Transcript Chapter 18
Chapter 18 Can Social Problems be Solved? This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: • Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; • Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; • Any rental, lease, or lending of the program. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Problem with Tackling Social Problems Ideal vs. Practical Solutions Conflict between ideal solutions and the workable one Preventive measures are costly an are often allocated a small percentage of money and resources New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina We usually rely on after-the-fact measures to deal with both natural and social disasters Defining the Problem vs. Fixing it No agreement about what the problem is and what it needs to fix it Those who identify it usually don’t fix it Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Social Change and Reducing Social Problems Obstacles, delays, and frustrations confront those who attempt social change Social change is the transformation of public policy, culture or social institutions over time Solving a social problem can entail shortterm, middle-term or long-term efforts Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Micro-level Solutions and Limitations Micro-level solutions Focus on how individuals operate within small groups to solve problems Primary groups Limitation: Fails to consider that secondary groups and institutions play a major part in creating, maintaining, and exacerbating many social problems Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Mid-range Attempts to Deal with Social Problems Mid-range attempts Focus on how secondary groups and formal organizations deal with problems such as drug addiction Grassroots groups often work to change a perceived wrong Limitation: Local efforts usually lack the capacity to produce the larger changes needed at the national or international levels Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Macro-level Attempts to Deal with Social Problems Macro-level attempts Focus on how large-scale institutions (e.g., government) may become involved in remedies Limitations: Overemphasizes structural barriers in society, making them appear insurmountable De-emphasizes the importance of individual responsibility Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Working through Special Interest Groups for Change Special Interest Groups Political coalitions designed to protect or advance specific issues 1. Issues Single issue versus multiple demands 2. View of the present system of wealth and power Positive versus negative 3. Beliefs about elites Whether Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 to influence them or replace them Working through Social Movements to Reduce Social Problems Collective Behavior Voluntary, often spontaneous activity of a large number of people and typically violates group norms and values Riots and public demonstrations Civil Disobedience Collective behavior that is nonviolent and seeks to change a policy or law by refusing to comply with it 1960s Civil Rights Movement Protest crowds Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Major Categories of Social Movements Reform movements Seek Revolutionary movements Seek to renovate people through “inner change” Alternative movements Seek to bring about a total change in society Religious movements Seek to change some aspect of the social structure limited change in some aspects of behavior Resistance movements Seek to prevent or undo change Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 A Human Agenda Human Agenda Focuses on the needs of people and offsets the corporate agenda Criteria include: Improving the lives of the majority of the world’s people Corresponding to widely held common interests Providing handles for action at a variety of levels Including elements that can be implemented independently but are compatible Making it easier to solve non-economic problems, such as environmental protection Growing out of social movements in response to the needs of diverse peoples Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Functionalist Approach Social problems arise when social institutions do not fulfill their functions or when dysfunctions occur Solution: Social institutions need to be more effective Social change needs to be carefully managed Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Critical Conflict and the Symbolic Interactionist Approach Conflict Approach Social problems arise out of the major contradictions inherent in a social organization Solution: Major changes are needed in the political economy Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Symbolic Interactionism Examines how a certain behavior becomes a social problem, and why people engage in that behavior Solution: More adequate socialization of people Understand how labeling affects behavior