Social Problems

Written by a respected scholar in the field, this authoritative and accessible text is a contemporary introduction to social problems. The authors introduce the major trends and future outlook for each social problem. Social policies devised to address social problems--and their consequences--are examined in depth by presenting the key research conducted to examine, explain and alleviate today's social problems. The text takes the discussion of social problems one step further by looking at each problem from a global perspective and "big picture" view.

William Kornblum conducts research on urban, social ecology, and community studies. Among his publications are: At Sea in the City: New York from the Water’s Edge; Blue Collar Community, a study of the steel mill neighborhoods of South Chicago; Growing Up Poor and Uptown Kids, written with Terry Williams, and West 42^nd Street, the Bright Lights, which during the 1980s became a guide to understanding the street life of lower Times Square. He has served as a social scientist for the U.S. Department of Interior and worked on the development of national parks and environmental reserves in the nation's metropolitan regions. He is also the author of two popular undergraduate textbooks, Social Problems (Pearson) and Sociology in a Changing World (Wadsworth). Kornblum received his PhD in sociology from the University of Chicago (1971) and his undergraduate degree in biology from Cornell (1961) He taught physics and chemistry as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ivory Coast (1962-63) and was on the faculty at the University of Washington before he came to the Graduate Center of the City University of New York in 1973.

IN THIS SECTION:

1.) BRIEF
2.) COMPREHENSIVE

BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Chapter 1:   Sociological Perspective on Social Problems
Chapter 2:   Problems of Health and Healthcare
Chapter 3:   Problems of Mental Illness and Treatment
Chapter 4:   Alcohol and Other Drugs
Chapter 5:   Crime and Violence
Chapter 6:   Poverty and Affluence
Chapter 7:   Racism, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Chapter 8: Gender and Sexuality
Chapter 9:   An Aging Society
Chapter 10: The Changing Family
Chapter 11: Problems of Education
Chapter 12: Problems of Work and the Economy
Chapter 13: Population and Immigration
Chapter 14: Technology and the Environment
Chapter 15: War and Global Insecurity

COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Chapter 1: Sociological Perspective on Social Problems
What Is a Social Problem?
Perspectives on Social Problems
The Natural History of Social Problems
The Media and Social Problems
Research on Social Problems
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 2: Problems of Health and Healthcare
Healthcare as a Global Social Problem
The Scope of Healthcare Problems in America
AIDS–A Modern Plague
Explanations of Healthcare Problems
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 3: Problems of Mental Illness and Treatment
Mental Illness as a Social Problem
The Social Construction of Mental Illness
Inequality, Conflict, and Mental Illness
Institutional Problems of Treatment and Care
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 4: Alcohol and Other Drugs
The Nature of the Problem
Alcohol Use and Abuse
Illegal Drug Use and Abuse
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 5: Crime and Violence
The Nature of Crime
Types of Crimes and Criminals
Gangs, Guns, and Violent Death
Conditions and Causes of Crime and Violence
Controlling Crime
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 6: Poverty and Affluence
The Haves and the Have-Nots
Poverty and Social Class
The Nature of Poverty
Concomitants of Poverty
Explanations of Persistent Poverty
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 7: Racism, Prejudice, and Discrimination
The Continuing Struggle for Minority Civil Rights
The Social Construction of Minorities
Defining Racism, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Origins of Prejudice and Discrimination
Institutional Discrimination
Some Consequences of Prejudice and Discrimination
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 8: Gender and Sexuality
Traditional Sex Roles
Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
Sexism and Gender Inequality
Sources of Sexism
Sources of Homophobia
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 9: An Aging Society
Aging as a Social Problem
The Elderly in America Today
Dimensions of the Aging Process
Concomitants of Aging
Retirement
Death
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 10: The Changing Family
The Nature of Families
Divorce
Postponement of Marriage
Changing Norms of Parenthood
Homeless Families
Family Violence
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 11: Problems of Education
Sociological Perspectives on Education
Educational Attainment and Achievement
Education and Equality: The Issue of Equal Access
School Reform: Problems of Institutional Change
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 12: Problems of Work and the Economy
The American Free-Enterprise System: Key Trends
Global Markets and Corporate Power
Effects on American Workers
Problem Aspects of Work
Consumers and Credit
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 13: Population and Immigration
The World's Population
Population Control
The U.S. Population
Immigration and Its Consequences
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 14: Technology and the Environment
The Nature of Technology
Controlling Technology
Technology and Institutions
Technology and the Natural Environment
Environmental Stress
The United States and the World Environment
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Chapter 15: War and Global Insecurity
Terrorism, Global and Domestic
War and Its Effects
Controlling Warfare
Theories about War and Its Origins
Social Policy
Going Beyond Left and Right

Glossary
Bibliography
Photo Credits
Index

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Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials