Tolerable differences revisited: crossroads in theory on the social construction of deviance

Abstract

This paper builds on Stebbins' (1996) concept of tolerable differences, an underused tool for analysis of deviant activities and lifestyles that tend not to elicit the kind of collective condemnation traditionally reserved for serious moral and legal transgressions. Our analysis centers on two case studies of criminal tolerable deviance in Canada, the widespread use of marijuana for recreational purposes and the illegal ticket scalping trade. Whereas the former has inspired a vast body of literature, the latter has been thus far overlooked by sociologists. Consideration of the two together, in terms of Stebbins' framework, betters our understanding of the social construction of these practices, further developing theory and research on deviance more generally.