In an effort to energise the students in Social Problems, we have chosen to use Stanley Eitzen, et al. (2009) Social Problems text. This text does not define and describe as much as it attempts to “look behind” the typical expectations associated with social problems. As the essentialists would contend, our text attempts to look past observable society, the descriptive level, to the causal level, which is often abstract and difficult to understand.
Students may find some of the material in Eitzen highly controversial. They may, in fact, vehemently disagree with some of the points raised. This is GOOD! You don't have to agree with the material. It is, after all, only a perspective – a way of looking at the social world – and we all have perspectives. We would hope that, in the process, students share their points of view. We would also hope that students will be open to understanding the perspectives encountered. There are seldom right or wrong answers in Sociology – only perspectives. The trick in a class like this is to be open to multiple perspectives.
Some Initial Observations
Social issues
Social issues are political debates involving moral judgments about how people should live.
Social movement
Social movements are an organized effort to encourage or discourage some dimension of social change.
Social policy
Social policy is a formal strategy to shape some aspect of social life.
Social problems
Social problems are societal induced conditions that harm any segment of the population. Social problems are also related to acts and conditions that violate the norms and values found in society.
Review of General Theory
Functionalist Theory
Understanding society from a functionalist perspective is to visualise society as a system where all the parts act together even though each part may be doing different things . Associated with the system is structure. In society, institutions, such as family, education, and religion are the parts of the social system. They are structures in society that social activity is organized around. The overall goal of the various structures (parts) is to maintain order in society. The structures in society promote integration , stability , consensus , and balance in society.
Conflict Theory
Conflict theory is a theoretical framework which sees society as divided by inequality and conflict. Conflict theorists see society less as a cohesive system and more an arena of conflict and power struggles . Instead of people working together to further the goals of the "social system," people are seen achieving their will at the expense of others .
Symbolic Interactionist Theory
Symbolic interactionist theory is a theoretical framework that sees society as the product of individuals interacting with one another . The scope of investigation for these sociologists is very small. Interaction is generally face-to-face and addresses “ everyday” activities. They are interested in the way individuals act toward, respond to, and influence one another in society. These kinds of sociologists are not interested in nation-states. They don't consider social institutions like the economy or government. Interactionists prefer to explore the interaction of individuals or groups of individuals. Each communication produces new perspectives, expectations, and boundaries that individuals use to assure continual interactions in the future . Society occurs as a result of interaction between individuals and small groups of individuals.