Durkheim On Deviance

As society evolves through time, concepts and perceptions in relation to the construction of deviance are altered as new cultural customs are installed; and when analyzing such topic, two different approaches can be analyzed. To a functionalist approach, Emile Durkheim argues that deviance is bound to occur through an individual's experience with freedom, once norms developed are distinct in different societies. Conjunctively, the sociologist argued that deviance is necessary for a successful society. On the contrary,, Michel Foucault's ideas on punishment rely on how individuals perceive and behave towards surveillance. Concepts constructed within a given society may vary, and are not legally imposed. Yet, individuals still perceive it as rules. Correlating such thoughts, deviance can be perceived as a social construction.
It is important to emphasize that such behavior can be perceived as relative -being dependent on its given time and space. Such behavior may also vary in judgement from one society to another, each one singularly defining what it is and what is not considered a deviant behavior. When relating to such norms, the concept of collective consciousness is brought to discussion.
In such sense, the collective consciousness is defined as the conjunction of characteristics and common knowledge developed within society, deriving on individuals thinking and acting upon similar sense, and corresponding to social norms, cultural codes, morals and collective representative. As a functionalist, Durkheim states that an individual in many of its practices is influenced by the society one is inserted. Consequently, a member of a society and their actions are strongly influenced by its individual and collective consciousness, having their train of action influenced by social norms and