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Social Problems

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Title: Social Problems


1
Social Problems
2
Definition of a Social Problem
  • Social problems have two components 1. an
    objective component 2. a subjective component

3
Textbook Definition
  • when enough people in a society agree that a
    condition exists that threatens the quality of
    their lives and their most cherished values, and
    they also agree that something should be done to
    remedy the condition
  • This definition is vague

4
Awareness of Social Problems
  • Our own experience
  • The Media
  • social movements

5
Sociological ImaginationC. Wright Mills (1959)
  • An awareness of the relationship between an
    individual and the wider society
  • The ability to view one's own society as an
    outsider would, rather than from the limited
    perspective of personal experiences and cultural
    biases
  • our experiences are influenced by social forces
  • Mills argued that the Sociological Imagination
    enables us to understand the relationship between
    private problems and public issues

6
  • Because Americans stress personal individualism,
    we commonly think in terms of the individual
    deviant and his or her problem.

7
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL PROBLEMS
  • Sociological perspective tend to focus on one of
    two different levels 1. Theories of society
    (macro theories) 2. social psychological
    theories (micro theories)

8
  • Structural Functionalism
  • Macro Theories Conflict Theory
  • Micro Theories Symbolic Interaction

9
FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE (Structural
Functionalism)
  • First used by August Comte, and Herbert Spencer.
  • The central idea of functional analysis is that
    society is a whole unit, made up of interrelated
    parts that work together.
  • It views society as something like a living
    organism with the different institutions such as
    the political, family and religious acting like
    the brain, and the heart to maintain the body
    alive.

10
  • Societies represent an intricate system of
    interrelated parts (social structures) whose
    activities have consequences (social functions)

11
  • Functionalists see a common set of norms and
    values as the glue that holds groups,
    institutions, and whole societies together.
  • Thus, one of the major sources of contemporary
    social problems is the weakening of the social
    consensus
  • Functionalists theorists assume that human beings
    work together through common consensus to
    collectively preserve society.

12
  • social disorganization involves a breakdown of
    social structure, so that its various parts no
    longer work together as smoothly as they should

13
Conflict Theory
  • This perspective is associated with the writings
    of Karl Marx
  • Conflict perspective assumes that social behavior
    is best understood in terms of conflict or
    tension among competing groups
  • It views societies as being composed of diverse
    groups with conflicting values and interests

14
Conflict Theory - continued
  • Conflict theorists see a diverse collection of
    social groups all struggling for wealth, power
    and prestige
  • Marx stressed that there are two social classes
    with competing interest1. The bourgeoisie and
    2. the proletariat
  • Conflict sociologists see social problems as the
    inevitable byproducts of power

15
Conflict Theory - continued
  • social problems are in large part the result of
    the intentional exploitation of weak groups by
    powerful ones
  • Sociologists use the conflict model not only on
    economic conflicts but also on conflicts that
    have no clear economic basis, conflicts over
    values, ethics, and behavior

16
Value Conflict Theory
  • Value Conflict Theorists define social problems
    as conditions that are incompatible with group
    values.
  • According to this theory, social problems occur
    when groups with different values meet and
    compete.
  • From this perspective social problems need to be
    understood in terms of which groups hold which
    values and have the power to enforce them against
    the wishes of other groups.

17
Feminist Theory
  • not really a single theory but a group of
    theories that share a concern with the same basic
    questions
  • Many feminists believe that the exploitation of
    women by their male counterparts is the original
    and most basic form of social exploitation

18
SYMBOLIC-INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVES
  • George Herbert Mead American Sociologist
    (1863-1931) is the founder of this perspective
  • Social psychology is concerned with the behavior
    of single individuals and small groups, and their
    relationships with the larger society
  • Symbolic interactionists view symbols- things
    that we attach meaning- as the basis of social
    life.

19
  • A symbol is something representing something
    else symbols range from words and language to
    nonverbal gestures and signs
  • According to symbolic interaction, people attach
    meanings to each other?s words and actions
  • To understand individual behavior, the
    interactionist tries to look at the world though
    the eyes of the actors involved

20
  • This understanding of the of the conditions in
    which we find ourselves, known as the definition
    of the situation
  • Symbolic interactionism explains our behavior in
    terms of the patterns of thoughts and beliefs we
    have, and in terms of the meaning we give our
    lives

21
Social Construction Of Social Problems
  • This approach argues that some social problems
    become dominant and others remain weak or
    unheeded.
  • The activities of individuals and institutions in
    society shape our consciousness of the social
    world.
  • Journalists, television commentators, editorial
    writers, professors among others.

22
Labeling An Interactionist View
  • This theory focuses on the impact of labels
    applied to those who deviate.
  • Power differences result in an inconsistency in
    labeling.
  • Labeling theorists argue that social problems are
    conditions under which certain behaviors or
    situations become defined as social problems.

23
  • Who benefits from labeling homosexuals deviant?
  • Terrorists vs Freedom fighters, looters vs
    desperate survivors.
  • According to labeling theory, the way to solve
    social problems is to change the definition of
    what is considered deviant.
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