Social Problems
Social Problems
Social Problems
Textbook Definition
when enough people in a society
agree that a condition exists that
threatens the quality of their lives and
their most cherished values, and they
also agree that something should be
done to remedy the condition
This definition is vague
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Sociological Imagination
C. Wright Mills (1959)
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
ON SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Sociological perspective tend to focus on
one of two different levels
1. Theories of society (macro theories)
2. social psychological theories (micro
theories)
Structural Functionalism
Macro Theories
Conflict Theory
Micro Theories
Symbolic Interaction
FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE
(Structural Functionalism)
First used by August Comte, and Herbert
Spencer.
The central idea of functional analysis is that
society is a whole unit, made up of interrelated
parts that work together.
It views society as something like a living
organism with the different institutions such as
the political, family and religious acting like the
brain, and the heart to maintain the body alive.
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Conflict Theory
This perspective is associated with the
writings of Karl Marx
Conflict perspective assumes that social
behavior is best understood in terms of
conflict or tension among competing groups
It views societies as being composed of
diverse groups with conflicting values and
interests
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Feminist Theory
not really a single theory but a group of
theories that share a concern with the same
basic questions
Many feminists believe that the exploitation
of women by their male counterparts is the
original and most basic form of social
exploitation
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SYMBOLIC-INTERACTIONIST
PERSPECTIVES
George Herbert Mead American Sociologist
(1863-1931) is the founder of this perspective
Social psychology is concerned with the
behavior of single individuals and small
groups, and their relationships with the larger
society
Symbolic interactionists view symbols- things
that we attach meaning- as the basis of social
life.
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