The Sociology of Social Problems: Theoretical Perspectives and Methods of Intervention

by Adam Jamrozik , Luisa Nocella

• ISBN13: 9780521599320
• ISBN10: 0521599326
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-07-13
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This book examines the sociology of social problems from new and challenging perspectives. It analyzes how social problems emerge and are defined as such, who takes responsibility for them, who is threatened by them, and how they are managed, solved or ignored. The authors examine and critique existing theories of social problems before developing their own theoretical framework. They explain how certain social problems threaten legitimate power structures, so that they are transformed into personal problems that are left to the "helping professions."

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: theoretical perspectives on social problems

2. Contemporary perspectives on social problems

3. Methods of intervention in social problems

4. Social actors in social problems

5. Challenges of contemporary social problems

6. Social problems in the perspective of residualist conversion

7. Inequality: the underlying universal issue in social problems

8. The social contruction of family problems

9. The problem of social order

10. Theory of residualist conversion: does it meet the test?

11. Conclusions and implications.