Deviance Essays (386 words) - Criminology, Social Constructionism

Deviance Deviance Not everyone behaves in the way society expects or approves. Since children they start to change the values of their own parents. As adults, they may choose entirely different ways of life. In all societies, there are people who dream of being what they aren't. Sometimes they decide to challenge the system, to push out beyond the limits established by law or tradition. Political radicals, school dropouts, women who refuse the role of homemaker or mother. They are willing be labeled troublemakers or simply, deviants because they believe that society's norms should change. Professional thieves, and bank robbers also violate norms, but their deviance is not usually based on a belief that society should change. More commonly on thieves, is that they always want a bigger reward for what they do for a living. Sociologists define deviance as behavior that violates an essential social norm. Deviants are people who go beyond the limits of socially acceptable behavior. Although the definition of deviance is simple, deviant acts in real life are hard to turn down. No single act, not even taking another person's life is forbidden at all times in any human society. Deviance is relative. What is deviant behavior in one place may be acceptable in another place. For an act to be deviant, it must be considered so by law or rules. A behavior may be seen as normal, even desirable, by some people and as deviant by others. For example, a student who spends a lot of time doing library research may win a teacher's respect and appreciation but be considered as a nerd by other students. What is normal or desirable to the teacher can be deviant to other students. Some of these students, those who refuse to study are deviant by the norms of the teacher and of most of society. In our society is easy to find varieties between acceptable and unacceptable behavior and the punishment for violation of the norm. Such variations are more characteristic of large, advanced societies like ours than of small societies bound by a set of strong, shared traditions. In the topic of Crime, discusses lawbreaking, an obvious form of deviance, and the methods used by society in attempting to control it. They are three important theories of deviance: anomie, deviant subcultures, and labeling. Sociology Essays

Free Essays on Voodoo

First and foremost Voodoo is a religion. It is the dominant religion of Haiti. Voodoo is a religion that originated in Africa and was brought to Haiti by slaves, where it is still widely practiced by most inhabitants. Many of the practices and descriptions of Voodoo belief may sound to us like superstition, but then, imagine the beliefs of Christianity to people who know nothing about it. Most aspects of this religion are positive and it affects all aspects of the people's lives, such as morality, economics, safety, relationships and health. In Voodoo there is one God, Bondye. The three important categories of other spiritual beings are: Loa, The twins, and The dead. Loa are the various spirits of family members. The spirits of the major forces of the universe are: good, evil, reproduction, health, and all aspects of daily life. Loa interacts with the people of the earth. They mount people now and again during religious ceremonies and they give messages, and even cause various good and bad things to happen to people. The twins are a curious and rather mysterious set of forces of contradictions, good and evil. If honored now and again in religious services they will tend to help you have the better side of life. The dead is mainly the souls of one's own family members who have died but have not yet been reclaimed by the family. Ignored family dead are dangerous. Honored and cared for family dead are helpful. The central and key aspect of Voodoo is healing people from illness. Such healing activities prob ably constitute sixty percent of all Voodoo activity. Healers heal with herbs, faith healing with the help of Loa and other spirits and, today, even with western medicine. The priesthood of Voodoo contains both men (houngan) and women (mambo). Their functions are: healing, performing religious ceremonies to call or pacify the spirits, holding initiations for new priests (tesses) (kanzo service and taking th... Free Essays on Voodoo Free Essays on Voodoo First and foremost Voodoo is a religion. It is the dominant religion of Haiti. Voodoo is a religion that originated in Africa and was brought to Haiti by slaves, where it is still widely practiced by most inhabitants. Many of the practices and descriptions of Voodoo belief may sound to us like superstition, but then, imagine the beliefs of Christianity to people who know nothing about it. Most aspects of this religion are positive and it affects all aspects of the people's lives, such as morality, economics, safety, relationships and health. In Voodoo there is one God, Bondye. The three important categories of other spiritual beings are: Loa, The twins, and The dead. Loa are the various spirits of family members. The spirits of the major forces of the universe are: good, evil, reproduction, health, and all aspects of daily life. Loa interacts with the people of the earth. They mount people now and again during religious ceremonies and they give messages, and even cause various good and bad things to happen to people. The twins are a curious and rather mysterious set of forces of contradictions, good and evil. If honored now and again in religious services they will tend to help you have the better side of life. The dead is mainly the souls of one's own family members who have died but have not yet been reclaimed by the family. Ignored family dead are dangerous. Honored and cared for family dead are helpful. The central and key aspect of Voodoo is healing people from illness. Such healing activities prob ably constitute sixty percent of all Voodoo activity. Healers heal with herbs, faith healing with the help of Loa and other spirits and, today, even with western medicine. The priesthood of Voodoo contains both men (houngan) and women (mambo). Their functions are: healing, performing religious ceremonies to call or pacify the spirits, holding initiations for new priests (tesses) (kanzo service and taking th...