Social Problems An Introduction to Critical Constructionism

by Heiner, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780195177008
• ISBN10: 0195177002
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-29
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Social Problems: An Introduction to Critical Constructionism, Second Edition, synthesizes conflict theory and social constructionism to help students think critically about social problem construction. A concise alternative to the all-encompassing standard textbooks currently available, thisbook examines a single theoretical paradigm in depth, demonstrating how theory can be used to understand a breadth of real world phenomena. In six succinct chapters, it focuses on the four problems most often found in social problems courses--inequality, family problems, crime/deviance, andpopulation/environment--analyzing each from a critical constructionist perspective. This approach, popular among many sociologists, helps students conceive of social problems not as objective situations that are "out there," but as socially constructed phenomena whose importance varies according tomedia attention and the needs of particular interest groups. A much-needed cross-cultural emphasis illustrates the range of possibilities in which social problems and their solutions can be conceived. Revised and updated in this second edition, the book now includes new sections covering such topics as U.S. foreign policy, terrorism, bankruptcy and the family, the nation's deteriorating infrastructure, and the government's punitive stance toward marijuana. Providing students with a solidtheoretical background, Social Problems: An Introduction to Critical Constructionism, Second Edition, is designed primarily for social problems courses. Given its readability and consistent application of theory, this book can also be used in introductory sociology courses and social theorycourses.

Author Biography

Robert Heiner is Professor of Sociology at Plymouth State University.

Table of Contents

An Introduction to the Sociology of Social Problems

The Sociological Perspective

Critical Constructionism

Non-Sociological Philosophies

The Cross-Cultural and Global Perspectives

Corporate America

The Media

The Homogenization of Culture

Summary

Inequality

The ""Booming"" Economy

The Gap Between the Rich and the Rest

The Plight of the American Worker

Poverty

Race and Inequality

Global Inequalities

Application: The Gross Domestic Product

Summary

Problems of the Family

The Family in Historical Perspective

The Family of the 1950s

The Current State of the Family

Children, Our Most Precious Resource?

Application: ""Children Having Children""

Summary

Crime and Deviance

Universality and Relativity

The Cultural Production of Knowledge About Crime

Crime Scares

Street Crime

The American Punishment Frenzy

Application: Street Violence vs. Corporate Violence

Summary

Problems of the Environment

Technology and the Environment

Scientific Uncertainty

Corporate Suasion

Consumerism

Inequality and the Environment

Global Inequality

Application: Overpopulation

Summary

Conclusions

Notes

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