Deviant labels and generic social processes, inter-group relations of a hunting dog club

Abstract

This study is an example of ethnographic research in the tradition of interpretive sociology. It provides a conflict-interactionist analysis of the process and nature of subcultural adaptation and contributes to the sociology of deviance, social change, political sociology, and the study of everyday life.

The subject of this research is an individual club of an international hunting dog organization that registers, trains, breeds, and tests hunting dogs of the 'pointing dog' variety. The club exists for the purpose of establishing and maintaining an ideal standard for 'versatile' hunting dogs. These dogs must be able to detect by scent and 'point' game birds (both upland and waterfowl) and 'track' a variety of small fur-bearing and big 'game animals.' They must also be able to 'retrieve' these animals reliably once they are shot by the hunter.

This group constitutes a unique subculture with a distinctive set of rules, roles, routines, artifacts, and language. As part of the constellation of hunting-related activity, this group of sporting dog enthusiasts is having to cope with an increasingly hostile socio-political climate, one that might be characterized as being influenced by 'political correctness.' As a consequence, this subculture may be evolving into a deviant sub culture. This thesis documents the process of 'subcultural evolution and adaptation' as it occurred in this club as a result of this political correctness trend.

The main thesis of this research is that in the course of interacting with other subcultural groups in the broader society, members of a group of hunting dog enthusiasts have acknowledged a relationship to outsiders that is highly conflictual. This acknowledgement led to an analysis of outsider perspectives and activities that began with an identification of these outsiders, progressed to theorizing about their nature, and culminated in a critical consideration of their perspective. Subsequently, in response to the influence of outsiders, members have changed some of their activities and techniques, closed themselves off socially and physically from outsiders, and contrived a new stance and image in their interactions with the public at large. Thus, they have collectively developed strategies to adapt to outsider influence.

This study employs Howard S. Becker's (1963) well known 'conflict-interactionist' contribution to the study of deviance, 'labelling theory.' Following Robert Prus (1987; 1994; 1996), the theory generated by my case study is formulated as a set of 'generic social processes.' As such, the category of generic social processes, Relating to the Subcultural Mosaic that I propose present a theory of everyday life that is not only 'grounded' but also 'generic.'