Constructing Social Problems

Constructing Social Problems PDF Author: Malcolm Spector
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351526332
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 197

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Book Description
There is no adequate definition of social problems within sociology, and there is not and never has been a sociology of social problems. That observation is the point of departure of this book. The authors aim to provide such a definition and to prepare the ground for the empirical study of social problems. They are aware that their objective will strike many fellow sociologists as ambitious, perhaps even arrogant. Their work challenges sociologists who have, over a period of fifty years, written treatises on social problems, produced textbooks cataloguing the nature, distribution, and causes of these problems, and taught many sociology courses. It is only natural that the authors' work will be viewed as controversial in light of the large literature which has established a "sociology of" a wide range of social problems-the sociology of race relations, prostitution, poverty, crime, mental illness, and so forth. In the 1970s when the authors were preparing for a seminar on the sociology of social problems, their review of the "literature" revealed the absence of any systematic, coherent statement of theory or method in the study of social problems. For many years the subject was listed and offered by university departments of sociology as a "service course" to present undergraduates with what they should know about the various "social pathologies" that exist in their society. This conception of social problems for several decades has been reflected in the substance and quality of the literature dominated by textbooks. In 'Constructing Social Problems', the authors propose that social problems be conceived as the claims-making activities of individuals or groups regarding social conditions they consider unjust, immoral, or harmful and that should be addressed. This perspective, as the authors have formulated it, conceives of social problems as a process of interaction that produces social problems as social facts in society. The authors further propose that this process and the social facts it produces are the data to be researched for the sociology of social problems. This volume will be of interest to those concerned with the discipline of sociology, especially its current theoretical development and growth.

Constructing Social Problems

Constructing Social Problems PDF Author: Malcolm Spector
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351526332
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 197

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Book Description
There is no adequate definition of social problems within sociology, and there is not and never has been a sociology of social problems. That observation is the point of departure of this book. The authors aim to provide such a definition and to prepare the ground for the empirical study of social problems. They are aware that their objective will strike many fellow sociologists as ambitious, perhaps even arrogant. Their work challenges sociologists who have, over a period of fifty years, written treatises on social problems, produced textbooks cataloguing the nature, distribution, and causes of these problems, and taught many sociology courses. It is only natural that the authors' work will be viewed as controversial in light of the large literature which has established a "sociology of" a wide range of social problems-the sociology of race relations, prostitution, poverty, crime, mental illness, and so forth. In the 1970s when the authors were preparing for a seminar on the sociology of social problems, their review of the "literature" revealed the absence of any systematic, coherent statement of theory or method in the study of social problems. For many years the subject was listed and offered by university departments of sociology as a "service course" to present undergraduates with what they should know about the various "social pathologies" that exist in their society. This conception of social problems for several decades has been reflected in the substance and quality of the literature dominated by textbooks. In 'Constructing Social Problems', the authors propose that social problems be conceived as the claims-making activities of individuals or groups regarding social conditions they consider unjust, immoral, or harmful and that should be addressed. This perspective, as the authors have formulated it, conceives of social problems as a process of interaction that produces social problems as social facts in society. The authors further propose that this process and the social facts it produces are the data to be researched for the sociology of social problems. This volume will be of interest to those concerned with the discipline of sociology, especially its current theoretical development and growth.

Social Problems

Social Problems PDF Author: James William Coleman
Publisher: Prentice Hall
ISBN: 9780321018489
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 664

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Book Description
Organization is a key strength of this best-selling introduction to social problems. The book opens with an overview of the sociological tools and perspectives that are used in the study of social problems. It then lays a solid foundation by discussing fundamental changes and problems in the four basic social institutions, the economy, government, education, and family, before examining more specific topics, such as health care and poverty. The writing is clear, direct, and reinforced with high-impact, full-color graphics throughout. This edition has been updated to include two new features: "Signs of Hope" boxes, which help promote a positive outlook on today's social problems, and "Personal Perspectives" boxes, which present personal accounts of individuals' own experiences with particular social problems.

Understanding Social Problems

Understanding Social Problems PDF Author: Linda A. Mooney
Publisher: Cengage Learning
ISBN: 9780176502775
Category : Canada
Languages : en
Pages : 544

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Book Description
Written from a distinctly Canadian point of view, Understanding Social Problems, Fourth Canadian Edition, examines how the structure and culture of societies contribute to social problems and their consequences. This text has strong pedagogical features and is comprehensive in its coverage, progressing from micro to macro levels of analysis. It focuses first on problems of health care, drug use, and crime, and then broadens to the widening concerns of population, health and welfare, science and technology, large-scale inequality and environmental problems. Known for its inclusive approach, Understanding Social Problems, Fourth Canadian Edition, explores powerful stories of real life people struggling with the challenges society and its problems have thrust upon them.

Global Social Problems

Global Social Problems PDF Author: Victor George
Publisher: Polity
ISBN: 0745629512
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
In this major new textbook, Vic George and Robert Page provide an original and much-needed introduction to global social problems and the emergence of a global social policy response. In an increasingly globalized world, it is inevitable that many of the social problems which have so far been seen as national in character will assume a global character. Global social problems are those which cannot be confined within national boundaries and which need both national and international attention if they are to be ameliorated. Pollution of the atmosphere is a stark example of this process. Global Social Problems begins with a discussion of the contested concept of globalization. Then eight of the most important global social problems are explored and explained by leading experts in environmental degration, international poverty, crime, AIDS, drugs, family violence, racism and migration. The book also includes chapter which explores the global social policy implications of these developments. With suggestions for further reading and accessible style, this book will be essential reading for undergraduate students in the social science, particularly those studying social policy, sociology and politics.

Social Problems

Social Problems PDF Author: James William Coleman
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780130413734
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 680

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Book Description
This text encourages undergraduates to think about social problems in a critical, scientific way. Chapters are presented in sections on institutions, inequality, conformity and deviance, and problems of a changing world. Learning features include boxed readings on positive developments, personal ins

The Complete Works of Henry George

The Complete Works of Henry George PDF Author: Henry George
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Book Description


Fathoming the Holocaust

Fathoming the Holocaust PDF Author: Ronald J. Berger
Publisher: Transaction Publishers
ISBN: 9780202366111
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
Fathoming the Holocaust represents the culmination of a singular effort to attempt to explain the Final Solution to the "Jewish Problem" in terms of a general theory of social problems construction. The book is comprehensive in scope, covering the origins and emergence of the Final Solution, wartime reaction to it, and the postwar memory of the genocide. It does so within the framework of a social problems construction, a perspective that treats social problems not as a condition but as an activity that identifies and defines problems, persuades others that something must be done about them, and generates practical programs of remedial action. Berger holds that social problems have a "natural history," that is, they evolve through a sequence of stages that entail the development and unfolding of claims about problems and the formulation and implementation of solutions. Fathoming the Holocaust is therefore a book that aims to advance sociological understanding of the Holocaust, not simply to describe its history, but to examine its social construction, that is, to understand it as a consequence of concerted human activity. In doing so, Berger hopes to encourage the teaching of the Holocaust in the social scientific curricula of higher education. In contrast to the extensive historical literature on the Holocaust, Berger offers a distinctly sociological approach that examines how the Holocaust was constructed--first as a social policy designed by the Nazis, implemented by functionaries, and resisted by its victims and opponents; later as several varying layers of historical memory. The scope of this book extends from the prewar through the contemporary periods, focusing on the societal issues governing the interpreting of these events in Israel, the German Federal Republic, and the United States. Berger's is a text with both large general interest and essential material for courses in social problems, European history, and Jewish studies. Ronald J. Berger, professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, has previously published six books and numerous articles and book chapters. His earlier book on the Holocaust was a sociological account of his father and uncle's survival experiences.

How Can We Solve Our Social Problems?

How Can We Solve Our Social Problems? PDF Author: James A. Crone
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 141299358X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 306

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Book Description
Updated with recent issues such as the national debate on health care reform, this Second Edition of How Can We Solve Our Social Problems? gives students a sense of hope by demonstrating specific, realistic steps we can take to solve some of the most pervasive social problems in America today. Author James Crone maintains a sense of sociological objectivity throughout and helps students realize that we can take steps to solve such key social problems as poverty, racial and ethnic inequality, unequal education, and environmental issues. The book's first two chapters define "social problem,," provide a theoretical background, discuss the daunting barriers we face in attempting to solve social problems, and demonstrate how sociology can help.

Social Problems & Social Movements

Social Problems & Social Movements PDF Author: Harry H. Bash
Publisher: Humanities Press International
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
The two sociological fields of Social Problems and Social Movements have been typically disassociated and treated in isolation from each other. Harry Bash traces the development of these sociological specializations and, in doing so, brings together a widely dispersed literature.

Science, Technology, and Development: Social problems of development and urbanization

Science, Technology, and Development: Social problems of development and urbanization PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Agriculture
Languages : en
Pages : 104

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Book Description