Social Problems in the 21st Century

An engaging and informative text for freshman or sophomore-level sociology majors or non-sociology majors at any point in their program, Social Problems in the 21st Century helps students bridge the gap between their individual experience and the wider social world. Grounding social problems in historical, cultural, and structural context, each chapter uses classical theory and contemporary analyses to explore the causes of social problems and present solutions.

Social Problems in the 21^st Century is designed to present the most up-to-date facts and theories about social problems to students living in today’s society. The material stems from author experience with what contemporary students do and do not already know, topics they are most interest in, and issues they found most challenging. It provides an introduction to the study of social problems.

Social Problems in the 21^st Century is divided into four units and fifteen chapters:

Unit 1 (Introduction) differentiates social problems from personal problems, explains what social problems are and situates them in the sociological approach to society and culture.

Unit 2 (Social Problems and Social Structure) frames poverty not as an inequality issue or a class identity issue, but as the central part of a social structure that includes economy, education, and government, and hegemonic violence.

Unit 3 (Social Problems and Social Status) unpacks social problems related to demographics, social status, and identity: population composition, age, gender, race, ethnicity, citizenship, and family.

Unit 4 (Social Problems, Community, and Well-Being) covers social problems that erode quality of life at all levels of society; environmental degradation, crime, health and health care, mental health, substance abuse, and problems in the food system.