Howard S. Becker is an American sociologist best known for developing labeling theory in his 1963 book Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance, which argued that deviance is not an inherent quality of an act but the product of social rules and the application of labels by others, so that a person becomes deviant chiefly through the social process of being caught, defined, and treated as an outsider. Trained in the Chicago School tradition, Becker conducted early fieldwork on jazz musicians and marijuana users that grounded his theory in close observation of how deviant careers and subcultures actually form. He also wrote extensively on the sociology of art and occupations, notably in Art Worlds (1982), which examined artistic production as the outcome of cooperative networks of people rather than the achievement of isolated individual genius.
Facts
Birth DateSourced to the subject's own account Birth YearSourced to the subject's own account Death DateSourced to the subject's own account Death YearSourced to the subject's own account BirthplaceSourced to the subject's own account Death PlaceSourced to the subject's own account Nationality / CultureSourced to the subject's own account Defining ContributionSourced to the subject's own accountMade contributions to the sociology of deviance, sociology of art, and sociology of music. 1 Notable WorkSourced to the subject's own accountOutsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance 1 Connections
Associated With
Source Howard S. Becker (Wikipedia)
Source Howard S. Becker (Wikipedia)
Source Howard S. Becker (Wikipedia)
Informed By
Becker studied under Hughes at the University of Chicago, and Hughes influence on the sociology of work and occupations shaped Becker own labeling theory.
Theories Developed
Howard S. Becker is the foundational labeling theorist (Outsiders, 1963).
Source Wikipedia: Labeling Theory
In the Other Atlases
Nationality
Also in Geography Atlas: the nationality of this subject.
Source Howard S. Becker (Wikipedia)Lead paragraph of the cited Wikipedia articletier 3Quote, Lead paragraph of the cited Wikipedia article
Howard Saul Becker (April 18, 1928 – August 16, 2023) was an American sociologist who taught at Northwestern University.
Sources
1. Howard S. Becker (Wikipedia)
Wikipedialead sentence, birth date clause
Howard Saul Becker (April 18, 1928, August 16, 2023) was an American sociologist who taught at Northwestern University.
lead sentence, birth year figure
Howard Saul Becker (April 18, 1928, August 16, 2023) was an American sociologist who taught at Northwestern University.
lead sentence, death date clause
Howard Saul Becker (April 18, 1928, August 16, 2023) was an American sociologist who taught at Northwestern University.
lead sentence, death year figure
Howard Saul Becker (April 18, 1928, August 16, 2023) was an American sociologist who taught at Northwestern University.
Early life section, birthplace sentence
Howard Saul Becker was born into a Jewish family on April 18, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Allan Becker
Retirement and death section, death sentence
Howard S. Becker died in San Francisco on August 16, 2023, at the age of 95.
lead sentence, nationality descriptor
Howard Saul Becker (April 18, 1928, August 16, 2023) was an American sociologist who taught at Northwestern University.
lead paragraph, notable work sentence
Becker's 1963 book Outsiders provided the foundations for labeling theory.
lead paragraph, contributions sentence
Becker made contributions to the sociology of deviance, sociology of art, and sociology of music.
Associated With: University of Chicago, Article text
At the University of Chicago, Becker was taught in the tradition of the original Chicago School of Sociology.
Associated With: Stanford University, Article text
He was later awarded a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Illinois from 1953 to 1955, and then spent three years as a research associate at Stanford University's Institute for the Study of Human Problems before beginning his teaching career. === Teaching career === After receiving his doctorate at the University of Chicago, Becker worked for three years as an instructor in sociology and social sciences at the University of Chicago.
Associated With: Northwestern University, Article text
Howard Saul Becker (April 18, 1928, August 16, 2023) was an American sociologist who taught at Northwestern University.
View the Source Wikidata: Howard S. Becker
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