New Perspectives on Deviance The Construction of Deviance in Everyday Life

Designed for courses in Deviant Behaviour, and Introductory Deviance. This edited collection focuses on the construction of notions of deviance in everyday life. Discussions of traditional theories are included to provide students with a well-rounded overview of theoretical approaches to deviance. However, the guiding theoretical framework of the book is a focus on the social construction of deviance, both at the macro and micro levels. While the first section considers topics that are traditionally found in deviance textbooks-prostitution, drug abuse, alcoholism, and mental illness-the second section highlights assumptions about what constitutes "normal" families, bodies, and cultural practices. Most deviance readers and texts focus on very narrow conceptualizations of what constitutes deviant behaviour, with little attention paid to "everyday" constructions of deviance related to poverty, body image, and family values.