Kai Erikson's View of Crime in Society

A Functionalist Perspective in 'Wayward Puritans' (1966)

Scientific Essay , 2012 , 10 Pages , Grade: 2.1 (British scale)

Sociology - Law and Delinquency

This paper will attempt to evaluate Kai Erikson’s functionalist criminological perspective in his work 'Wayward Puritans', and will determine to what extent deviance in society is an important condition in preserving the stability of social life.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Functionalism and Deviance
• Erikson's Functionalist Interpretation of the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria
• Deviance as a Preserver of Social Order: An Alternative Perspective
• Critique of Functionalism and its Drawbacks
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines Kai Erikson's functionalist perspective on deviance, using the Salem witchcraft hysteria of 1692 as a case study. The objective is to understand how Erikson applies functionalist principles to explain the events in Salem, particularly the role of deviance in maintaining social stability. Key themes explored include:

• The role of deviance in preserving social order
• The concept of "boundary crisis" and its implications for community identity
• The influence of social anxieties and anomie on deviant behavior
• The use of scapegoating as a mechanism for social cohesion
• The functions of deviance in reinforcing social norms and boundaries

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• The paper begins by outlining the key assumptions of functionalism and the role of deviance in society. It defines deviance as a set of actions that violate social norms and discusses how functionalists view deviance as a means of maintaining social order.
• Erikson's functionalist interpretation of the Salem witchcraft hysteria is then presented. He argues that the hysteria was a response to a "boundary crisis" in the Puritan community, where social anxieties and anomie led to the scapegoating of individuals perceived as deviant. The community, unable to cope with external threats, used the witch-hunts to restore order and reinforce social norms.
• The paper then explores an alternative perspective on deviance, suggesting that it can also contribute to social order by providing a mechanism for boundary renewal. This perspective argues that deviance can serve as a catalyst for social change and the reaffirmation of shared values.
• The final section critiques the functionalist perspective, highlighting its limitations and potential drawbacks. It suggests that while functionalism can provide valuable insights into social phenomena, it may also oversimplify complex social processes and fail to adequately account for individual agency.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper focuses on the concepts of functionalism, deviance, social order, boundary crisis, scapegoating, anomie, and community identity. The Salem witchcraft hysteria serves as a case study to explore these concepts and the role they play in social stability and change.

• College: The University of York
• Course: Sociology with Criminology
• Grade: 2.1 (British scale)
• Author: Saskia Andresen (Author)
• Publication Year: 2012
• Pages: 10
• Catalog Number: V233283
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656498452
• ISBN (Book): 9783656499503
• Language: English
• Tags: sociology, criminology, functionalism, durkheim, Kai erikson, Wayward puritans, Salem witch trials