Anomie, Strain and Subcultural Theories of Crime

Professor Robert Agnew, Emory University, USA and Joanne M. Kaufman, Dr, University at Albany, SUNY, New York, USA

• Contents: Introduction; Part I The Origins of Strain, Anomie, and Subcultural Theory: Classic Statements; Anomic suicide, Emile Durkheim; Social structure and anomie, Robert K. Merton; Illegitimate means, anomie, and deviant behavior, Richard A. Cloward; The sociology of the deviant act: anomie theory and beyond, Albert K. Cohen. Part II The Development of Strain Theory: Control criticisms of strain theories: an assessment of theoretical and empirical adequacy, Thomas J. Bernard; Delinquency and the age structure of society, David F. Greenberg. Part III General Strain Theory: Foundation for a general strain theory of crime and delinquency, Robert Agnew; Gender and crime: a general strain theory perspective, Lisa M. Broidy and Robert Agnew; Building on the foundation of general strain theory: specifying the types of strain most likely to lead to crime and delinquency, Robert Agnew. Part IV The Development of Subcultural Theory: Delinquent subcultures: sociological interpretations of gang delinquency, David J. Bordua; Sub-cultural theory: virtues and vices, Jock Young. Part V Contemporary Subcultural Theories: Angry aggression among the 'truly disadvantaged', Thomas J. Bernard; The code of the streets, Elijah Anderson; Up it up: gender and the accomplishment of street robbery, Jody Miller. Part VI The Development of Anomie Theory: Merton's Social Structure and Anomie: the road not taken, Steven F. Messner; Global anomie, dysnomie, and economic crime: hidden consequences of neoliberalism and globalization in Russia and around the world, Nikos Passas. Part VII Institutional-Anomie Theory: Political restraint of the market and levels of criminal homicide: a cross-national application of institutional-anomie theory, Steven F. Messner and Richard Rosenfeld; Social organization and instrumental crime: assessing the empirical validity of classic and contemporary anomie theories, Eric P. Baumer and Regan Gustafson; Institutions, anomie, and violent crime: clarifying and elaborating institutional-anomie theory, Steven F. Messner, Helmut Thome and Richard Rosenfeld; Name Index.