Sociology of Deviance 

Question 1

In a community, people spend a majority of their lives in very close contact with each other. According to Erikson (12), people live close together “sharing a common sphere of experience which makes them feel that they belong to a special “kind” and live in a special “place.” Boundary maintaining, therefore, is a way that each member of a society defines and retains a territory, not just in the geographical sense of space but also creating a niche and cultural space, creating a new structure in that sense. Therefore, boundary maintaining combines the idea of culture, geography, and group space to identify a community from another and create a significant point of reference for every member. Boundary maintaining describes a structure of control, consistency, and stability within an environment.

Question 2

In a given community, boundaries cannot be described as fixed, but are, instead, changing as per the needs of the people in a group including ways to define the external confines of their universe. For example, “changes [may] occur within the structure of the group which require its members to make a new survey of their territory (Erikson 14).” Boundaries are shifting, as evidenced by how societies constantly aim to shake up issues such as the national mood or the political climate through a change in leadership. Sometimes shifts occur without the necessary involvement of people in a society. Therefore, boundaries are constantly moving as a way of aligning with people’s perception of what is necessary.

Question 3

The decision in a community to present deviant sanctions against a community member goes beyond a simple act of censure. Erikson (15) describes it as “an intricate rite of transition, at once moving the individual out of his ordinary place in society and transferring him into a special deviant position.” The process is arranged into an announcement and placemen tin a role. There are ceremonies that mark the said change of status including a criminal trial, a verdict, and incarceration for the case of an offender. The ceremonies involve the whole community as evidenced in criminal trials complete with all the formalities and exaggerated rituals. The process is irreversible ensuring that an individual cannot go back to their original role or position.

Works Cited

Erikson, Kai T. “On the sociology of deviance.” Crime: Critical Concepts in Sociology 3 (2003):

11-17.