Deviant identity in online contexts: New directives in the study of a classic concept

This article provides an overview of emerging research into the concept of deviant identity by highlighting major new directions in cyber-deviance scholarship. We suggest that the examination of deviance in online settings offers unique new insights into the processes of identity construction and reinforcement, role play, and the social organization of deviant communities. We conclude by considering developments that may advance the literature on deviant identity in real world spaces, as well as expand the conceptual utility of deviance for other subareas of sociology.