).