<p> This dissertation is composed of three essays that employ a social constructionist
perspective to critically examine the way in which sociologists, criminologists and
laypeople alike construct their subjects of study. Specifically, each essay examines how
claimsmakers establish the "facts of the matter" and construct the frames within which
social actors can experience their social realities. In doing so, the essays demonstrate that
those who are engaged in analyzing and addressing social problems, crime and deviance
act as claims makers engaged in constructing the realities they study.</p> <p> The first of the essays examines the way in which sociologists and criminologists
construct deviance and crime through the popular concept of "techniques of
neutralization." The author demonstrates how the neutralization concept requires analysts
to frame the speech of their subjects in a way that reinforces the deviant label. In doing
so, analysts' claims about neutralizing behavior are made sensible.</p> <p> The second essay focuses on a subculture of male pickup artists. It examines how
members of the subculture use evolutionary psychology in their claims about how to
attract and seduce women. How these men construct their reality using evolutionary
science provides further insights into the processes by which people are constructed and
how science is employed in the construction of social problems.</p> <p>The third essay offers a commentary on the social constructionist approach itself.
The author considers the process by which social constructionists themselves define
constructionist theories and construct the boundaries of what constitutes legitimate
constructionist research.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/17289 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Christensen, Antony |
| Contributors | Pawluch, D.A., Sociology |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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