Understanding Social Problems: A Case Approach
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2023
Pages: 475
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Designed to engage readers with quality human interest stories, this book includes two foundational chapters followed by 10 chapter-length case studies covering the pressing social issues of poverty, homelessness, child abuse, substance abuse disorder, human trafficking, mental and physical health care, climate change, crime, and immigration. The intersection of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and class is woven into each of the issues. Each case allows students to confront realistic scenarios as they evaluate, analyze, and synthesize information, resulting in more engaged and informed classroom, or online discussions. There is also a final brief concluding chapter that helps pull everything together and presents ideas for active engagement in addressing social problems.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Sociological Concepts and Perspectives
Chapter 2: Sociological Research and Ways of Knowing
Chapter 3: Poverty
Chapter 4: Housing Insecurity
Chapter 5: Health Care and Physical Well-Being
Chapter 6: Mental Health and Well-Being
Chapter 7: Substance Abuse Disorder
Chapter 8: Criminal Justice System
Chapter 9: Child Welfare
Chapter 10: Immigration
Chapter 11: The Crime of Modern-Day Slavery
Chapter 12: Climate Change
Chapter 13: Conclusion
Katie Clemons, MSW, PhD
Katie is a tenured faculty in sociology at Spokane Falls Community College. She is also very much involved in her college’s equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts through various committees and initiatives. For five years, she served as a coordinator of Spokane Community Colleges’ District Safe Campus Advocates Program, which is a training program for faculty and staff designed to increase understanding, knowledge, and ability to serve historically minoritized populations to increase student access and success from interest to completion. She has been with SFCC since 2011. Before joining SFCC, Katie earned her master’s degree in social work at Eastern State University and her PhD in sociology at Washington State University. During her education and career, she has also taught at Whitworth University, Eastern Washington University, and Washington State University with courses in undergraduate and graduate programs as well as continuing education.
Laura Lewis, MSW, PhD
Laura is a retired professor and chair of the Applied Sociology and Social Work Department at Mercyhurst University. Her primary teaching areas were social policy, human behavior and the social environment, and contemporary social problems. During her tenure, she traveled with students to numerous countries, such as Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, and Ireland for experiential learning experiences. Dr. Lewis engaged in research on the topics of poverty, grief and loss, and human service preparedness for dealing with gambling addiction. She authored Social Workers as Game Changers: Confronting Complex Social Issues, published in 2017. In addition to serving on numerous boards, she helped launch two community initiatives. Erie Together is an initiative that serves as a catalyst for fostering system alignment to create opportunities for Erie County residents to learn, work, and thrive. Bodhi Garden Initiative’s dual goals are enhancing physical and mental well-being. She earned a BA in political science from Whitworth University, a master of counseling at Idaho State University, and an MSW and PhD in social welfare from the University of Pittsburgh.