Applications of Social Control Theory: Criminality and Governmentality

In sociology, the concept of social control has undergone various transformations. In contemporary sociology, social control is primarily understood in the context of the enforcement of law and/or the control of crime and deviance. Historically, however, the concept of social control enjoyed a much more expansive meaning. First, social control is an analytical concept (not a specific theory) that can be conceptualized in at least two ways: as a broad concept related to social order; or in a narrow understanding related to crime and/or deviance. This paper, reviews the concept of social control in sociology as well as its implications in empirical research in the social sciences. However, a sustained treatment of social control in a theoretically systematic way will contribute to better formulation of adequate theoretical models of social control which will also add to our study of institutions and practices.