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 are organized 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 outline of 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-collar crime, 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 on social problems.
I. THE PROBLEM
1 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
II. THE PERSPECTIVES
2 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, Samuel Smith
The Criminal as a Born Criminal Type, Cesare Lombroso and William Ferrero
The Child Savers, Anthony M. Platt
A Universal Criterion of Pathology, Vytautas Kavolis
The Pursuit of Loneliness, Philip Slater
The Moral Premises of Social Pathology, Carl M. Rosenquist
Questions for Discussion
Selected References
3 Social Disorganization.
Problems of Society
Problems of Discipline
Differences Between the Pathology and the Disorganization Perspectives
The Major Social Disorganization Theorists
Characteristics of the Social Disorganization Perspectives
Summary and Conclusion
Social Change and Social Disorganization, Robert E. Park
The Ecology of Urban Disorganization, Robert E. L. Faris and H. Warren Dunham
Family Disorganization, W. I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki
The Decline of a Black Community, Elijah Anderson
A Disorganizing Concept, Marshall B. Clinard
Questions for Discussion
Selected References
4 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, Richard C. Fuller and Richard R. Myers
The Stages of a Social Problem, Richard C. Fuller and Richard R. Myers
Values, Politics, and Social Problems, Joseph A. Gusfield
Words Without Deeds, Willard Waller
A Critique of the Value Conflict Perspective, Kenneth Westhues
Questions for Discussion
Selected References
5 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, Marshall B. Clinard
Learning to Be Deviant, Edwin H. Sutherland and Donald R. Cressey
A Theory of White Collar Crime, Edwin H. Sutherland
Anomie: Theory and Fact, Marshall B. Clinard
An Evaluation of the Theory of Differential Association, Donald R. Cressey
Questions for Discussion
Selected References
6 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 Conclusions
Outsiders, Howard S. Becker
Primary and Secondary Deviation, Edwin M. Lemert
The Devaluation of Women, Edwin M. Schur
The Saints and the Roughnecks, William J. Chambliss
A Critique of Labeling, Gwynn Nettler
Questions for Discussion
Selected References
7 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, Richard Quinney
Toward a Political Economy of Crime, William J. Chambliss
Repression and Criminal Justice in Capitalist America, Raymond J. Michalowski and Edward W. Bohlander
The Universalization of Social Problems, David Wagner
Evaluating the Critical Perspective, Marshall B. Clinard and Robert F. Meier
Questions for Discussion
Selected References
8 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, John I. Kitsuse and Malcolm Spector
How to Successfully Construct a Social Problem, Donileen R. Loseke
Victimization and the Victim Industry, Joel Best
Culture and the Case of Child Sexual Abuse, Katherine Beckett
Constructionism in Context, Joel Best
Questions for Discussion
Selected References
III. THE PROSPECTS
9 A Sociological review of the Perspectives.
The Seven Perspectives
Applicability
The Dual Mandate and Sociological Perspectives
Society, Sociology, and the Study of Social Problems
Questions for Discussion
Selected References