Deviance: Understanding Societal Norms and Stigmas

Deviance: Understanding Societal Norms and Stigmas introduces students to commonly stigmatized identities, stigma management strategies, and relevant research in the field. This anthology encourages readers to dissect the processes whereby society stigmatizes certain populations including sex workers and clients, incarcerated men and women, people with mental disorders, and individuals with undocumented status.

This collection is organized into five parts which cover theory, medicalization of deviance, sexuality, stigma, and elite deviance. Each section features multiple readings on the topic, thoughtfully framed by original introductions, pre-reading questions, and post-reading questions that engage students in critical thinking and discussion. Specific topics addressed include the social function of crime, female cosmetic procedures, sex tourism, disabilities, incarceration, torture, and more.

With material meant to sharpen student knowledge on the various ways that culture views deviance, Deviance: Understanding Societal Norms and Stigmas is well-suited for undergraduate courses in sociology, psychology, and anthropology that examine deviant behavior.

Luis Nuno earned his B.A. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley and his M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology and historical studies from The New School for Social Research. He is a lecturer at California State University, Los Angeles, and a volunteer instructor at the Prison Education Project, California Rehabilitation Center, and California Institution for Men. His research interests include stigma management, recidivism and desistance, prisoner reentry and reintegration, and hyper-incarceration.