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Deviants and Deviancy

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Do consider the following behaviors to be deviant: suicide, abortion, homosexuality, prostitution, and drug use. If so, on what basis? If not, why? Come up with specific circumstances for each of these behaviors that might affect whether it constitutes deviance or acceptable behavior.

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Solution Summary

The solution is a comprehensive 1,589-word narrative that discusses the topic of deviance. It defines what deviance and a deviant is all about then proceeds to discuss the listed deviant behaviors: suicide, abortion, homosexuality, prostitution, and drug use - whether in fact they are deviant, and if so, why. The possibility of there behaviors being acceptable is also discussed in relation to the circumstances that might make them so. References are also listed to give students room to explore the topic.

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On Deviance

What is deviance? A society, a social group has an established set of rules that govern what is moral, what is ethical, what is right, what is acceptable. Conversely, what does not fall into these labels and are opposite of them are labelled so. For every moral behavior there is an immoral equivalent, for every ethical behavior and position there is an unethical opposite. Same goes for what is wrong which is labelled as opposing what is right. These standards have come in place established by the continued experience of a social group via their history, via their culture, practices and traditions. Consider a Catholic community. Their standards in relation to what is ethical, moral, right and acceptable is based or influenced heavily by their beliefs side by side with the legal systems governing the nation and community they belong to. The most important concept to understand in establishing the definition of deviance is culture. Culture is those practices, traditions, histories and languages shared and established over time by a group of people. It is a very unique set of norms and traditions and those that practice it find membership and identity when they do so - it becomes a basis for ethnic identity.

Consider national culture for example - Thai, Italian, Chinese - they all are a set of traditions and practices built over time, over shared experiences that have cemented itself among a set of peoples who have acknowledged upon themselves membership of that culture and in doing so take it up, live it and understand what is right and wrong from it making it their basis of viewing the world. So when one says I am Thai, it comes with an understanding that Thais are Buddhists and are a people known for being tolerant, hardworking but a stickler to traditions and respect for family, the elders and social organization. Thais do the 'wai' always to show respect to elders and people in authority (the act of clasping the hands as if in prayer and bowing in obeisance). In so doing they give honor to people and show ...

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  • MPhil/PhD (IP), Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • MA, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • Certificate, Geva Ulpan (via Universita Tel Aviv)
  • BA, University of the Philippines
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