CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL PROBLEMSPDF电子书下载

PART ONE SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS 2

CHAPTER 1 Definitions and Perspectives 5

Impediments to Defining Social Problems 6

What We Feel We Can Do 6

Societal Problems 6

The Fallacy of Inevitabihty 7

The Role of the Social Scientist 7

Value Judgments 7

The Limits of Observation 8

Objectivity and Theory 12

The Four Elements of a Social Problem 13

The Persistence of Social Problems 14

Individual or Social Damage 16

Offense to a Powerful Group's Standards 18

False Causes and Misdirected Interventions 19

Cultural Lags: Myth of the Undeserving 19

Quasi-Theories 21

The Myth of the Invisible Hand 22

Sociological Orientations to Social Problems 22

Introduction:Four Views of Social Order 22

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior Emphasis 23

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization Emphasis 27

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict Emphasis 29

Interaction and Social Interpretation Emphasis 30

The Future of Social Problems 32

Rules for the Future 32

Methods for Studying the Future ed Social Problems 33

Summary 34

Suggested Readings 35

Glossary 36

CHAPTER 2 The Individual in Modem Society: Alienation and Anornie 39

The Quality of Individuals' Lives 40

Types of Life Satisfactions 40

The Impact of Society on the Individual 41

Shyness: A Cultural Fact 44

Embedded and Enmeshed in Society 44

Anoints: Disorganization, Separation, and Meaninglessness 49

The Loss of Community 49

Anemic Conditions 50

The Rust of Progress: Functionalists' Concerns 51

Vagueness and Specialization 53

Secularization and Search for Meaning 53

New Cults 54

Alienation: Powerlessness and Self-Estrangement 56

Powerlessness 56

False Values and Self-Estrangement 57

The Human Commodity 58

Searching for Meaningful Identities 60

Individual Negotiation and Social Change 60

The Future 62

Pessimistic Scenario 62

Optimistic Scenario 64

Suggested Readings 66

Glossary 67

PART TWO CHALLENGES TO INDIVIDUAL WELL-BEING 68

CHAPTER 3 Alcohol and Drug Abuse 71

What is a Drug? 72

Alcohol 72

Amphetamines 76

Caffeine 76

Cocaine 77

Depressants 79

Marijuana 79

Narcotics 83

Tobacco 84

Understanding Drug Attitudes 86

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior 86

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization 88

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 89

Interaction and Social Interpretation 91

Social Consequences of Drug Use 93

Crime 93

Automobile Accidents 94

Health 96

Economic Losses 97

Professional Sports 99

Social Control and Solution Attempts 100

Preventive Programs 101

Treatment Programs 102

Corrective Efforts 104

The British Approach 104

The Future 105

Pessimistic Scenario 105

Optimistic Scenario 106

Summary+ 107

Suggested Readings 108

Glossary 109

CHAPTER 4 Sexual Expression 111

Sexual Conformity and Deviance 119

The Cross-Cultural Context 112

Homosexuality: Deviation or Variation? 113

Definitions of Homosexuality: Past and Present 114

Homosexuality in America: Stigma, Sanctions, and Gay Reactions 115

Differential Treatment of Homosexual Men and Women 115

The Nature of the Homosexual Relationship 118

The Gay Subculture 118

Female Homosexuality 118

Impersonal Sex: A Gay Male Phenomenon 119

Other Variations 120

Transsexualism 120

Transvestism Defined 123

Rape 124

The Crime of Rape Defined 124

The Plight of the Rape Victim 125

Preventing Rape 126

Commercial Exploitative Sex 128

Pornography 129

Prostitution 130

The Sexual Career of a Prostitute 130

Professional Prostitutes 131

Sociological Perspectives 139

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior 132

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization 134

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 134

Interaction and Social Interpretation 134

The Future 135

Pessimistic Scenario 135

Optimistic Scenario 137

Summary 138

Suggested Readings 139

Glossary 140

CHAPTER 5 Deviance and Crime 143

Deviance and Crime Defined 144

Crime and Punishment in Historical Perspective 145

Crime, Laws, and Prosecution 146

Reported Crime 147

Measuring the Extent of Crime 147

Crime That Is Not Systematically Monitored 159

White-Collar Crime 152

Computer Crime: A Rapidly Growing Threat 157

Unique Problems Associated with Combatting Computer Crime 157

Juvenile Delinquency 159

Explaining Crime and Delinquency 169

Discredited Physical Explanations 169

Psychological Explanations 163

Sociological Explanations 163

The Criminal Justice System 167

The Police 167

The Prisons 167

Solutions Past, Present, and Future 171

Solutions Aimed at the Offender and Potential Offender 171

Solutions Aimed at the Criminal Justice System 172

The Future 174

Pessimistic Scenario 174

Optimistic Scenario 175

Summary 176

Suggested Readings 178

Glossary 180

CHAPTER 6 Violence, Terrorism, and War 183

Vigilantism in American History 184

Violence as a Social Problem 185

Three Common Justifications of Violence 186

Criminal Violence 186

Criminal Violence in the United States 187

Homicide 189

Murderers and Their Victims 190

Rape Is Violence 191

Terrorism 192

Terrorism Past and Present 192

Societal Reaction to the Terrorist 194

Political Terrorism 194

How Effective is Terrorism? 194

International Terrorism 196

Nuclear Terrorism 197

War 197

Reasons for War 198

War in America's Past and Present 198

The Special Case of Nuclear War 199

Sociological Perspectives 203

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior 203

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization 203

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 204

Interaction and Social Interpretation 204

The Future 205

Pessimistic Scenario 206

Optimistic Scenario 207

Summary 208

Suggested Readings 209

Glossary 210

PART THREE CHALLENGES TO SOCIAL EQUALITY 213

CHAPTER 7 Aging in a Youth-Oriented Society 215

The Graying of America 216

Demographic Factors 216

Values About Age 218

Myths and Stereotypes 222

Mental Capacities 222

Sexuality 223

Negative Attitudes 224

Problems of the Elderly 224

Retirement 225

Economic Problems 227

Housing 232

Health Care 232

Exploiting the Elderly 237

Sociological Perspectives 239

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior 239

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization 240

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 242

Interaction and Social Interpretation 242

The Future 243

Pessimistic Scenario 243

Optimistic Scenario 244

Conclusion 245

Summary 246

Suggested Readings 247

Glossary 248

CHAPTER 8 Race and Ethnic Relations 251

Institutionalized Discrimination 252

Education 253

Employment 258

Housing 261

Legal Justice 263

Specific Problem Areas 264

Native Americans 264

Black Americans 268

Hispantcs 269

Migrant Workers 269

lllegal Aliens 270

Sociological Perspectives 271

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior 272

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization 275

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 275

Interaction and Social Interpretation 276

The Future 277

Pessimistic Scenario 277

Optimistic Scenario 278

Summary 279

Suggested Readings 280

Glossary 282

CHAPTER 9 Poverty 285

The Nature of Poverty 286

Absolute Deprivation 287

Relative Deprivation 286

Who Are The Poor? 290

Minority Status 291

Family Structure 291

Age 293

Locale 296

The Impact of Poverty 297

Health 297

Housing 298

Family Life 298

Psychological Scars 299

Education 299

Work 299

Who Is To Blame For Poverty? 300

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior 300

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization 303

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 305

Interaction and Social Interpretation 306

Work and Welfare 308

The Nonworking Poor 308

The Welfare Poor 309

The Welfare Rich 313

Eliminating Poverty 315

The "Trickle-Down" Approach 315

The "Robin-Hood" Approach 316

The Interventionist Approach 316

The Future 317

Pessimistic Scenario 317

Optimistic Scenario 318

Summary 319

Suggested Readings 320

Glossary 321

CHAPTER 10 Sexism 323

Biological Justifications for Sexism 324

Weakness of the Biological Argument 324

Socialization and Sexism 325

Values and Goals 325

Internalization of Roles 326

Effects of Sexism 328

Women as a Minority Group 328

Biological Limitations and Deformations 328

Powerlessness in Interaction 331

Sexual Harassment 333

Arenas of Change 335

Edtication 335

Working for Less 336

Political and Legal System Sexism 339

Sociological Perspectives 341

Individual Faults 341

Institutional Faults 342

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 343

Interaction and Social Interpretation 344

The Future 347

Pessimistic Scenario 348

Optimistic Scenario 349

Summary 349

Suggested Readings 350

Glossary 352

PART FOUR CHALLENGES TO SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS 354

CHAPTER 11 The Family 357

Contemporary Families in Transition 358

Social Change or Social Problem? 359

Divorce 361

Factors Contributing to the High Rate of Divorce 361

The Impact of Divorce on Adults 362

The Impact of Divorce on Children 364

Single-Parent Families 365

Families Headed by Women 366

Nonmarital Births 367

Violence and Abuse 367

Incidence of Family Violence 369

Social Factors Linked to Violence 371

Runaways 373

Sexual Violence and Victimization in the Family 373

Marital Rape 373

Incest 374

Violence and Victimization: The Need for Societal Intervention 375

Services for Battered Wives 375

Intervention in Child Abuse 375

The Police 375

Prevention of Family Violence 376

Why Are Families In Trouble? 377

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior 377

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization 378

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 379

Interaction and Social Interpretation 380

What Can Be Done To Help Families? 381

The Future 383

Pessimistic Scenario 383

Optimistic Scenario 384

Summary 385

Suggested Readings 386

Glossary 388

CHAPTER 12 Problems in Education 391

Characteristics and Contradictions 392

Compulsory and Universal Education 392

Community Control 393

The School as a Bureaucracy 394

Conformity and Obedience 394

Hierarchy of Authority 394

Education and Social Class 395

Dominance of Middle-Class Values 395

Ability Grouping 397

Integration and the Quality of Education 400

Busing 403

School Funding 403

The Declining Quality of Education 405

What's Wrong With Our Schools? 405

Subject Matter 407

Academic Standards 408

Sociological Perspectives 409

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior 409

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization 410

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 412

Interaction and Social Interpretation 413

How Can We Improve Education? 414

Equitable School Districts 414

Better Teachers 418

The Future 420

Pessimistic Scenario 420

Optimistic Scenario 421

Summary 422

Suggested Readings 423

Glossary 425

CHAPTER 13 The Concentration of Economic and Political Power 427

Corporate America 428

Who Owns The Corporations? 429

Engulf and Devour 430

The Irrelevance of Evil 431

Government-Corporate Alliances 434

Financial Benefits 435

The Military-Industrial Complex 436

Multinational Corporations 440

International Impact 441

Abuse of Power 442

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 523

Interaction and Social Interpretation 526

The Future 527

Pessimistic Scenario 527

Optimistic Scenario 528

Conclusion 528

Summary 529

Suggested Readings 530

Glossary 531

CHAPTER 16 Population and Ecology 533

The Scope of the Problem: Images of the World System 534

Malthusian Pessimism 534

Earth as a System: The Limits to Growth Study 535

The Earth as a Lifeboat 535

Demographic Transition Theory 538

Population Pressure on the World 537

Continuing Growth 538

Resource Depletion: The Scarcity of Cropland 540

Hunger in Developing Nations 541

Extinction of Species 542

Transformation of Natural Processes: Acid Rain 544

Ecosystem Problems 544

Ecosystem Thinking 544

Current Ecosystem Problems 546

Dangerous Practices and Regulation Difficulties 547

What Can Be Done About Pollution?: New Jersey's Program 550

The Persistence of Ecological and Population Problems 550

Positions That Deny the Need for Action 551

Cultural Supports for Population Growth and Resource Depletion 552

Sociological Orientations and Solutions 554

The Individual Faults Emphasis: Excess/Unwanted Fertility 554

System Disorganization Emphasis: Changing institutions 554

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict Emphasis 555

Social Interaction: Interpretation Emphasis 556

Population Policy and the Control Dilemma 558

Beyond Family Planning 558

Policy Proposals for Population Reduction 559

The Future 569

Pessimistic Scenario 562

Optimistic Scenario 563

Summary 585

Suggested Readings 586

Glossary 567

CHAPTER 17 Work and Occupational Trends 569

Occupational Trends 570

Rise of the Service Sector 570

The Impact of Automation 572

Unemployment Problems 575

Who Is Unemployed? 575

Effects of Long-term Unemployment 579

Job Satisfaction 582

Measuring Workers' Satisfaction 582

Attributes of Job Satisfaction 586

Sociological Perspectives 588

Individual Faults and Deviant Behavior 588

Institutional Faults and System Disorganization 569

Inequality and Inevitable Conflict 591

Interaction and Social Interpretation 592

Occupational Health and Safety 594

Government Intervention 594

Health Hazard Occupations 595

The Future 598

Pessimistic Scenario 598

Optimistic Scenario 599

Summary 600

Suggested Readings 600

Glossary 602

Notes 603

Photo Credits 635

Index 637