Identifying Social Problems
The definition of a social problem varies greatly depending on whether an objectivist
approach or a constructionist approach is taken. This is because sociologists that adopt these
unique perspectives will differ in how they view the nature of a social problem. The
objectivist definition of a social problem is perhaps more common sense because it "suggests
that the essence of social problems lies in objective social conditions and that some
conditions are problems." [1] This definition focuses around the evaluation of conditions in
society to decide whether they are harmful to either individuals or society, and then defining
them as social problems. If a condition fails to meet a given criterion of harm, it then would
not be considered a social problem.
While this process of defining social problems in terms of objective conditions may
seem adequate, further analysis reveals serious flaws. Foremost "it minimizes or even
ignores the subjective nature of social problems." [2] This becomes apparent when one realizes that not all harmful conditions are considered to be social problems, such as the nutritional concerns of a high fat diet. Another flaw in considering social problems to be the result of objective conditions of harm is that "the objective conditions that people define as social problems have relatively little in common." [3] A list of social problems will have a great
variety of topics with no common theme, nor common causes and effects. It may appear that
social problems are inevitably subjective, and that a more valid definition could be sought in
the constructionist perspective.
The constructionist perspective to social problems foc...
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...abuse
could simply be a symptom of a greater problem such as the breakdown of the family, and
focus its intervention here instead. Whatever the conclusion suggested, it is always based on
the grounds statements, and is justified through the use of warrants.
Bibliography:
[1] Best, Joel. Images of Issues, Typifying Contemporary Social Problems. 2nd Edition. Aldine de Gruyter, New York. 1995, 3.
[2] Best, 1995, 4.
[3] Best, 1995, 5.
[4] Best, 1995, 6.
[5] Best, 1995, 6.
[6] Best, 1995, 8.
[7] Best , 1995, 342.
[8] Best, 1995, 345.
[9] Sgroi, Suzanne M. Handbook of Clinical intervention in Child Sexual Abuse. Lexington Books, Toronto, 1982. 9.
[10] Kendall, Diana, et al. Sociology in Our Times. ITP Nelson and Co. Toronto, 1997. 126.
[11] Best, Joel. Rhetoric in Claims about Missing Children. 1990, 31.
Social stability can be the cause of problems. After reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, we are informed that “Bokanovsky’s Process is one of the major instruments of social stability!” Now is it worth it? Is it worth the sacrifice? Questions like those are addressed throughout the book. Huxley wants to warn us of many things, for example the birth control pill, the way that we can colon ourselves and many other things. He wanted us to know that many of the experiments that they do to the caste in Brave New World, we were later going to do investigate more ourselves or start doing them to others. We have all, at a point; come to a point to the question where we ask ourselves “is it worth it? Is it worth the sacrifice?”
According to the Objectivist view, a social problem is something that is a real threat to human life (Goode and Ben-Yehuda 1994). That meaning, if something does not harm a large group of people, the threat and therefore the social problem does not
Conflict theory starts by emphasizing that conflict within society is the normal way of life and that the changing aspects can be understood by identifying the sources of conflict and power. Conflict theory argues that society is thick with conflict and that society does not work within equality; inequalities are expected to exist such as the haves having more power than have-nots. The unequal scattering of resources creates a social arrangement or class structure, which designates social structure and influences the functioning of society. According to Steven Tepper, an Associate Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University, “Cultural conflict and moral regulation can serve to demarcate acceptable and unacceptable behavior, high- and low-status lifestyles, in- and outgroup membership, and reputable and disreputable values and beliefs” (Tepper 278).
This is the foundation of the Sociological Imagination Concept. According to C. Wright Mills, sociological imagination is developed when we can place personal problems in a social situation or environment such that they are no longer viewed solely as individual or personal problems, but instead as social problems. That is problems that are shared by enough peop...
A social problem is an issue that is defined by society to be exactly that; an issue. This can range from issues such as murder; which is commonly agreed on in Australia, or to issues such as smoking or loud music being played in parks, where only certain individuals in society see it as a problem. Unemployment in Australia is considered to be a social problem, due to it affecting around 6 percent of Australia’s population (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2014). If unemployment only affected a few people then it could be said that those individuals being lazy or could not hold down a job, but due to it affecting a majority of society it then becomes a social problem.
Gusfield, J. (2011). How Do We Decide What are Social Problems? Retrieved April 6, 2011 from http://www.soc.iastate.edu/sapp/soc235ch02.html
Joel Best explains within the textbook, Social Problems, that two diverse outlooks define one’s own understanding of a social problem. These two outlooks are: The Objectivist Outlook and The Subjectivist Outlook. The Objectivist Outlook’s approach to defining social problems attempts to “crouch the definition in terms of objectively measured characteristics” (Best 4). Although this approach seems to cover all defined harmful conditions, it tends to group conditions together that some people would believe are not harmful conditions. It also has the tendency to leave specific problems out and does not “specify what constitutes harm” (Best 8). The Subjectivist Outlook defines a social problem “in terms of people’s subjective sense that something
This domain is the one that can be manipulated and fixed in a person’s life. In the United States, most of our population is considered overweight and have a poor diet. Once you add a poor diet into a person’s life, everything begins to go downhill, especially the individual’s health. Consequently, many of these practices are all tied together. When a person is emotionally unstable, they often turn to food, drugs, alcohol, and sex because they think it will make them feel better. This negatively affects any persons’ health in a variety of ways. Mentally disabled individuals already have a difficult time integrating into social norms, so adding on unhealthy life practices could juristically impact their health. Heart disease, diabetes, depression, alcoholism, and promiscuity are just a few of those
The sociological approach toward social problems is different from many social science studies. Sociology connects with social problems which are local, or global; as well as, social problems discovered in individuals, and groups. Equally important the sociological study measures the effect of people and society. “As a social science, sociology offers an objective and systematic approach to understanding the causes of social problems.” (Leon-Guerrero, 2011, pp. 5-6) Unfortunately some social problems remain more significant than other social problems. Subsequently due to the danger and, or seriousness it may cause to some, or many people in society. (Crone, 2011, p. 7)
Perhaps this matter has been approached incorrectly and the fundamental problem of social theory persists and needs to be addressed:
1) Examine the social justice perspective, including how the unequal distribution of benefits and hardships throughout the world contributes to social problems, including those that impact health.
Social problems are a rising problem caused by population growth. One of most well-known problems is the overcrowding of an area. Cities like New York and Washington D.C. are ridiculously crowded. Due to the increase of population in the city, the cost of living is much higher. The unemployment rate is also higher due to the lack of jobs over the amount of people living in the city. This causes for an increase in the crime rate. Criminals all have different motives, and one of the main motives is survival. Banks and stores are constantly robbed due to the high amount of unemployment. Families are stealing just to be able to put food on the table and clothes on their
Factors leading to marginalisation, isolation and exclusion are poverty, unemployment, poor health, disability, lack of education and other sources of disadvantage. All these factors have been associated with ill health, either directly or indirectly. For example, poverty creates ill – health because it forces people to live in environments that make them sick, without decent shelter, clean water or adequate sanitation.
...ght feel stressed. They might have to live in unsanitary or overcrowded living conditions. So they are more likely to get illnesess and diseases. They are likely to live in polluted areas. They have an increased risk of dying young. They may feel excluded from the society because of their social class. An individual’s lower social class, gender can affect their job opporunites. Some sports or activities are seen as appropriate for either male or female. A child’s gender can affect the types of toy that given to play with or sports they play at school. The individuals with low income or lower social class are likely to have poor diet and unhealthy life style as they are not able to buy good quality food like others. They are also likely to get so many diseases and illness from that such as diarrhea, obesity, cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure and cholesterol.
or her society and taking up conflicting, and sometimes completely opposite, values. It is important to note, however, that healthy and unhealthy should not be taken as either inherently positive or negative in this context. An environment that can be healthy for one person may be unhealthy for another. They should be thought of in reference to an individual and whether that particular environment is healthy or unhealthy for that specific