Subcultural Theories

Question 1

Cohen’s 2 criticisms of Merton’s adaptations to strain

Answer 1

1. Merton sees deviance as an individual response to strain when it is often commited in groups
2. Focuses on utilitarian crime and ignores crimes like vandalism that have no economic motive

Question 2

(Cohen) Why are WC boys unable to succeed in society?

What does this cause?

Answer 2

They suffer from cultural deprivation and face anomie in MC dominated school system which means they are unable to achieve

Causes status frustration which they resolve by rejecting MC values and forming delinquent subcultures

Question 3

(Cohen) how do delinquent subcultural values differ from mainstream values?

Answer 3

Inverts mainstream societal values, what society condemns, the subculture praises e.g. truancy and vandalism

Question 4

(Cohen) what is the function of delinquent subcultures?

Answer 4

Provides an alternative status hierarchy in which boys can achieve by winning status from their peers through delinquent actions

Question 5

A strength of Cohen’s status frustration?

Answer 5

Offers an explanation for the existence of non utilitarian deviance, unlike Merton

Question 6

A weakness of Cohen’s status frustration

Answer 6

Like Merton, he assumes that the WC boys start off sharing MC success goals. In doing so, he rejects the idea that they never shared these goals

Question 7

What do Cloward and Ohlin agree with Merton on?

Answer 7

WC youth are denied legitimate opportunities to achieve financial success and their deviance stems from the way they respond to this

Question 8

(Cloward and Ohlin) does everyone adapt to strain by turning to innvoation? Explain why?

Answer 8

No

Different subcultures respond in different ways e.g. the subculture described by Cohen resorts to vandalism instead of drug use

Question 9

(Cloward and Ohlin) why do different subcultures respond in different ways?

Answer 9

Unequal access to legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures

Question 10

(Cloward and Ohlin) 3 types of subcultures

Answer 10

Criminal subcultures: arise in neighbourhoods with longstanding criminal cultures with established hierarchies and provide youths with apprenticeships in careers for utilitarian crime

Conflict subcultures: arise in areas of high pop turnover which prevents a stable professional criminal network from developing. Violence used as a way to release frustration at no legitimate opportunities

Retreatist subcultures: consist of people that fail to be professional criminals. These subcultures are based on drug use

Question 11

Evaluation of Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 11

Miller argues that WC subculture is completely separate from mainstream culture and it does not value success so the WC are not frustrated in the first place

Miller agrees that deviance is widespread in the lower class