Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Anomie theories — frequently subsumed under the broader category of strain theories — are concerned with explaining why violations of social norms and deviant behavior exhibit systematic variations across societies and historical periods. These theories examine the relationship between crime and the structural organization of society, positing that deviance emerges as an adaptive response to
Institutional Anomie Theory (IAT) argues that high crime rates result from a cultural emphasis on economic success combined with institutional imbalance. When economic values dominate other social institutions—such as family, education, and politics—social control weakens, leading to higher levels of utilitarian, self-interested behavior and, ultimately, crime. Key Points Institutional Anomie Theory (IAT) Main Proponents: Steven
Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) extends and refines the classical anomie and strain approaches by broadening the range of sources of strain and by offering a more nuanced, psychologically informed explanation of how strain leads to crime. Unlike Merton, who focused on the disjunction between culturally valued goals and socially legitimate means, Agnew emphasized
Robert K. Merton’s Anomie Theory expands Émile Durkheim’s concept of anomie by linking deviant behavior to social structures that create unequal access to culturally approved goals. Crime is understood not as individual pathology but as a collective adaptation to blocked opportunities in a stratified society. Merton argues that when socially approved goals (such as economic