The Sociological Approach to Social Problems Chapter 1

The Sociological Approach to Social Problems Chapter 1

Social problems have been thought of as social situations that a large number of observers felt were inappropriate and needed remedying. According to this chapter almost 37 million U.S. residents live below the poverty level. About 3 in 10 African Americans and Latinos are below the poverty line. 21 percent of all children under the age of 18 years old live below the poverty level. Since 1970 there have been some social scientists at Fordham University that have tabulated an annual index “The index of social health” for the United States.

The index includes measurements on sixteen major social problems among them was the unemployed, percent of children in poverty, the gap between the rich and the poor, average weekly earnings, levels of child abuse, and health insurance coverage. When looking at this it seemed that between 1970 to 1990 the number of children living in poverty increased by 33 percent, the rate of teenage suicide rate doubled, and the teenager murder rate also doubled. I learned in the chapter that we should recognize that the study of social problems cannot be value-free and that the type of problems researched and the strategies used either to support or to undermine existing societal arrangements.

When reading this chapter many people have different opinions on the things are that are social problems and things that are not. Not everyone agrees that marijuana is a social problem and some people believe that it is. Everyone has there own definition on what social problems are. Even sociologists and other social scientists do not agree among themselves on the definition of social problems and on what types of phenomena should be included under the rubric.

I learned that in looking for objective social problems, we must also guard against tendency to accept the definitions of social problems provided by those in power. Because the powerful-the agencies of government and...