This course examines the interaction of strange or wrongful acts,
theories of deviance, and mechanisms of social control.  Reading
Stephen Pfohl, we will study the ways in which theories explain
nonconformity and justify social control.  Reading Norval Morris's
fictional case studies,we will analyze contemporary debates in
American criminal justice with a cross-cultural perspective,
focusing particular attention on the ethical dilemmas and political
consequences of interpreting and judging deviant acts.  We will use
this understanding to consider the gap between the symbolic power of
images and the mundane realities of acts, drawing examples from
popular films, news media, and ethnography.

Required texts:
Stephen Pfohl, 1994. "Images of Deviance and Social Control; A
Sociological History" second edition.  McGraw-Hill.

Norval Morris. 1992.  The Brothel Boy and Other Parables of the
Law.New York: Oxford.

Class Meetings: Two 75-minute sessions (TR 2:30-3:45, BH 340)

Instructor:    Professor Stephanie Kane, Criminal Justice Dept.