Overview
This unit looks at the contributions that culture, social structures and interpersonal relationships make to the formation of normal and deviant identities and behaviours in contemporary society. In addition to undertaking an analysis of competing theoretical perspectives of deviance and identity, you will be given the opportunity to explore key debates and controversies related to identified forms of deviant behaviour. You will also be required to compare and contrast beliefs and attitudes toward the major forms of personal deviance with focus on current formal and informal responses and practices. Special attention will be given to behaviours that are thought to be wild, risky, unacceptable or dangerous including: drug and alcohol use, sexual deviance, offensive behaviours, such as offensive humour and swearing, and body modification practices. You will be provided opportunities to consider questions such as, ‘is ‘being bad’ a form of resistance to, or a symptom of, a culture that has commodified deviant identities and can ‘bad behaviour’ ever be good? The unit will draw on a range of theoretical perspectives in Sociology and Cultural Studies and also use examples from The Arts, Philosophy, and Religious Studies.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE Personal reflection
Tutorial engagement was often low and the discussion sometimes lacked direction.
Make tutorials more structured, with set discussion activities and time allocated to help with assessment preparation.
Feedback from SUTE Personal reflection
Amount of learning materials and mixed modality of delivery was overwhelming for some students.
The unit coordinator will signpost the essential and optional resources better in 2024 and provide summary sheets of key take-home learning outcomes for each week.
Feedback from Personal reflection Discussion with colleagues
Students submitted three focus questions for Assessment 1 but only two were marked summatively with accompanying feedback.
Students will be required to submit only two focus questions in 2024.
- Explain the contributions that culture, social structures and interpersonal relationships make to the formation of normal and deviant identities in contemporary society.
- Apply sociological concepts and theories to key debates and controversies related to identified forms of deviant behaviour.
- Analyse competing theoretical perspectives of deviance and identity.
- Outline the positive and negative consequences of deviance.
- Compare and contrast beliefs and attitudes to contemporary views of behavioural social norms and deviance.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | |||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 35% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 35% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Short Introductions. Social Deviance.
Edition: Second (2019)
Authors: Henry, S with Howard, L
Polity Press
Cambridge Cambridge , United Kingdom
ISBN: 978-1-5095-2350-4
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.j.walker@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
The Sociology of Deviance: An introduction.
Chapter
Your reading for this week is to familiarise yourself with the unit Moodle site and to read:
Chapter one of the prescribed text: Henry, S., & Howard, L. M., 2019, Social Deviance, 2nd edn, Polity Press, Cambridge. [essential]
Further readings that will support your understanding of this week's topic are available from the Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Labelling theory, social control and critical theory.
Chapter
Chapter two of the prescribed text: Henry, S., & Howard, L. M., 2019, Social Deviance, 2nd edn, Polity Press, Cambridge. [essential]
Further readings will be posted on the Moodle site and include:
"On Being Sane in Insane Places" by Rosenhan (1973). [recommended]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 1: Plagiarism.
Chapter
Readings will be posted on the Moodle site.
"Plagiarism: a misplaced emphasis" by Martin (1994). [essential]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 2: Disability.
Chapter
Readings will be posted on the Moodle site.
"Revolution" by Finkelstein (1992). [essential]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 3: Mental illness.
Chapter
Chapter three of the prescribed text: Henry, S., & Howard, L. M., 2019, Social Deviance, 2nd edn, Polity Press, Cambridge. [essential]
Readings will be posted on the Moodle site and include:
"Division of Clinical Psychology Position Statement on the Classification of Behaviour and Experience in Relation to Functional Psychiatric Diagnoses: Time for a Paradigm Shift" by British Psychological Society Division of Clinical Psychology (2013).[recommended]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Creating the deviant: Stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination.
Chapter
Chapter seven of the prescribed text: Henry, S., & Howard, L. M., 2019, Social Deviance, 2nd edn, Polity Press, Cambridge. [essential]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Deviant cultures: Othering indigenous people.
Chapter
Readings will be posted on the Moodle site.
"Racism and Psychology" by P. Duckett (n.d). [essential]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Online trolling. Ethereal imagined communities.
Chapter
Chapter six of the prescribed text: Henry, S., & Howard, L. M., 2019, Social Deviance, 2nd edn, Polity Press, Cambridge. [essential]
Further readings will be posted on the Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
'On yer bike mate': Moral panics an excuse for more social control?
Chapter
Readings will be posted on the Moodle site.
"Moral Panics: The Social Construction of Deviance (prologue)" by Goode and Ben-Yehuda (2009). [essential]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
'The sound of the suburbs': From counterculture to mainstream.
Chapter
Readings will be posted on the Moodle site.
"Content analysis of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs in popular music" by Primack et al. (2008). [essential]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
'A bit of blow': Substances - social use or social abuse?
Chapter
Chapter nine of the prescribed text: Henry, S., & Howard, L. M., 2019, Social Deviance, 2nd edn, Polity Press, Cambridge. [essential]
Readings will be posted on the Moodle site and include:
"Sociological perspectives on illegal drug use: Definitional, reactional and etiologic insights" by Richman (1985). [recommended]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Unit review and preparation for Assessment 3.
Chapter
This week will be a review of the materials and readings covered in the course (Weeks 1-11) in preparation for the submission of the final assessment piece (Written Assessment 3).
Concluding chapter of the prescribed text: Henry, S., & Howard, L. M., 2019, Social Deviance, 2nd edn, Polity Press, Cambridge. [essential]
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Online focus questions
The first assessment for this unit consists of two short answer questions that in total will amount to 40% (each question will be weighted 20%). A total of three questions will be set across teaching weeks 2, 4 and 6 with one question set during each of those weeks. You will choose which two you wish to submit for summative assessment. The questions will encourage you to apply key sociological concepts relating to deviance. This will provide you with important foundational knowledge in sociology and engage you with key, contemporary debates occurring in society around deviant behaviours.
There will be three different formats for these short answers. The first question will require you to respond in the format of a short answer exam question. The second question will require you to respond in a formal letter in which you are taking the role of an advocate for another person. The third question will require you to respond in film review format. Each short paper has a word limit of 250 words. So, a 500 word submission in total.
The Academic Learning Centre (ALC) has numerous resources on its Moodle website to assist you with your study and writing skills.
Week 9 Thursday (12 Sept 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (27 Sept 2024)
Approximately 2 weeks after submission
You will be assessed on: your ability to apply sociological concepts and theories to key debates and controversies related to identified forms of deviant behaviour; your use of critical thinking skills in considering both the positive and negative dimensions to deviant behaviour and your ability to draw on contemporary debates around deviant behaviours. and contrast beliefs and attitudes to contemporary views of behavioural social norms and deviance.
For focus question 1:
- 30% of the marks will be awarded for history (chose a behaviour that was once considered deviant but today is considered normal)
- 30% for pros and cons (outline societal beliefs about the past negative and present positive consequences of the behaviour)
- 40% for theory (apply the concept of social norms and rule breaking to explain why the behaviour is deviant).
For focus question 2,
- 20% of the marks will be awarded for pros and cons (acknowledge positive effects and contrast with the negative effect of a label)
- 30% for apply theory (apply the theory of deviance amplification)
- 50% shifting norms (apply your understanding of how social norms shift in time in ways that impact social deviance).
For focus question 3:
- 30% of the marks will be awarded for argues relevance (argues the movie is about the positive and negatives of social deviance)
- 30% for applies theory (applies a sociological concept or theory of social deviance to the chosen movie)
- 40% for recognises alternative (defends against an alternative reading of the movie that argues deviance is not the central theme).
A detailed marking rubric (for each focus question) and further information sheets will be available on the Moodle site.
- Apply sociological concepts and theories to key debates and controversies related to identified forms of deviant behaviour.
- Outline the positive and negative consequences of deviance.
- Compare and contrast beliefs and attitudes to contemporary views of behavioural social norms and deviance.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
This task consists of the design of four Powerpoint slides with accompanying speaker notes. This assessment provides you with the opportunity to develop an argument for how particular deviant behaviour (chosen from 3 topic areas covered in the unit) needs to be understood in a cultural context and how it is expressed in an interpersonal context and how it can be critiqued through an understanding of the contemporary literature on the topic.
Each slide has a word limit of 100 words. Words are counted on both the slide and the accompanying speaker notes. For example, if you use 10 words on your slide you cannot use more than 90 words in your speaker notes. Your notes should be written in full prose NOT in note form. So, a 400 word submission in total.
Each slide has a specific task attached. These are detailed below.
SLIDE 1: Clearly identify a form of deviance that is non-trivial but also not classified as criminal behaviour. [For the slide, this is your title slide so as well as any images it needs to include your name, assessment No. and unit code a title].
SLIDE 2: Detail a negative consequence of the deviant behaviour that is linked to a folkway.
SLIDE 3: Present an argument for why the behaviour should be declassified as deviant. This should detail the positive consequences of doing so and link that to a folkway that contrasts and co-exists with that which you have detailed in slide 2.
SLIDE 4: Explain what existing or emergent folkway might assist in that deviant behaviour becoming viewed as normal and what cultural and social structural factors might contribute to that shift.
The Academic Learning Centre (ALC) has numerous resources on its Moodle website to assist you with your study and writing skills.
Week 6 Thursday (22 Aug 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 8 Friday (6 Sept 2024)
Approximately two weeks after submission
You will be assessed on how well you:
- Identify the form of deviance and how it links to the theory of deviance amplification (25%).
- Compare and constrast the positive and negative consequences of the deviant behaviour, linked to a folkway (50%).
- Apply your understanding of how social norms shift across time, linking Folkways to culture and social structure (25%).
A detailed marking rubric and further information sheets will be available on the Moodle site.
- Explain the contributions that culture, social structures and interpersonal relationships make to the formation of normal and deviant identities in contemporary society.
- Outline the positive and negative consequences of deviance.
- Compare and contrast beliefs and attitudes to contemporary views of behavioural social norms and deviance.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
This task is a piece of reflective writing. This assessment gives you the opportunity to show how you can apply unit learnings to one of two central topics – disability and mental illness. By this point in the unit, you should have obtained a good appreciation of how the culture in which we live is abundant with media that present examples of mainstream deviance. This task provides the opportunity to apply learnings about deviance and engage in self-criticism of prior assumptions, values, and beliefs. Thus we hope you can shift your mode of thinking from the mainstream to a critically informed sociological perspective on deviance.
You must use a minimum of 3 references that have been supplied either in the unit reading list, or in the lecture and/or tutorial presentations. Additional 'outside' references can be used but be mindful of the tight word count.
Standard requirements: As this work requires a component of personal reflection, you are advised to use the first person in the writing of your personal reflection. The word count limit is 800 words. Presenting good standards of spelling and grammar are essential requirements for this written assessment.
Title, Reference list and Appendices (if relevant) are not included in the word count. Further guidelines for this assessment will be made available during the lectures and tutorials.
The Academic Learning Centre (ALC) has numerous resources on its Moodle website to assist you with your study and writing skills.
Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (18 Oct 2024)
Approximately two weeks after submission
You will be assessed on how well you:
1. Make a concise argument as to why the topic is of interest to sociologists studying social deviance (20%).
2. Distinguish between mainstream and critically informed sociological understandings of your chosen topic (30%).
3. Engage in self-criticism in a way that reveals how you have identified and engaged with new modes of thinking about the topic and about social deviance (50%).
A detailed marking rubric and further information sheets will be available on the Moodle site.
- Explain the contributions that culture, social structures and interpersonal relationships make to the formation of normal and deviant identities in contemporary society.
- Apply sociological concepts and theories to key debates and controversies related to identified forms of deviant behaviour.
- Analyse competing theoretical perspectives of deviance and identity.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
