Exam 45: Connections: Marginality, Identity and Music Scenes, Tammy Landerson

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Anderson believes that multiculturalism can enhance the study of deviance for several reasons. First, she argues that multiculturalism allows for a more comprehensive understanding of deviant behavior by considering the diverse cultural perspectives and experiences that shape individuals' actions. This can provide a more nuanced and holistic understanding of deviance, as it takes into account the social, historical, and cultural factors that influence individuals' behavior.

To illustrate this point, we can consider the punk rock music scene in the 1970s. In this scene, individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds came together to express their dissatisfaction with mainstream society through music, fashion, and lifestyle. By examining the punk rock movement through a multicultural lens, we can understand how different cultural experiences and perspectives contributed to the development of deviant behavior within this subculture. For example, the experiences of working-class individuals and marginalized communities played a significant role in shaping the punk rock movement, and a multicultural approach allows us to appreciate the diversity of influences that contributed to deviant behavior within this scene.

Furthermore, Anderson suggests that multiculturalism can challenge traditional notions of deviance by highlighting the ways in which power dynamics and social inequalities shape the labeling of certain behaviors as deviant. By considering the perspectives of marginalized and minority groups, multiculturalism can shed light on the ways in which deviance is constructed and enforced within society.

In the context of the punk rock scene, a multicultural approach can reveal how the mainstream media and authorities labeled punk rockers as deviant based on their unconventional appearance and anti-establishment attitudes. By considering the perspectives of individuals from different cultural backgrounds, we can understand how the labeling of punk rockers as deviant was influenced by power dynamics and social inequalities, rather than inherent criminality or pathology.

Overall, Anderson's belief in the potential of multiculturalism to enhance the study of deviance is supported by the ways in which it allows for a more comprehensive understanding of deviant behavior and challenges traditional notions of deviance. By examining the punk rock music scene through a multicultural lens, we can appreciate the diverse cultural influences that shaped deviant behavior within this subculture and understand the ways in which power dynamics and social inequalities contribute to the labeling of certain behaviors as deviant.