Preface p. xix
The Sociology of Social Problems
Definitions and Solutions p. 2
The Four Elements of a Social Problem p. 4
The Role of the Social Scientist p. 9
Sociological Perspectives p. 14
Guiding Principles for Thinking About the Future p. 22
Summary p. 24
Key Terms p. 25
Suggested Readings p. 26
Examples of Sociological Perspectives: The Individual in Modern Society
Functionalists: Social Situations Create Individuals' Problems p. 28
Conflict Theorists: Powerlessness and Alienation p. 32
Interactionists: Searching for Meaningful Identities p. 36
Postmodernism: A Break with the Past p. 42
Adolescent and Young Adult Suicide p. 43
Thinking About the Future p. 46
Summary p. 48
Key Terms p. 49
Suggested Readings p. 49
Population and the Environment
Population in a Sociohistorical Context p. 51
Population Pressure on the World p. 57
The Loss of Forests, Plants, and Animals p. 62
World Hunger p. 66
The Ecosystem p. 67
Sociological Perspectives p. 76
Thinking About the Future p. 79
Summary p. 81
Key Terms p. 82
Suggested Readings p. 82
Cities and Urban Dwellers
U.S. Cities in Sociohistorical Context p. 86
Urban Change in the United States p. 87
Housing Problems and Solutions p. 91
Political Fragmentation p. 97
Can Snowbelt Cities Compete with Sunbelt Cities? p. 99
Urban-Suburban Interdependence p. 101
Sociological Perspectives p. 102
Thinking About the Future p. 107
Summary p. 108
Key Terms p. 110
Suggested Readings p. 110
Power, Work, and the Workplace
Work in Sociohistorical Context p. 112
Corporate Power p. 113
The Military-Industrial Complex p. 119
Work in the United States p. 122
Occupational Health and Safety p. 131
Sociological Perspectives p. 135
Thinking About the Future p. 141
Summary p. 142
Key Terms p. 144
Suggested Readings p. 144
Poverty and Social Class
Poverty in Sociohistorical Context p. 146
Blaming the Poor p. 147
The Nature of Poverty p. 149
Who are the Poor? p. 152
The Impact of Poverty p. 156
Work and Welfare p. 160
Eliminating Poverty p. 164
Sociological Perspectives p. 167
Thinking About the Future p. 175
Summary p. 176
Key Terms p. 177
Suggested Readings p. 178
Gender Inequality and Heterosexism
The Sociohistorical Context p. 180
The Biological Argument p. 182
Homosexuality in the United States p. 185
Socialization and Sexism p. 189
Arenas of Change p. 195
The Social Construction of Maleness p. 199
Sociological Perspectives p. 200
Thinking About the Future p. 207
Summary p. 208
Key Terms p. 209
Suggested Readings p. 210
Race and Ethnic Relations
The Sociohistorical Context p. 212
Dimensions of the Problem p. 212
Institutional Discrimination p. 215
Minority Groups Today p. 227
Sociological Perspectives p. 233
Thinking About the Future p. 236
Summary p. 236
Key Terms p. 237
Suggested Readings p. 238
Crime and Violence
Crime, Laws, and Prosecution p. 240
Measuring the Extent of Crime p. 242
How Much Crime Really Exists? p. 245
Violence in the United States p. 246
Violent Crime p. 248
Organized Crime p. 253
White-Collar Crime p. 253
Property Crime p. 255
Juvenile Delinquency p. 255
The Criminal Justice System p. 258
Terrorism p. 261
Sociological Perspectives p. 265
Thinking About the Futuree p. 269
Summary p. 270
Key Terms p. 272
Suggested Readings p. 272
The Family
Family in Sociohistorical Context p. 276
The Scope of Family Problems p. 279
Divorce p. 280
Changes in Family Structure p. 284
Violence and Abuse p. 289
Sexual Violence and Victimization in the Family p. 293
The Need for Societal Intervention p. 297
Sociological Perspectives p. 299
Thinking About the Future p. 303
Summary p. 304
Key Terms p. 306
Suggested Readings p. 306
Health Care
Health Care in Sociohistorical Context p. 308
The Social Organization of Health Care p. 312
Bioethics: Life and Death Discussions p. 319
The Aids Epidemic p. 322
Mental Health p. 324
Sociological Perspectives p. 328
Thinking About the Future p. 331
Summary p. 332
Key Terms p. 333
Suggested Readings p. 333
Problems in Education
Education in Sociohistorical Context p. 336
The School is a Bureaucracy p. 338
Education and Social Class p. 339
Education Problem Areas p. 342
A Question of Quality p. 347
How Else Can We Improve Education? p. 352
Sociological Perspectives p. 357
Thinking About the Future p. 361
Summary p. 362
Key Terms p. 363
Suggested Readings p. 363
Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Alcohol p. 366
Cocaine and Crack p. 371
Marijuana p. 373
Narcotics p. 374
Tobacco p. 376
Social Consequences of Drug Use p. 380
Social Control and Solution Attempts p. 385
Sociological Perspectives p. 389
Thinking About the Future p. 396
Summary p. 397
Key Terms p. 398
Suggested Readings p. 398
Sexual Behavior
The Cross-Cultural Context p. 402
Changing U.S. Patterns of Sexual Behavior p. 403
Pornography p. 410
Prostitution p. 414
Child Molestation p. 419
Sociological Perspectives p. 421
Thinking About the Future p. 424
Summary p. 425
Key Terms p. 426
Suggested Readings p. 426
Notes p. 429
Glossary p. 479
Index p. 487