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on marginal deviancy rather
than more “serious” crimes, and
therefore ignores the fact that
some crimes, such as murder, are
almost universally condemned,
and are not subject to alternative
perceptions of deviancy. Alvin
Gouldner, a US sociologist, has
complained that Becker’s deviants
passively accept the labels forced
upon them, rather than fighting
back. Gouldner challenges Becker’s
theory by saying people frequently
fight back in their own defense: free
will is far stronger than Becker’s
work implies.
Academics such as Becker have
also been accused of romanticizing
the underdog; in response, Becker
has stated that “unconventional
sentimentality... is the lesser evil.”
But Becker’s work forces us to
ask important questions about
power relationships and justice in
society and has been significant
for a number of theorists who focus
on deviancy. US sociologist David
Matza, for instance, develops
many of Becker’s ideas by arguing
that what becomes a crime is the
outcome of decisions and actions
taken by governments and agents
of the state. According to this
process, both the criminal and
their act are seen as abnormal
and yet from the perspective
of the deviant, the deviancy is
entirely normal behavior. ■THE ROLE OF INSTITUTIONS
Howard S. Becker
Born in Chicago, US, in
1928, sociologist Howard
Saul Becker became involved
in the world of music from
an early age. By the age of 15
he was working as a semi-
professional pianist in bars
and clubs and was regularly
exposed to the drug culture
that he later made the subject
of his studies. After studying
sociology at the University
of Chicago, most of his
academic career was spent
at Northwestern University.
Becker has received many
awards during his academic
career, including the Award
for a Career of Distinguished
Scholarship from the
American Sociological
Association in 1998. Becker
is known for his academic
generosity—although mainly
retired, he continues to help
doctoral students with their
work and offers advice
on how to publish their theses.
Music—jazz in particular—
remains a subject of personal
and research interest for him.Key works1963 Outsiders: Studies in
the Sociology of Deviance
1982 Art Worlds
1998 Tricks of the TradeIn a study of jazz musicians,
Becker proposed that their “deviant”
lifestyle set them apart from society,
which caused them to develop values
that reinforced their deviancy.
Social groups create
deviance by making the
rules whose infraction
constitutes deviance.
Howard S. Becker