"Howard S. Becker, Who Looked at Society With a Fresh Eye, Dies at 95"

"Howard S. Becker, an eminent American sociologist who brought his wide-ranging curiosity, sharp observation and dry wit to subjects as diverse as the art world, marijuana use and the meaning of deviance, died on Wednesday at his home in San Francisco. He was 95.

Dr. Becker was probably best known for “Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance,” a groundbreaking book published in 1963. “The central fact about deviance: It is created by society,” he wrote, arguing that “deviance” is inherent not in certain behaviors but in the way those behaviors are viewed by others." 

Read the full piece here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/21/books/howard-s-becker-dead.html