Discuss the differences between the positivist approach to the study of deviance and the interactionist approach to the study of deviance. What are the key differences in how deviance is conceptualized and researched? What are the benefits of each for understanding deviant behavior? Which approach is best suited for the study of what is referred to in the book as the politics of deviance designation?

A key aspect of chapter 2 in the book is the discussion of the medicalization of deviance, that is, the 20th century trend toward greater acceptance of medial definitions of deviance as the product of sickness or disease. In you view is this a good development for modern society? Does medicalization of deviance absolve rule breakers of any moral responsibility?What are the possible negative aspects of granting medical authority a dominant voicein defining and dealing with deviance?

Respond to the following questions (clearly identify the questions to which you are responding) directly on the forum:

3.1 (Individual; 1 paragraph) On “historical reasoning”/YT video to watch

YT: On historical reasoning: How to analyze, understand, and interpret historical events httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSJLmWnxrPg (7:42 min.)

In
AAS100OL, we will be examining many historical events that have formed
significant parts of the Asian American/Asian Pacific Islander American
experiences. The short video talks about the importance of the
contextuality (= time and space) of historical events to understand them
better. That is, were there any other events happening when the
historical event A was happening? How does the YT video shed some new
light on your understanding of (a) Abraham Lincoln and (b) the
Montgomery Bus Boycott?

3.2 (Individual; 1 paragraph) The Anglo-Saxon Core and Ethnic Antagonism”

WT: Chinese Exclusion Act, 1882: www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/chinex.htm + additional web research– Bring the text to class

How
has the Anglo-Saxon Core as a set of cultural, economic, political,
educational, legal, military, and religions structures
“disproportionately” set the rules of “the game” (of defining and
implementing dominance and subordination) and terms of competition
among ethnic groups? How has it created patterns of ethnic antagonism
and discrimination in America when they involve immigrants?

4. Journey of Man (Individual)

Film/video: Journey
of Man (10459/DVD/113:34 mins.): Availabe @ Oviatt & YT; you are
welcome to check out other commercial availability on your own.

4.1
(Individual; in 1 paragraph) In what ways do the African San people who
left Africa and made their way out to the rest of the world and Asian
immigrants who left their home countries to come and settle in American
share? What are the common denominators—what drove both groups out of
their home countries?

4.2 (Individual; in 1 paragraph) How
does environment affect the physical differences found in humans? Why
are “we all Africans under the skin”?

4.3 (In1 sentence; he is important because … .) Why is the man in Kazakhstan so important to the thesis of this film