Summary of Article:
Robert Wonser and David Boyn’s article “The Caped Crusader: What Batman Films tell Us About Crime and Deviance,” explore the “sociology of deviance” within the Batman trilogy (Wonser, p. 1). Throughout discussing the relevancy of deviance and crime in fiction films within modern society, particularly centring on the Batman series over the last decade. Current motion pictures consistently explore criminology in the many forms it presumes in, thus presenting cultural relevant themes of deviance. Wonser and Boyn’s work analyzes the Batman films while discussing the application of sociological concepts, focusing on Batman as one who obeys and breaks social laws (Wonser, p. 2). Fantasy films stimulate the sociological imagination …show more content…
Throughout these films various villains are underlined in the construction of social deviance. Wonser and Boyn describe the multitude of crime in Gotham, stating “corporate crime is widespread, police corruption is rampant, and deviant subcultures rule the streets of the inner cities” (Wonser, p. 2). Gotham highlights concepts of the popular cultural deviance that underlines classical social norms that take place in a modern setting. By means of emphasising Batman’s delinquent behaviours, he continues to tread the fine line between justice and crime. Many of Batman’s villains resulted to deviant behaviour because they were rejected from society by not meeting the social norms applicable within Gotham. These villains demonstrate the different perspectives deviance and crime can occur in, ultimately relating back to their primary socialisation and the social constructions surrounding them (Wonser, p. …show more content…
Durkheim states that the social relations embedded into individuals define acceptable morals, values and beliefs which are acceptable within a society (Prasad, 2014). Social norms are the informally acceptable behaviours, actions, and beliefs which members within a group consent to. When there is a disruption in positive reinforcement this perspective prevails that social relationships are weakened. Durkheim argues that a condition of ‘deregulation’ in a society creates a state of normalness called Anomie, which fundamentally lead to deviance (Prasad, 2014). For Durkheim, deviance produces “boundaries” within a social group in order to maintain social control and order within the basic norms of that group (Wonser, p. 3). Robert Wonser and David Boyn state that “most sociologists often note…both norms and deviance are social constructions” (Wonser, p. 4). Where you see social disruption, deviance and crime increases as a
Robert Wonser and David Boyn’s article “The Caped Crusader: What Batman Films tell Us About Crime and Deviance,” explore the “sociology of deviance” within the Batman trilogy (Wonser, p. 1). Throughout discussing the relevancy of deviance and crime in fiction films within modern society, particularly centring on the Batman series over the last decade. Current motion pictures consistently explore criminology in the many forms it presumes in, thus presenting cultural relevant themes of deviance. Wonser and Boyn’s work analyzes the Batman films while discussing the application of sociological concepts, focusing on Batman as one who obeys and breaks social laws (Wonser, p. 2). Fantasy films stimulate the sociological imagination …show more content…
Throughout these films various villains are underlined in the construction of social deviance. Wonser and Boyn describe the multitude of crime in Gotham, stating “corporate crime is widespread, police corruption is rampant, and deviant subcultures rule the streets of the inner cities” (Wonser, p. 2). Gotham highlights concepts of the popular cultural deviance that underlines classical social norms that take place in a modern setting. By means of emphasising Batman’s delinquent behaviours, he continues to tread the fine line between justice and crime. Many of Batman’s villains resulted to deviant behaviour because they were rejected from society by not meeting the social norms applicable within Gotham. These villains demonstrate the different perspectives deviance and crime can occur in, ultimately relating back to their primary socialisation and the social constructions surrounding them (Wonser, p. …show more content…
Durkheim states that the social relations embedded into individuals define acceptable morals, values and beliefs which are acceptable within a society (Prasad, 2014). Social norms are the informally acceptable behaviours, actions, and beliefs which members within a group consent to. When there is a disruption in positive reinforcement this perspective prevails that social relationships are weakened. Durkheim argues that a condition of ‘deregulation’ in a society creates a state of normalness called Anomie, which fundamentally lead to deviance (Prasad, 2014). For Durkheim, deviance produces “boundaries” within a social group in order to maintain social control and order within the basic norms of that group (Wonser, p. 3). Robert Wonser and David Boyn state that “most sociologists often note…both norms and deviance are social constructions” (Wonser, p. 4). Where you see social disruption, deviance and crime increases as a