Social Problems Society in Crisis

by Curran, Daniel J.; Renzetti, Claire M.

• ISBN13: 9780205282609
• ISBN10: 0205282601
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-12-23
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

Building on the success of previous editions, Curran and Renzetti have meticulously revisedSocial Problems, updating and expanding existing coverage to ensure it is as up-to-date as possible. This edition includes new and updated coverage of such issues as welfare reform and welfare-to-work programs, terrorism, crime control policies (including the three strikes policy) gay marriages and the law, the abortion controversy, and health insurance. For anyone interested in sociology and social problems.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Studying Social Problems	1	(27)
What Is a Social Problem?	2	(3)
Sociological Perspectives on Social Problems	5	(5)
What Is Sociology?	5	(1)
The European Origins of Sociology	6	(4)
Sociology and the Study of Social Problems in the United States	10	(4)
Contemporary Sociological Perspectives on Social Problems	14	(8)
Structural Functionalism	15	(2)
Conflict Theory	17	(2)
Symbolic Interactionism	19	(2)
Feminist Sociology	21	(1)
The Perspectives of This Text	22	(6)
Chapter Summary	24	(1)
Key Terms	25	(2)
Suggested Readings	27	(1)
Economics, Politics, and Power	28	(53)
The U.S. Economy: Realities and Challenges	29	(5)
Insights: The Economic Theories behind the Ideologies	30	(4)
Working in the United States	34	(13)
Services: Where the Jobs Are	35	(1)
The Plight of Workers: The Underpaid, the Underemployed, and the Unemployed	36	(5)
Alternative Employment	41	(1)
The Decline of Unions	42	(1)
The High-Tech Revolution	43	(1)
The Right to a Safe Workplace	44	(3)
The U.S. Economy: Concentrated Power and Wealth	47	(4)
How Do They Stay on Top?	48	(3)
The U.S. Economy: Back on Top?	51	(5)
The United States and the Global Marketplace	51	(2)
The Threat of Foreign Competition and the Trade Deficit	53	(3)
Making National Decisions: The Political Process	56	(13)
Citizens, Parties, and PACs: Who Influences Our Representatives	58	(4)
International Connections: Voter Turnouts in Selected Countries, 1995	62	(5)
Insights: Campaign Finance Laws An Historic Overview	67	(1)
The Final Check: The Judiciary	68	(1)
Protecting National Interests in the Post-Cold War Period	69	(12)
Coping with Change: The State of the U.S. Military	69	(3)
Defense as Big Business: The Military-Industrial Complex	72	(1)
The Other Security Agencies	73	(1)
The Arms Race	74	(2)
The Continued Threat of Conventional War	76	(2)
Chapter Summary	78	(1)
Key Terms	79	(1)
Suggested Readings	80	(1)
Crime and the Criminal Justice System	81	(41)
Why Do People Commit Crimes?	82	(9)
Theories That Focus on the Individual	83	(3)
Sociological Theories of Crime	86	(5)
The Crime Problem	91	(12)
Crime Statistics	91	(3)
International Connections: Crime Rates in International Perspective	94	(1)
Violent Crime	95	(1)
Business and Political Crime	96	(6)
``Victimless Crimes''	102	(1)
The Criminal Justice System	103	(9)
Policing Society	103	(1)
Insights: Drugs, Crime, and Gender	104	(6)
Insights: Youths at Risk	110	(2)
The Judicial Process	112	(10)
Corrections	116	(1)
Solving Social Problems through Social Action: Amnesty International	117	(2)
Chapter Summary	119	(2)
Key Terms	121	(1)
Suggested Readings	121	(1)
Social Class, Inequality, and Poverty	122	(33)
Global Inequality: An Overview	123	(9)
International Connections: Problems with the GNP	124	(1)
Assessing Global Inequality	125	(3)
International Connections: Hunger and Malnutrition in a World of Plenty	128	(4)
Inequality in the United States	132	(23)
A Profile of U.S. Inequality	132	(2)
Social Class in the United States	134	(4)
Insights: How Should We Measure Poverty in the United States?	138	(4)
The Consequences of Living in Poverty	142	(1)
Why the Poor Are Poor	143	(3)
Solving Social Problems through Social Action: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities	146	(1)
Government Efforts to Reduce Poverty	146	(5)
Insights: Wealthfare	151	(1)
Chapter Summary	152	(1)
Key Terms	153	(1)
Suggested Readings	153	(2)
Racial and Ethnic Inequality	155	(37)
Race, Ethnicity, and Minority Group Status	156	(9)
Insights: Hate Crimes	157	(2)
Ethnocentrism and Racism	159	(2)
Insights: Affirmative Action	161	(1)
Prejudice and Discrimination	162	(3)
Assessing the Impact of Racism: Four Examples	165	(18)
African Americans	165	(5)
Native Americans	170	(4)
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders	174	(6)
Hispanic Americans	180	(3)
The International Dimension of Racism	183	(2)
Explaining Racism	185	(7)
Solving Social Problems through Social Action: The Southern Poverty Law Center	188	(1)
Chapter Summary	188	(2)
Key Terms	190	(1)
Suggested Readings	190	(2)
Gender Inequality and Heterosexism	192	(40)
Sociological Perspectives on Gender and Sexual Orientation	194	(4)
Sociobiology and Gender	194	(1)
The Gay Brain and the Gay Gene	195	(1)
A Feminist Sociology of Gender	196	(2)
The Status of Women and Men in Contemporary Society	198	(26)
Gender and Sexual Orientation in the Media	198	(3)
Sexism and Heterosexism in Education	201	(3)
Insights: The High School Experiences of Lesbian and Gay Youth	204	(4)
The Workplace	208	(6)
Insights: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace	214	(2)
Justice for All	216	(8)
Solving Social Problems through Social Action: Center for Health and Gender Equity (Change)	224	(1)
The Women's Movement and the Gay Rights Movement: Political Consciousness and Social Change	224	(8)
Feminism, Past and Present	224	(3)
Gay and Lesbian Rights	227	(1)
Chapter Summary	228	(2)
Key Terms	230	(1)
Suggested Readings	231	(1)
Problems in Families and Intimate Relationships	232	(34)
Contemporary Families: Diversity and Change	234	(3)
Insights: Key Ingredients for a Successful Family	236	(1)
Sex and Intimate Relationships	237	(6)
Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing	238	(1)
Reproductive Freedom	239	(2)
New Reproductive Technologies	241	(2)
Varieties of Intimate Relationships	243	(13)
Heterosexual Marriages	243	(3)
Single-Parent Families	246	(5)
Insights: The Emotional Consequences of Divorce for Children	251	(1)
Singles and Domestic Partnerships	251	(5)
Violence in Families and Intimate Relationships	256	(10)
Partner Abuse in Heterosexual Relationships	257	(2)
Partner Abuse in Gay and Lesbian Relationships	259	(1)
Solving Social Problems through Social Action: The Domestic Violence Network	260	(1)
Child Abuse	261	(1)
Solving Social Problems through Social Action: Everyone Can Help Prevent Child Abuse	262	(1)
Elder Abuse	262	(1)
Chapter Summary	263	(2)
Key Terms	265	(1)
Suggested Readings	265	(1)
Problems of Aging	266	(29)
The Aging of the World's Population	267	(2)
Stereotypes of Aging and the Aged	269	(4)
Senility and Other Aging Myths	270	(2)
Insights: Alzheimer's Disease	272	(1)
Explaining Ageist Attitudes toward the Elderly	273	(3)
Modernization Theory	275	(1)
Gender, Race, Social Class, and Aging	276	(8)
Social Security	278	(3)
International Connections: The Public Pension Crisis in Europe and Asia	281	(1)
Other Sources of Income for the Elderly	282	(2)
Meeting the Housing and Medical Needs of the Elderly	284	(5)
Where Do the Elderly Live?	284	(3)
Nursing Homes: Custody or Care	287	(2)
Senior Power	289	(6)
Insights: Intergenerational Equity	290	(3)
Chapter Summary	293	(1)
Key Terms	293	(1)
Suggested Readings	294	(1)
Problems in Education	295	(30)
The Cost of Higher Education	296	(6)
Financing Elementary and Secondary Education	299	(3)
Racial Segregation and Desegregation in Schools	302	(2)
Schools as ``Sorting Machines''	304	(11)
The Consequences of Tracking	305	(2)
Testing Intelligence	307	(3)
Curriculum and Personnel: Teaching Inequality	310	(3)
Alternatives to Unequal Schooling	313	(1)
Solving Social Problems through Social Action: The American Association of University Women	314	(1)
Confronting the Challenge of Educational Quality	315	(10)
Teaching: The Maligned Profession	315	(1)
International Connections: How U.S. Students Compare with Their Peers around the World	316	(2)
Schools and School Reform	318	(1)
Insights: Charter Schools to the Rescue?	319	(1)
School Crime	320	(1)
Meeting Specialized Needs in Education	321	(2)
Chapter Summary	323	(1)
Key Terms	324	(1)
Suggested Readings	324	(1)
Problems of Illness and Health Care	325	(35)
The Social Nature of Health and Illness	326	(2)
Theoretical Models of Health and Illness	327	(1)
Health in the United States: A Nation of Contrasts	328	(10)
Sex and Health	331	(1)
International Connections: Sex and Life Expectancy in Low-Income Countries	332	(2)
Race and Health	334	(1)
Social Class and Health	335	(1)
Insights: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)	336	(2)
Health Care in the United States	338	(5)
Physicians and the Practice of Medicine in the United States	338	(3)
Solving Social Problems through Social Action: Doctors Without Borders	341	(1)
The Medical-Industrial Complex	341	(2)
Insuring Our Nation's Health	343	(4)
Private Insurance	343	(1)
Public Insurance	344	(1)
The Uninsured	345	(2)
A Healthy Mind	347	(13)
Understanding Mental Illness	347	(1)
Difficulties in Defining Mental Illness	348	(1)
Incidence and Types of Mental Disorder	349	(4)
Treating Mental Illness	353	(4)
Chapter Summary	357	(1)
Key Terms	358	(1)
Suggested Readings	359	(1)
Threats to the Natural Environment	360	(28)
The Natural Environment: Conservation or Destruction?	361	(6)
The Depletion of Natural Resources	363	(1)
Soil, Forests, and Rainfall	363	(4)
Human Intrusion into the Natural Environment	367	(7)
Acid Rain	368	(1)
Ozone Depletion	369	(1)
The Greenhouse Effect	370	(1)
Toxic Waste: Easier Made Than Undone	371	(3)
Energy: The Universal Resource	374	(5)
Energy Efficiency	375	(2)
The Search for Alternative Renewable Energy Sources	377	(2)
Nuclear Power: From Boom to Bust	379	(5)
The Cost of Progress	380	(1)
Issues of Health and Safety	381	(1)
International Connections: A Sample of Major Incidents at Nuclear Power Plants Since Chernobyl	382	(2)
Making Policies to Safeguard the Future of Our Environment	384	(4)
Chapter Summary	386	(1)
Key Terms	387	(1)
Suggested Readings	387	(1)
Population, Urbanization, and Housing Problems	388	(23)
Is There a Population Crisis?	389	(8)
Trends in World Population Growth	391	(4)
Slowing Population Growth	395	(2)
Problems of the Urban Environment	397	(5)
Cities and Social Problems	398	(2)
Insights: Gentrification and Urban Renewal: Who Benefits?	400	(1)
Suburbanization	400	(2)
International Connections: The Urban Landscape in Global Perspective	402	(1)
No Place to Live: The Growing Housing Crisis in the United States	402	(9)
Homelessness	406	(2)
Solving Social Problems through Social Action: National Coalition for the Homeless	408	(1)
Chapter Summary	409	(1)
Key Terms	409	(1)
Suggested Readings	410	(1)
Taking a Stand on Social Problems: From Theory to Practice	411	(4)
Key Term	414	(1)
Suggested Readings	414	(1)
Appendix: Methods of Sociological Research	415	(6)
Glossary	421	(8)
Bibliography	429	(46)
Name Index	475	(8)
Subject Index	483