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Ontario Tech University
   
    Nov 11, 2026  
2026-2027 Undergraduate Academic Calendar 
    
2026-2027 Undergraduate Academic Calendar
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SOCI 2010U – Deviance and Social Control


This course adopts a critical sociological perspective to analyze the historical portrayal of deviance by social control in the modern West. It examines formal expressions of social control theories by religious authorities, legal experts, medical therapists, social scientists, philosophers, politicians, and activists, exploring their social context and the interplay between social power and knowledge production. This perspective views deviance as a perpetual struggle between a prevailing social order, which defines and enforces norms, and marginalized individuals or groups who resist, subvert, and transform these boundaries. The course investigates how societies construct and contest normative boundaries, examining the material and symbolic consequences of these constructions, particularly regarding sex/gender, race/ethnicity, and class/economics. Additionally, it explores how mass media disseminate theoretical perspectives into common understanding and represent deviance in contemporary popular culture.
Credit hours: 3
Lecture hours: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 1000U  



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