Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Outsiders, published in 1963 by Howard S. Becker, is one of the foundational works of labelling theory and the sociology of deviance. Becker analyzes how certain behaviors come to be defined as deviant, showing that deviance is not an inherent quality of an act but a result of social processes of definition, attribution, and enforcement.
Edwin M. Lemert’s concept of primary and secondary deviance is one of the most influential contributions to labelling theory. Building on symbolic interactionism and early ideas from Frank Tannenbaum’s „tagging“ concept, Lemert showed how social reactions to initial rule-breaking can shape identities and careers in deviance. Key Points Primary and Secondary Deviance Main Proponent: Edwin