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    Definitions of Social Problems

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    Margaret Vaughan
    The document discusses different sociological perspectives on defining social problems. It provides 7 definitions of social problems from various sociological thinkers and compares their views. The definitions range from seeing social problems as resulting from social pathology or instability, to being social constructions defined by influential members of society, to being claims-making activities where groups assert grievances about putative conditions. Overall, the document illustrates that there is no single agreed-upon definition of social problems and that sociologists have proposed various frameworks for understanding and analyzing them.

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    Definitions of Social Problems

    Uploaded by

    Margaret Vaughan
    5K views3 pages
    The document discusses different sociological perspectives on defining social problems. It provides 7 definitions of social problems from various sociological thinkers and compares their views. The definitions range from seeing social problems as resulting from social pathology or instability, to being social constructions defined by influential members of society, to being claims-making activities where groups assert grievances about putative conditions. Overall, the document illustrates that there is no single agreed-upon definition of social problems and that sociologists have proposed various frameworks for understanding and analyzing them.

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    This is a handout I made for a global social problems course.

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    The document discusses different sociological perspectives on defining social problems. It provides 7 definitions of social problems from various sociological thinkers and compares their views. The definitions range from seeing social problems as resulting from social pathology or instability, to being social constructions defined by influential members of society, to being claims-making activities where groups assert grievances about putative conditions. Overall, the document illustrates that there is no single agreed-upon definition of social problems and that sociologists have proposed various frameworks for understanding and analyzing them.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    5K views3 pages

    Definitions of Social Problems

    Uploaded by

    Margaret Vaughan
    The document discusses different sociological perspectives on defining social problems. It provides 7 definitions of social problems from various sociological thinkers and compares their views. The definitions range from seeing social problems as resulting from social pathology or instability, to being social constructions defined by influential members of society, to being claims-making activities where groups assert grievances about putative conditions. Overall, the document illustrates that there is no single agreed-upon definition of social problems and that sociologists have proposed various frameworks for understanding and analyzing them.

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    Defining Social Problems through Different Sociological Lenses

    “Books on social problems typically state that no adequate definition of social


    problems exists….” (Henley, 1986, p. 69)

    Activity:

    First sketch out your own definition for the term: “social problem”-

    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Talk about your definition in a small group. What is similar and different about your
    definitions? Rethink and revise your definition, and as a group come up with one
    definition to put on the board.

    Definition 1: Your group definition:

    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Compare and contrast all the definitions, including each definition with your own.

    Definition 2 ___________________

    Social problems result from social pathology, disruption,or a social “sickness” or


    social “instability” of persons, groups, or institutions, which then negatively affects
    the societal organism as a whole. (Davis, n.d.)

    Definition 3:_________________

    [T]he source of social problems [is]…embedded in the exploitative behavior of the


    dominant group, and results in inequality, racism, and sexism, etc. [I]f someone or
    some group is suffering or placed in a disadvantageous position, there must be
    some other group (that is more powerful) that benefits from the misery of the
    disadvantaged group (Farley, 2000:77-78 cited in Long, 2007, August 17 ).
    Definition 4: ________________

    “Let us define social problems as conditions which affect sizable proportions of the
    population, which are out of harmony with the values of a significant segment of the
    population, and which people feel can be improved or eliminated. A first premise or
    axiom, therefore, is that people make interpretations of, and value judgments on,
    conditions that affect them. The conditions are not inherently good or bad, but
    people define them as problems or not problems.” (Rose, 1957, p. 190)

    Definition 5: _________________

    Social problems are not the result of an intrinsic malfunction of society, but are a
    result of a process of definition in which a given condition is picked out and
    identified as a social problem. A social problem does not exist for a society unless it
    is recognized by that society [usually by influential members] to exist.” (Blumer,
    1971, p. 301) Problems may go through a process or a 5-step “life cycle.”

    Definition 6______________

    “Social problems are definitions constructed by members of a society, and… these


    constructions are expressions of value judgments…The causes of the condition, or
    variations in the condition, are entirely different from the causes of the definition or
    variations in the definition.” (Spector & Kitsuse, cited in Henley, 1986, p. 72)

    “[D]ifferent groups that are in contact hold different cherished values or interests
    and engage in activities that defend or enhance these values, such as labeling
    groups with different values from their own as social problems.” (Paraphrased from
    Hastings, 1979 cited in Henley, 1986, p. 72)

    Definition 7______________

    Spector and Kitsuse in Constructing Social Problems (1977), “propose a definition of


    social problems not as conditions, or definition of conditions, but as activities,
    claims-making activities: the activities of individuals or groups making assertions of
    grievances and claims with respect to some putative conditions.” (Henley, 1986, p.
    75)
    According to this definition, values are not to be studied as ‘causes’ of social
    problems, but are simply one of the resources that members use in their efforts to
    define conditions as social problems; they are part of the phenomenon to be
    described and explained, along with such concepts as motives and
    interests…”(Henley, 1986, p. 73)

    Some conditions/claims become dominant while others go unheard and


    unremedied. Discourse creates conditions as problems and “ ‘construct[s]’ the way
    we think about issues.” (Davis, n.d.)

    References

    Davis, D. Social Problems Power Point. Retrieved May 13, 2009, from

    www.daltonstate.edu/faculty/ddavis/SOCIAL%20PROBLEMS.ppt

    Henley, N. (1986) Women as a Social Problem: Conceptual and practical issues in


    defining social

    Problems. In E. Seidman, & J. Rappaport, (Eds.). Redefining social problems


    (pp. 65-79). New

    York: Plenum Press.

    Blumer, H. (1971). Social problems as collective behavior. Social problems, 18(3),


    298-306.

    Long, R. (2007, August 17). Chapter 4: Sociological Perspectives: The Order and
    Conflict Model.

    Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.delmar.edu/socsci/rlong/race/far-


    04.htm

    Rose, A. M. (1957). Theory for the Study of Social Problems. Social problems, 4(3),
    189-199.

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