Social deviance—any behavior that violates a cultural norm—can involve something as major as crime or as minor as consistently and deliberately wearing lively mismatched socks. Whether a crime, a sin, or simply unique taste, what's considered deviant at one time and place can change, as when extensive tattooing and "body art" evolved from a sideshow carnival spectacle to a nearly universal rite of passage within U.S. culture.

Drawing contributions from across the social and behavioral sciences, including sociology, anthropology, criminology, politics, psychology, and religion, the Encyclopedia of Social Deviance introduces readers to the lively field of rule-making and rebellion that strikes at the core of what it means to be an individual living in a social world.

Key Features:

More than 300 articles authored by key figures in the field are organized A-to-Z in two volumes.

Each article concludes with cross-references to related entries and further readings.

A thematic "Reader's Guide" groups related articles by broad areas (e.g., Concepts; Theories; Research Methodologies; Individual Deviance; Organizational Deviance; etc.) as one handy search feature on the e-Reference platform, which also includes a comprehensive index of search terms.

Available in both electronic and print formats, this two-volume, A-to-Z encyclopedia set is a must-have resource for students and researchers who seek to understand social deviance.

Key Themes:

Crime, Property

Crime, Sex

Crime, Violent

Crime, White-Collar/Corporate

Defining Deviance

Deviance in Social Institutions

Deviant Subcultures

Discrimination

Drug Use and Abuse

Marriage and Family Deviance

Measuring Deviance

Mental and Physical Disabilities

Methodology for Studying Deviance

Self-Destructive Deviance

Sexual Deviance

Social and Political Protest

Social Control and Deviance

Studying Deviant Subcultures

Technology and Deviance

Theories of Deviance, Macro

Theories of Deviance, Micro

Transitional Deviance