Thinking About Social Problems | p. 1 |
What is a Social Problem? | p. 2 |
Elements of Social Structure and Culture | p. 5 |
The Sociological Imagination | p. 9 |
Theoretical Perspectives | p. 10 |
Social Problems Research | p. 16 |
Goals of the Text | p. 22 |
Understanding Social Problems | p. 25 |
Problems of Well-Being | p. 28 |
Illness and the Health Care Crisis | p. 30 |
The Global Context: Patterns of Health and Disease | p. 31 |
Sociological Theories of Illness and Health Care | p. 35 |
Health Concerns of U.S. College Students | p. 38 |
Social Factors Associated with Health and Illness | p. 41 |
Problems in U.S. Health Care | p. 45 |
Strategies for Action: Improving Health and Health Care | p. 48 |
Understanding Illness and Health Care | p. 52 |
Alcohol and Other Drugs | p. 57 |
Sociological Theories of Drug Use and Abuse | p. 60 |
Frequently Used Legal and Illegal Drugs | p. 63 |
Societal Consequences of Drug Use and Abuse | p. 70 |
Treatment Alternatives | p. 75 |
Strategies for Action: America Responds | p. 76 |
Understanding Alcohol and Other Drugs | p. 81 |
Crime and Violence | p. 84 |
The Global Context: International Crime and Violence | p. 85 |
Sources of Crime Statistics | p. 86 |
Sociological Theories of Crime and Violence | p. 90 |
Types of Crime | p. 94 |
Demographic Patterns of Crime | p. 99 |
Costs of Crime and Violence | p. 102 |
Strategies for Action: Responding to Crime and Violence | p. 104 |
Understanding Crime and Violence | p. 108 |
Family Problems | p. 112 |
The Global Context: Families of the World | p. 113 |
Sociological Theories of the Family | p. 114 |
Violence and Abuse in the Family | p. 118 |
Strategies for Action: Preventing and Responding to Family Violence and Abuse | p. 121 |
Divorce | p. 124 |
Strategies for Action: Responding to the Problems of Divorce | p. 129 |
Unmarried and Teenage Parenthood | p. 130 |
Strategies for Action: Interventions in Teenage Pregnancy | p. 132 |
Understanding Family Problems | p. 134 |
Problems of Human Diversity | p. 138 |
The Young and the Old | p. 140 |
The Global Context: The Young and the Old around the World | p. 141 |
Youth and Aging | p. 142 |
Sociological Theories of Age Inequality | p. 144 |
Problems of Youth in America | p. 147 |
Demographics: The "Graying of America" | p. 151 |
Problems of the Elderly | p. 153 |
Strategies for Action: The Young and the Old Respond | p. 162 |
Understanding the Young and the Old | p. 165 |
Gender Inequality | p. 168 |
The Global Context: The Status of Women and Men | p. 169 |
Sociological Theories of Gender Inequality | p. 171 |
Gender Stratification: Structural Sexism | p. 173 |
Social Problems and Traditional Gender Role Socialization | p. 184 |
Strategies for Action: Toward Gender Equality | p. 186 |
Understanding Gender Inequality | p. 193 |
Race and Ethnic Relations | p. 195 |
The Global Context: Diversity Worldwide | p. 196 |
Sociological Theories of Race and Ethnic Relations | p. 203 |
Prejudice and Racism | p. 207 |
Discrimination Against Minorities | p. 209 |
Strategies for Action: Responding to Prejudice, Racism, and Discrimination | p. 216 |
Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations | p. 220 |
Sexual Orientation | p. 223 |
The Global Context: A World View of Laws Pertaining to Homosexuality | p. 224 |
Sociological Theories of Sexual Orientation | p. 227 |
Heterosexism, Homophobia, and Biphobia | p. 229 |
Discrimination Against Sexual Orientation Minorities | p. 233 |
Strategies for Action: Reducing Antigay Prejudice and Discrimination | p. 238 |
Understanding Sexual Orientation | p. 243 |
Problems of Inequality and Power | p. 246 |
The Haves and the Have-Notes | p. 248 |
The Global Context: Poverty and Economic Inequality around the World | p. 249 |
Sociological Theories of Poverty and Economic Inequality | p. 251 |
Wealth, Economic Inequality, and Poverty in the United States | p. 254 |
Consequences of Poverty and Economic Inequality | p. 257 |
Strategies for Action: Antipoverty Programs, Policies, and Proposals | p. 264 |
Understanding the Haves and the Have-Nots | p. 276 |
Work and Unemployment | p. 280 |
The Global Context: The Economy in the Twenty-First Century | p. 281 |
Sociological Theories of Work and the Economy | p. 286 |
Problems of Work and Unemployment | p. 288 |
Strategies for Action: Responses to Workers' Concerns | p. 300 |
Understanding Work and Unemployment | p. 306 |
Problems in Education | p. 309 |
The Global Context: Cross-Cultural Variation in Education | p. 310 |
Sociological Theories of Education | p. 311 |
Who Succeeds? The Inequality of Educational Attainment | p. 316 |
Problems in the American Educational System | p. 321 |
Strategies for Action: Trends and Innovations in Education | p. 325 |
Understanding Problems in Education | p. 335 |
Cities in Crisis | p. 338 |
The Global Context: A World View of Urbanization | p. 339 |
Sociological Theories of Urbanization | p. 342 |
The Effects of Urban Living on Social Relationships | p. 345 |
Cities and Social Problems | p. 347 |
Strategies for Action: Saving Our Cities | p. 354 |
Understanding Cities in Crisis | p. 360 |
Problems of Modernization | p. 364 |
Science and Technology | p. 366 |
The Global Context: The Technological Revolution | p. 367 |
Sociological Theories of Science and Technology | p. 370 |
Technology and the Transformation of Society | p. 373 |
Societal Consequences of Science and Technology | p. 381 |
Strategies for Action: Controlling Science and Technology | p. 388 |
Understanding Science and Technology | p. 390 |
Population and Environmental Problems | p. 393 |
The Global Context: A World View of Population Growth | p. 394 |
Sociological Theories of Population and Environmental Problems | p. 398 |
Social Problems Related to Population Growth | p. 401 |
Strategies for Action: Slowing Population Growth | p. 403 |
Environmental Problems | p. 406 |
Social Causes of Environmental Problems | p. 413 |
Strategies for Action: Responding to Environmental Problems | p. 414 |
Understanding Population and Environmental Problems | p. 420 |
Conflict Around the World | p. 423 |
The Global Context: Conflict in a Changing World | p. 424 |
Sociological Theories of Conflict and War | p. 428 |
Causes of War | p. 431 |
Social Problems Associated with War and Militarism | p. 434 |
Conflicts and Politics in the Post-Cold War Era | p. 441 |
Strategies for Action: In Search of Global Peace | p. 445 |
Understanding Conflict around the World | p. 449 |
Epilogue | p. 453 |
Appendix A | p. 456 |
Glossary | p. 460 |
References | p. 473 |
Name Index | p. 511 |
Subject Index | p. 518 |
Photo Credits | p. 531 |
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