The Study of Social Problems Seven Perspectives

by Rubington, Earl; Weinberg, Martin

• ISBN13: 9780199731879
• ISBN10: 019973187X
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-02-10
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This anthology uses seven theoretical perspectives to examine social problems (unlike most social problems texts, which are organized topically around issues such as drug abuse, crime, etc.). Each section begins with an overview of the main contributors to the perspective, its history, and an outline of its major characteristics, and closes with a critique of the perspective and questions for discussion. This book is used in social problems courses, which is a lower-level course, but it takes a higher level approach due to its heavy focus on theory. The book's strengths include its theoretical approach to social problems and its clear illustrations of those theories. It is well-organized, comprehensive, and affordable and also includes primary sources and scholarly articles (or excerpts thereof).

Author Biography

ER is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Northeastern University. MW is Professor of Sociology at Indiana University. His research has focused on a variety of topics including models of female sexuality, foot fetishism, intersexuality, sadomasochism, sex work, and bisexuality. Recent work has focused specifically on the social and interpretive worlds of men who have sex with animals.

Table of Contents

Preface

The Problem

Social Problems and Sociology

The Definition of a Social Problem, The Development of American Sociology, Sociological Perspectives on Social Problems, Plan of the Book, Summary and Conclusion, Selected References

The Perspectives

Social Pathology

The Concept of Social Problems, Roots of the Social Pathology Perspective, Changes in the Social Pathology Perspective, Characteristics of the Social Pathology Perspective, Summary and Conclusion

The Organic Analogy

The Child Savers

A Universal Criterion of Pathology

The Pathology of Everyday Life

The Moral Premises of Social Pathology

Social Disorganization

Problems of Society, Problems of the Discipline, Differences Between the Pathology and the Disorganization Perspectives, The Major Social Disorganization Theorists, Characteristics of the Social Disorganization Perspective, Summary and Conclusion

Social Change and Social Disorganization

The Ecology of Urban Disorganization

Family Disorganization

The Decline of a Black Community

A Disorganizing Concept

Value Conflict

Conflict Theorists and the Formulation of the Value Conflict Perspective, Characteristics of the Value Conflict Perspective, Summary and Conclusion

The Conflict of Values

The Stages of a Social Problem

Sexual Education and Value Conflict

Words Without Deeds

A Critique of the Value Conflict Perspective

Deviant Behavior

The Refocusing of Sociological Thought, Roots in Classical Theory, The Development of Anomie Theory, The Development of Differential Association Theory, Characteristics of the Deviant Behavior Perspective, Summary and Conclusion

Robert Merton: Anomie and Social Structure

Learning to Be Deviant

Self-Injury and a New Form of Differential Association

Anomie: Theory and Fact

An Evaluation of the Theory of Differential Association

Labeling

Focus and Concerns of the Labeling Perspective, The Discipline and Its Problems, Philosophical Sources of the Labeling Perspective, Founders of the Labeling Perspective, Characteristics of the Labeling Perspective, Summary and Conclusion

Outsiders

Primary and Secondary Deviation

The Stigma of Charity

The Saints and the Roughnecks

Attacks on Labeling Theory

Critical Perspective

The Main Idea of the Critical Perspective, The Social Sources of the Critical Perspective, Characteristics of the Critical Perspective, Summary and Conclusion

Crime and the Development of Capitalism

Toward a Political Economy of Crime

Capitalism and the Problems of Class, Race, and Gender

The Case of a State-Corporate Crime

Evaluating the Critical Perspective

Social Constructionism

The Labeling Perspective: The Critique from Outside, The Rise of Social Constructionism, Constructionism's Growth, Development, and Change, Characteristics of the Constructionist Perspective, Summary and Conclusion

The Definition of Social Problems

How to Successfully Construct a Social Problem

Changing Constructions of Rape

Claims About Immigration

Constructionism in Context

The Prospects

A Sociological Review of the Perspectives

The Seven Perspectives, Applicability, Combining Perspectives

The Social Problem of Terrorism

The Dual Mandate and Sociological Perspectives, Society, Sociology, and the Study of Social Problems

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