Social Problems, Census Update, 4th Edition

Cover......Page 1
Half Title Page......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 6
Title Page......Page 7
Brief Contents......Page 8
CONTENTS......Page 10
Maps......Page 20
Boxes......Page 22
PREFACE......Page 24
1 Sociology: Studying Social Problems......Page 35
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 34
Seeing Patterns: The Sociological Imagination......Page 36
Social Problems: The Basics......Page 37
Beyond Our Borders: A Global Perspective......Page 42
Analyzing Social Problems: Sociological Theory......Page 43
Finding the Facts: Sociological Research......Page 48
Responding to Social Problems: Social Policy......Page 51
Politics: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 53
Going On from Here......Page 55
A DEFINING MOMENT: A Call to Action: The Message of Martin Luther King Jr.......Page 56
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 57
Visual Summary......Page 58
2 Poverty and Wealth......Page 61
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 60
Economic Inequality in the United States......Page 62
The Rich and the Poor: A Social Profile......Page 66
Problems Linked to Poverty......Page 71
Responding to Poverty: The Welfare System......Page 73
A DEFINING MOMENT: U.S. Society “Discovers” Poverty......Page 76
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Poverty......Page 77
Politics and Poverty: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 82
Going On from Here......Page 83
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 85
Visual Summary......Page 86
3 Racial and Ethnic Inequality......Page 89
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 88
Race and Ethnicity......Page 90
Patterns of Majority-Minority Interaction......Page 94
A DEFINING MOMENT: Rosa Parks: Saying No to Segregation......Page 96
The Social Standing of U.S. Minorities......Page 97
Prejudice......Page 104
Discrimination......Page 109
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Racial and Ethnic Inequality......Page 111
Politics, Race, and Ethnicity: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 114
Going On from Here......Page 115
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 117
Visual Summary......Page 118
4 Gender Inequality......Page 121
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 120
What Is Gender?......Page 122
Gender and Social Institutions......Page 124
Gender Stratification......Page 130
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Gender Inequality......Page 135
Feminism......Page 138
A DEFINING MOMENT: Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Claiming Women’s Right to Equality......Page 140
Politics and Gender: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 141
Going On from Here......Page 144
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 145
Visual Summary......Page 146
5 Aging and Inequality......Page 149
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 148
Growing Old......Page 150
The Graying of the United States......Page 152
Problems of Aging......Page 154
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Aging and Inequality......Page 164
A DEFINING MOMENT: A Good Death: Cicely Saunders and Hospice......Page 165
Politics and Aging: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 168
Going On from Here......Page 170
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 171
Visual Summary......Page 172
6 Crime, Violence, and Criminal Justice......Page 175
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 174
Norms, Law, and Crime......Page 176
Crime: The Extent of the Problem......Page 177
“Street Crime”: Who Are the Criminals?......Page 183
Other Dimensions of the Crime Problem......Page 184
Violence......Page 188
A DEFINING MOMENT: U.S. Society Discovers Child Abuse......Page 190
The Criminal Justice System......Page 193
Explaining Crime: Biological and Psychological Theories......Page 197
Explaining Crime: Sociological Theories......Page 200
Politics and Crime: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 203
Going On from Here......Page 206
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 207
Visual Summary......Page 208
7 Sexuality......Page 211
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 210
What Is Sex?......Page 212
Sexual Attitudes in the United States......Page 213
Sexual Orientation......Page 215
Pornography......Page 219
Sexual Harassment......Page 221
Prostitution......Page 222
Teenage Pregnancy......Page 225
Abortion......Page 226
Sexually Transmitted Diseases......Page 228
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Sexuality......Page 231
Politics and Sexuality: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 234
Going On from Here......Page 236
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 237
Visual Summary......Page 238
8 Alcohol and Other Drugs......Page 241
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 240
What Is a Drug?......Page 242
The Extent of Drug Use......Page 244
Types of Drugs......Page 246
Drugs and Other Social Problems......Page 251
Social Policy: Responding to the Drug Problem......Page 255
A DEFINING MOMENT: Bill Wilson: Alcoholics Can Learn to Be Sober......Page 257
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Drug- Related Social Problems......Page 260
Politics and Drugs: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 261
Going On from Here......Page 264
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 265
Visual Summary......Page 266
9 Physical and Mental Health......Page 269
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 268
Health and Illness: A Global Perspective......Page 270
Health Policy: Paying for Care......Page 273
Health Care in the United States: A System in Crisis?......Page 276
Mental Health and Illness......Page 283
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Health Problems......Page 286
A DEFINING MOMENT: Dorothea Dix: Mentally Ill People Deserve Our Help......Page 287
Politics and Health: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 290
Going On from Here......Page 292
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 293
Visual Summary......Page 294
10 Economy and Politics......Page 297
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 296
Economic Systems: Defining Justice, Defining Problems......Page 298
The Economy and Politics......Page 301
Problems of the U.S. Political Economy......Page 302
A DEFINING MOMENT: Store Wars: Is Wal-Mart the Problem or the Solution?......Page 303
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Economic and Political Problems......Page 311
Politics and the Economy: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 314
Going On from Here......Page 318
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 319
Visual Summary......Page 320
11 Work and the Workplace......Page 323
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 322
The Importance of Work......Page 324
Structural Changes in the U.S. Economy......Page 325
Other Problems of the U.S. Workplace......Page 327
A DEFINING MOMENT: Eugene Debs: Standing Up for the Union......Page 336
New Information Technology: The Brave New Workplace......Page 338
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Work- Related Problems......Page 341
Politics and the Workplace: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 343
Going On from Here......Page 345
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 347
Visual Summary......Page 348
12 Family Life......Page 351
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 350
What Is a Family?......Page 352
Controversies over Family Life......Page 353
A DEFINING MOMENT: Same-Sex Marriage: The Massachusetts Decision......Page 363
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Family Problems......Page 365
Politics and Family Life: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 368
Going On from Here......Page 369
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 371
Visual Summary......Page 372
13 Education......Page 375
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 374
Problems of Education: A Global Perspective......Page 376
Problems with U.S. Education......Page 379
A DEFINING MOMENT: Linda Brown: Fighting to Desegregate the Schools......Page 383
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Educational Problems......Page 390
Politics and Education: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 393
Going On from Here......Page 395
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 397
Visual Summary......Page 398
14 Urban Life......Page 401
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 400
Cities: Then and Now......Page 402
Problems of Today’s Cities......Page 404
A DEFINING MOMENT: Jacob Riis: Revealing the Misery of the Tenements......Page 409
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Urban Problems......Page 414
Politics and Urban Life: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 419
Going On from Here......Page 421
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 423
Visual Summary......Page 424
15 Population and Global Inequality......Page 427
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 426
Global Population Increase......Page 428
Global Inequality......Page 435
A DEFINING MOMENT: Thomas Robert Malthus: Claiming Population Is a Problem......Page 434
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Global Inequality......Page 440
Politics and Global Inequality: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 445
Going On from Here......Page 448
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 449
Visual Summary......Page 450
16 Technology and the Environment......Page 453
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 452
Ecology: Studying the Natural Environment......Page 454
Environmental Problems......Page 458
A DEFINING MOMENT: Rachel Carson: Sounding an Environmental Wake-Up Call......Page 459
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding Environmental Problems......Page 465
Politics and the Environment: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 467
Going On from Here......Page 469
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 471
Visual Summary......Page 472
17 War and Terrorism......Page 475
CONSTRUCTING THE PROBLEM......Page 474
War and Peace: Basic Definitions......Page 476
Terrorism......Page 485
A DEFINING MOMENT: Mohandas Gandhi: Spreading a Message of Peace......Page 487
Theoretical Analysis: Understanding War and Terrorism......Page 490
Politics and War: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions......Page 494
Going On from Here......Page 495
Getting Involved: Applications & Exercises......Page 497
Visual Summary......Page 498
SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS......Page 500
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REFERENCES......Page 518
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