Chapter 8: Social Conflict & Emergent Theories

Social Class (Ascribed & Achieved Characteristics)

The way society groups people based on important characteristics, such as income, education, and background.

• Ascribed characteristics: Traits you are born with, such as race and gender.

• Achieved characteristics: Things you gain or earn during life, such as education, income, job, and place of residence.

Marxist Theory/ Conflict Theory (Bourgeoisie, Proletariat)

Karl Marx

society is divided into two main classes that naturally struggle against each other because they have different interests.

• Bourgeoisie: The wealthy owners who control businesses, factories, and resources.

• Proletariat: The working class who work for the owners and earn wages.

• Marx believed conflict between these two classes was unavoidable in capitalist societies.

Radical-Critical Criminology

crime is connected to unfair differences in wealth, power, and resources, especially in capitalist societies.

• People with less wealth and power may face more inequality.

• Society's unequal system can contribute to crime.

Radical Feminism (Look at this before the test)

Believes men have more power than women in society and that major changes are needed to give women equal power and treatment.

Peacemaking Criminology

Harold (Hal) E. Pepinsky and Richard Quinney

crime can be reduced by creating peace, reducing human suffering, and having citizens and criminal justice agencies work together to solve social problems.

Feminist Criminology

Studies how gender inequality and male-dominated society affect women, crime, and the criminal justice system.

• Women have historically been excluded from important decisions and positions of power.

• Feminist criminologists believe traditional criminology often reflects male-centered ideas.

• For example, crime is often viewed as aggression, reinforcing the belief that men are naturally aggressive and need to control that behavior.

Liberal Feminism

• Believes gender inequality comes from traditional beliefs about what men and women should do.

• For example, society may expect men to work and women to stay home.

• Focuses on equal rights and opportunities for both genders.

Socialist Feminism

• Believes women's oppression is connected to the way society's economy is organized.

• Economic inequality contributes to women's unequal position in society.

• Focuses on changing the economic structure to create more equality.

Marxist Feminism

• Believes capitalism creates economic inequality, dependence, and a lack of political power for women.

• This can lead to unhealthy relationships between men and women.

• Focuses on changing capitalism and the unequal power it creates.

Power-Control Theory

how power differences between men and women in society affect how parents raise their children, which can influence the likelihood of boys and girls engaging in crime or delinquency.

Example: the father makes most of the decisions while the mother has less power. The parents may give their son more freedom to go out with friends and take risks, while keeping their daughter under stricter rules and closer supervision. As a result, the son may have more opportunities to engage in delinquent behavior than his sister.

Convict Criminology

A perspective in criminology that includes research and writings by former prisoners who have earned academic qualifications or work with academic researchers.

- Focuses on understanding crime, prisons, and the criminal justice system through the experiences of people who have been incarcerated.

Postmodern Criminology

A perspective in criminology that developed after WW2 and uses postmodern ideas to question traditional beliefs about crime, society, and justice.

Androcentric

A male-centered perspective that focuses mainly on men and their behavior while ignoring or overlooking women.

Example: Studying male criminal behavior without considering female criminal behavior.

Deconstructionist Theories

Theories that question and challenge traditional criminology ideas and try to replace them with ideas that better fit modern society.

Example: Questioning traditional explanations of crime and developing new ways to understand criminal behavior.

Verstehen

Understanding an event by looking at it from the perspective of the people involved.

Example: Understanding why someone committed a crime by considering their personal experiences and point of view.

Semiotics

The study of how signs, symbols, and language communicate meaning and values.

- In criminology, it looks at how language and symbols communicate ideas about crime and society.

Example: Calling someone a "criminal" can influence how others view and treat that person.

Liquid Ethnography

A person's life story that is constantly changing because of an unstable environment, often experienced by homeless or socially disadvantaged people.

Example: A homeless person frequently moves between shelters and streets, making it difficult to have a stable life.

Carnival of Crime

Criminal or rebellious behavior that people engage in for excitement, pleasure, or freedom from society's strict rules and expectations.

Example: Someone breaks rules or commits minor crimes for the thrill of rebelling against society.

Ian Taylor

Who was he? A British sociologist known for contributing to radical-critical criminology during the 1970s.

What was he known for? Criticizing postmodern approaches to crime and deviance for becoming increasingly unclear and inconsistent.

Cultural Criminology

A perspective that studies how culture, emotions, symbols, language, and the media influence how people understand crime and criminals.

- Looks at how movies, news, and social media shape people's views of crime.

Example: News reports repeatedly showing certain crimes can influence how people view criminals and crime in society.