Critically examine the different ways in which sociologist have used the concept subculture to explain deviance.

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Critically examine the different ways in which sociologist have used the concept subculture to explain deviance (40marks)

Subcultural theories of crime and deviance explain deviance in terms of the subculture of a social group. The theories argue that particular groups develop and maintain norms and values that differ from those held by the majority of modern day western society. This approach does not ignore the importance of social structure but sees it as a background to beliefs about the world. It heavily influences by the social action theory.

There are a number of subcultral theories of deviance which attempt to explain forms of collective, non-utilitarian deviance in terms of the formation of subcultures.

Robert Merton argues that deviance results not only from 'pathological personalities' but also from the culture and structure of society itself. Merton begins his argument from the standard functionalist position of value consensus, that all members of society share the same values. However, since members of society are placed in different positions in the social structure, they do not have the same opportunities as others of realising the shared values. According to Merton, this can cause deviance. "The social and cultural structure generates pressure for socially deviant behaviour upon people variously located in that structure."

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Merton outlined his theory the "American Dream" states that all members of society have an equal opportunity of achieving success. In all societies there are institutionalised means of reaching culturally defined goals. In a balanced society an equal emphasis is placed upon both cultural goals, and institutionalised means, and members are satisfied with both, but in the U.S.A, a significant importance is attributed to success, and relatively little importance is given to accepted, and not necessarily legal, ways of attaining this success. As a result of this, American society is unstable and unbalanced. When the rules cease to operate, a ...

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