The Study of Social Problems Seven Perspectives

by Rubington, Earl; Weinberg, Martin S.

• ISBN13: 9780195142198
• ISBN10: 0195142195
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-08-01
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This critically acclaimed volume delineates seven sociological perspectives used to examine social problems--social pathology, social disorganization, value conflict, deviant behavior, labeling, the critical perspective, and social constructionism. Unlike most introductory texts, which areorganized topically around issues such as drug abuse, racial violence, and juvenile delinquency, this anthology focuses on the major theoretical perspectives used to examine social problems. Each section begins with an overview of the main contributors to the perspective, its history, and an outlineof its major characteristics, and closes with a critique of the perspective and questions for discussion. For this edition, the editors have significantly updated the text, the readings, and the annotated references. New selections cover such topics as the decline of a Black community, white-collarcrime, the devaluation of women, the universalization of social problems, how to successfully construct a social problem, and child sexual abuse. Long a standard in its field, The Study of Social Problems, 6/e, is an indispensable volume for building a strong theoretical foundation in courses onsocial problems.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
I. THE PROBLEM
Social Problems and Sociology	3	(12)
II. THE PERSPECTIVES
Social Pathology	15	(32)
The Organic Analogy	20	(1)
Samuel Smith
The Criminal as a Born Criminal Type	21	(3)
Cesare Lombroso
William Ferrero
The Child Savers	24	(8)
Anthony M. Platt
A Universal Criterion of Pathology	32	(4)
Vytautas Kavolis
The Pursuit of Loneliness	36	(5)
Philip Slater
The Moral Premises of Social Pathology	41	(6)
Carl M. Rosenquist
Questions for Discussion, Selected References	45	(2)
Social Disorganization	47	(38)
Social Change and Social Disorganization	53	(3)
Robert E. Park
The Ecology of Urban Disorganization	56	(7)
Robert E. L. Faris
H. Warren Dunham
Family Disorganization	63	(2)
W. I. Thomas
Florian Zananiecki
The Decline of a Black Community	65	(16)
Elijah Anderson
A Disorganizing Concept	81	(4)
Marshall B. Clinard
Questions for Discussion, Selected References	83	(2)
Value Conflict	85	(34)
The Conflict of Values	89	(6)
Richard C. Fuller
Richard R. Myers
The Stages of a Social Problem	95	(8)
Richard C. Fuller
Richard R. Myers
Values, Politics, and Social Problems	103	(2)
Joseph R. Gusfield
Words Without Deeds	105	(5)
Willard Waller
A Critique of the Value Conflict Perspective	110	(9)
Kenneth Westhues
Questions for Discussion, Selected References	116	(3)
Deviant Behavior	119	(53)
Robert Merton: Anomie and Social Structure	126	(9)
Marshall B. Clinard
Learning to Be Deviant	135	(6)
Edwin H. Sutherland
Donald R. Cressey
A Theory of White Collar Crime	141	(13)
Edwin H. Sutherland
Anomie: Theory and Fact	154	(5)
Marshall B. Clinard
An Evaluation of the Theory of Differential Association	159	(13)
Donald R. Cressey
Questions for Discussion, Selected References	168	(4)
Labeling	172	(49)
Outsiders	178	(5)
Howard S. Becker
Primary and Secondary Deviation	183	(3)
Edwin M. Lemert
The Devaluation of Women	186	(9)
Edwin M. Schur
The Saints and the Aoughnecks	195	(13)
William J. Chambliss
A Critique of Labeling	208	(13)
Gwynn Nettler
Questions for Discussion, Selected References	217	(4)
Critical Perspective	221	(58)
Crime and the Development of Capitalism	227	(7)
Richard Quinney
Toward a Political Economy of Crime	234	(1)
William J. Chambliss
Repression and Criminal Justice in Capitalist America	234	(18)
Raymond J. Michalowski
Edward W. Bohlander
The Universalization of Social Problems	252	(18)
David Wagner
Evaluating the Critical Perspective	270	(9)
Marshall B. Clinard
Robert F. Meier
Questions for Discussion, Selected References	275	(4)
Social Constructionism	279	(78)
The Definition of Social Problems	285	(6)
John I. Kitsuse
Malcolm Spector
How to Successfully Construct a Social Problem	291	(13)
Donileen R. Loseke
Victimization and the Victim Industry	304	(13)
Joel Best
Culture and the Case of Child Sexual Abuse	317	(19)
Katherine Beckett
Constructionism in Context	336	(21)
Joel Best
Questions for Discussion, Selected References	351	(6)
III. The Prospects
A Sociological Review of the Perspectives	357