Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Introduction Norms and values are foundational concepts in sociology, describing the shared rules, expectations, and moral ideals that guide behavior in society. Values explain what is considered good or desirable, while norms specify how to act in given situations. Together, they shape social order, cohesion, and cultural change. Understanding their definitions, types, and real-world examples
Herbert Mead’s work Mind, Self, and Society is considered a key text of symbolic interactionism and remains one of the most influential contributions to socialization theory. Published posthumously in 1934, the book is not a classic monograph but a compilation of lecture notes that systematically present Mead’s core ideas. Academic Context Mead taught at the
Émile Durkheim (1858–1917) is considered one of the founding figures of modern sociology. In his seminal work The Division of Labour in Society (De la division du travail social, 1893), he examines how social order and cohesion are maintained in complex societies. His central thesis: while traditional societies are held together by mechanical solidarity, modern
The General Theory of Crime, developed by Michael Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi in 1990, is one of the most influential modern control theories. It offers a parsimonious, universal explanation of criminal behavior by focusing on individual self-control. Rather than asking why people commit crimes, Gottfredson and Hirschi ask why they don’t—arguing that crime is the
Power-Control Theory, developed by John Hagan and colleagues in the 1980s, is a sociological theory that explains gender differences in delinquency by linking family power structures to patterns of socialization and control. The theory integrates insights from control theories, Marxist perspectives, and feminist criminology. It argues that the distribution of power within families shapes how