SOC 2760 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Erving Goffman, Victimology, Microanalysis

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 2760
• Professor: Rob Shearer

Document Summary

Week 5: chapter 5 sociological explanaions of homicide. Structural theories of homicide: context and key concepts. Homicide research has focused on the relaionship between homicide and two forms of economic deprivaion, namely absolute" and relaive" deprivaion. Absolute deprivaion refers to real" deprivaion or poverty, that is, access to meagre economic resources that are barely adequate to meet basic needs. Absolute deprivaion is generally linked to homicide in terms of the feelings of stress, strain, frustraion, alienaion, demoralisaion and powerlessness that can result from such condiions. In contrast, relaive deprivaion refers to inequality in terms of access to economic resources between diferent groups or secions of society as opposed to poverty per se. Those interested in relaive deprivaion focus upon inequality, rather than the absolute amount of deprivaion as a source of ofending (in paricular racial inequality). Some structural explanaions of homicide focus more speciically upon social disorganisaion within paricular areas or communiies and how this can foster violence.