SUBCULTURAL THEORIES Flashcards
intro of albert cohen
- updated mertons position
- combined structural and subcultural theories of deviance
why does albert cohen criticise merton
- cohen argues that deviance is a collective response rather than individual
- also believed merton ignored non utilitarian crime
how does albert cohen present the idea of status frustration
- lower wc boys want to suceed but cant achieve goals because cultural deprivation leads to eduactional failure and dead end jobs
- therefore suffer status frustration so turn to crime to achieve success
- alternative norms and values are then adopted - alternative statue hierarchy which reverse mainstream culture by valuing activities such a stealing
- allows boys to achieve status from peers
EXAMPLE: paul willis’ lads
what is an A03 point for albert cohens idea of status frustration
like merton he assumes wc boys start off sharing mc boys success goals - only reject when fail. Ignores that they may never shared these - not seeing themselves as failures
but he does offer an explanation for non utilitarian crime
What do cloward and ohlin think of Merton view
Accept: his explanation of deviance
BUT
He’s failed to consider the illegitimate opportunity structure
What is the definition of illegitimate opportunity structure
The opportunity to succeed by illegitimate means varies
What is cloward and ohlins ideas of deviance
Working class youths are denied legitimate opportunities to achieve money success
What is an example of the illegitimate opportunity structure
In one area there may be a thriving subculture so more opportunity to become a criminal unlike where it doesn’t exist
What are the three types of subcultures cloward and ohlin describe
- Criminal subculture
- Conflict subculture
- Retreatist subculture
What do cloward and ohlin describe a criminal subculture to be
- provide youths with an apprenticeship for a career in utilitarian crime
- only in neighbourhoods with long standing criminal culture and hierarchy of adult crime
- people can be trained and climb the hierarchy
What do cloward and ohlin describe a conflict subculture to be
- in areas with high population turnover meaning there is social disorganisation preventing a stable criminal network meaning only illegitimate opportunities are available
- violence is a release for men’s frustration over their blocked opportunities
What do cloward and ohlin define a retreatist subculture to be
-not everyone who aspires to be gang leaders succeed
- c+o describe these as double failures and turn to retreatist subcultures based on illegal drug user
What is an A03 point for cloward and ohlin
South: c+o don’t recognise that the 3 subcultures could over lap and may not be distinct
Found that the drug trade has a mix of disorganised professional mafia criminal subcultures
Some retreatist drug users make a living of organise crime
What idea does miller put forward for crime and deviance
- lower claws have own set of values passed on from generation to generation encouraging lower class to offend
- wc subculture doesn’t value success as members aren’t frustrated by failure
What does miller identify
Focal concerns of the lower class including:
1. Toughness: respect for courage
2. Smartness: outsmart those seen to be clever eg police
What does miller say delinquency is a result off
An exaggerated conformity to focal concerns and evidence of wc attempting to achieve their own goals rather than mainstream ones
What’s an A03 point of miller
DAVID MATZA: reject millers picture of an isolated lower class - values bear no relation to mainstream culture
BUT:
GILL: study of wc area: residents don’t see unoccupied houses as wrong
What does Charles Murray say the cause of crime and deviance is
- underclass: share different values and are responsible for a lot of crime as socialise children into different norms and values
What does Charles Murray blame for crime
- welfare benefits as it means people can now be single parents as young men reject that it’s important to hold down a job
- believes a dependency culture has developed as a result of perverse incentives
What’s a quote from Charles Murray 2017
‘There has always been a small underclass but now you have got a major problem’
What’s an A03 point for Charles Murray
TAYLOR: reject NR view but accepts that underclass exists but underclass activity is a result of material deprivation rather than deviant set of cultural values eg stealing
What does David matza say about deviants
That to a considerable extent they hold the same values as wider society
When does David matza say deviance occurs
It occurs when techniques of neutralisation are used which temporarily release them from the hold society has. These include
1. Denial of responsibility for a deviant act blaming parents or area they live in
2. Denial that the act was basically wrong - ‘getting justice’
Argues these techniques throws serious doubt on the idea of subculture
What view does David matza reject
That there is a group who hold a set of subterranean values which are anti social tendencies whin ch we all keep hidden most of the time
Eg at office party or on holiday or in Ibiza