B. Review the textbooks definition of deviance. Then under the heading Reconsidering Deviance, (165) Sociologists are interested in a number of topics under the rubric of deviance because the definitions of deviance are constructed from cultural, historical and situational norms that are often in flux and can be contested in a variety of ways. List at least two areas that were discussed in the chapter that you would be interested in studying more in depth and why?

1. **Gender, Race, and Deviance:** One area of interest is how definitions of \( \text{deviance} \) intersect with issues of gender and race. Sociologists have argued that behaviors labeled as deviant can vary significantly based on cultural and historical contexts, and that power dynamics often play a role in who becomes labeled deviant. I would like to study how these labels are constructed and enforced in different social groups, and how they in turn affect social inequalities and identities. 2. **Social Control and Institutional Responses:** Another engaging topic is the relationship between deviance and the mechanisms of social control. This includes examining how institutions such as law enforcement, education, and healthcare contribute to defining and managing deviant behaviors. I am interested in understanding how strategies like criminalization or the medicalization of certain behaviors (for instance, substance abuse or mental health issues) reflect broader cultural, historical, and situational norms, and how these strategies evolve over time.