La normalità contesa. Guida allo studio della sociologia della devianza e del crimine

Abstract

The volume is an essential tool for students who wish to understand the complexity of deviant and criminal phenomena beyond superficial definitions. Born from an experimental project between the “Virgilio Floriani” High School of Human Sciences in Vimercate (MB) and the “Bodies, Rights, Conflicts” Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory of the Department of Culture and Society at the University of Palermo, this book offers a critical approach to the study of deviance and crime. Through the lens of sociological analysis, we seek to recognize that concepts such as “normal” and “deviant” are not objective facts but powerful social constructions influenced by power, culture, and historical contexts. The aim is to shift the focus from individual causes to the labeling processes and social reactions that transform an act into a crime and an individual into an “outsider.” Furthermore, it explores how laws and justice are shaped by social conflicts and how definitions of what is “illicit” often serve to consolidate the interests of dominant groups. This educational path does not limit itself to providing answers; it stimulates the ability to ask the right questions, developing the awareness and critical analysis skills indispensable for resisting prejudice and actively participating in the improvement of society. The goal is to train citizens who can look beneath the surface of facts, critically analyzing the role of the media, institutions, and science in the construction of deviant and criminal social reality.