Synopses & Reviews
Social Problems: An Introduction to Critical Constructionism, Second Edition, synthesizes conflict theory and social constructionism to help students think critically about social problem construction. A concise alternative to the all-encompassing standard textbooks currently available, this book examines a single theoretical paradigm in depth, demonstrating how theory can be used to understand a breadth of real world phenomena. In six succinct chapters, it focuses on the four problems most often found in social problems courses--inequality, family problems, crime/deviance, and population/environment--analyzing each from a critical constructionist perspective. This approach, popular among many sociologists, helps students conceive of social problems not as objective situations that are "out there," but as socially constructed phenomena whose importance varies according to media attention and the needs of particular interest groups. A much-needed cross-cultural emphasis illustrates the range of possibilities in which social problems and their solutions can be conceived.
Revised and updated in this second edition, the book now includes new sections covering such topics as U.S. foreign policy, terrorism, bankruptcy and the family, the nation's deteriorating infrastructure, and the government's punitive stance toward marijuana. Providing students with a solid theoretical background, Social Problems: An Introduction to Critical Constructionism, Second Edition, is designed primarily for social problems courses. Given its readability and consistent application of theory, this book can also be used in introductory sociology courses and social theory courses.
Review
Praise for the previous edition
"This impressive and accessible volume uses a unique theoretical framework to discuss and analyze some of the most important social problems at the dawn of the twenty-first century. It is packed with insightful information that will be useful to students, scholars, and educated laymen alike."--William Julius Wilson, Lewis P. and Linda Geyser University Professor, Harvard University
"...enormously readable..."--Titus Hjelm, University of Helsinki, from Acta Sociologica, vol. 47, no. 1, March 2004
Table of Contents
Each chapter ends with a Summary.
1. An Introduction to the Sociology of Social Problems
The Sociological Perspective
Critical Constructionism
Non-Sociological Philosophies
The Cross-Cultural and Global Perspectives
Corporate America
The Media
The Homogenization of Our Culture
The Plan of this Book
2. Inequality
An Introduction to Critical Economics
The Gap Between the Rich and the Rest
The Plight of the American Worker
Poverty
Race and Inequality
Global Inequalities
Application: The Gross Domestic Product
3. Problems of the Family
The Family in Historical Perspective
The Current State of the Family
Children, Our Most Precious Resource?
Capitalism versus the Family
Application: Children Having Children
4. Crime and Deviance
Universality and Relativity
Examples of the Relativity of Crime and Deviance
The Cultural Production of Knowledge About Crime
Crime Scares
Street Crime
The American Punishment Frenzy
Application: Terrorism
5. Problems of the Environment
Technology and the Environment
Scientific Uncertainty
Corporate Suasion
Consumerism
Inequality and the Environment
Global Inequality
Application: Overpopulation
6. Conclusions