Deviance is defined as “any action, belief, or human characteristic that members of a society or social group consider a violation of group norms for which the violator is likely to be censured or punished.” How is deviance socially constructed? What does it mean to say that deviance is relative? What identities do you think are most deviant?

How does being a member of a racialized and oppressed population in the United States influence the interactions one might have with police officers? Why might these populations distrust police?

How do you think the community in which a person grows up influences that person’s likelihood of becoming a deviant in society? Think about the school one attends, friends and family, access to clean food and water, stable housing, and so on. How might these social factors influence a person’s experience with deviance and deviant labels?