Writer’s Choice
Howard Becker’s “Becoming a Marijuana User” is a classic example of inductive research. Becker is sort of the fun uncle of Sociology: lots of research about jazz, marijuana, and supposedly-deviant behavior. There were theories about some of these things, but Becker thought that many of them didn’t line up with lived experience. This article represents both a rejection of existing theory (that understood smoking marijuana as an expression of deviant traits) and an opportunity to build a new theory (that saw smoking marijuana as a social experience, taught by peers). There’s less detail than you might want on the “how” he carried out the research, but try to think through his support for claims as you read this. Also: enjoy the old-timey slang!
I would like you to highlight key passages (and explain why they are key), point out connections between readings, stress contradictions, ask questions.
Highlight about three parts of the passage, comment on them share your thoughts base on what you are instructed to do.
Readings
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lsCcycPa9TEHdhyQYLk5a7EUdoXTcN5P/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i64gWHRGAtKzV2SbYgIEHRUKlWd7iMJw/view?usp=sharing