Sociology of deviance

Course Code: SOC 207 • Study year: II • Academic Year: 2025-2026
Domain: Sociology • Field of study: Sociology
Type of course: Elective (1 of 2)
Language of instruction: Romanian
Erasmus Language of instruction: English
Name of lecturer: Sebastian Claudiu Stefani
Seminar tutor: Sebastian Claudiu Stefani
Form of education Full-time
Form of instruction: Class
Number of teaching hours per semester: 56
Number of teaching hours per week: 4
Semester: Autumn
Form of receiving a credit for a course: Grade
Number of ECTS credits allocated 5

Course aims:

To develop a critical understanding of social deviance,
To build analytical and interpretive skills regarding deviant behaviors
To foster ethical and social reflection on public policies and institutional interventions

Course Entry Requirements:

None

Course contents:

Desigur, Claudiu! Iată o listă cu 14 teme esențiale de curs pentru disciplina Sociologia devianței, traduse și în limba engleză:

  1. Introduction to the Sociology of Deviance: Key Concepts and Theories
  2. Social Norms, Social Control, and Mechanisms of Sanctioning
  3. Classical Theories of Deviance: Durkheim, Merton, Becker
  4. Deviance and Criminality: Conceptual Boundaries
  5. Deviance in Cultural and Historical Contexts: Norm Relativism
  6. Deviant Subcultures and Marginalized Groups
  7. Deviance in Public Spaces: Disruptive Behaviors and Social Reactions
  8. Social Institutions and the Management of Deviance: Police, Justice, Prisons
  9. Deviance and Mass Media: Representations, Stereotypes, and Influence
  10. Youth Deviance: Causes, Forms, and Interventions
  11. Deviance Related to Drug Use and Addictions
  12. Sexual Deviance and Gender Norms
  13. Economic Deviance: Corruption, Tax Evasion, Fraud
  14. Public Policies and Strategies for Preventing Deviance

 

Teaching methods:

Interactive lectures, debates and guided discussions, Academic writing

Learning outcomes:

  • Define key concepts in the sociology of deviance and explain their relevance in social analysis.
  • Identify and compare forms of social control and mechanisms of sanctioning.
  • Apply classical theories of deviance to interpret social behaviors.
  • Distinguish between deviance and criminality in sociological analyses.
  • Analyze how social norms vary across cultural and historical contexts.
  • Describe the characteristics of deviant subcultures and processes of marginalization.

Learning outcomes verification and assessment criteria:

Essays and written assignments, final exam

Recommended reading:

Howard S. Becker, Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance, Free Press of Glencoe, New York, 1963, 320.
Goode, Deviant behavior, Routledge., New York, 2022, 476.
Inderbitzin, M., Bates, K. A., & Gainey, R. R., Deviance and social control: A sociological perspective, SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2020, 656.