Transcript Chapter 18
Can Social Problems Be Solved?
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Chapter Outline
Social
Change
• Microlevel attempts
• Midrange attempts
• Macrolevel attempts
Groups and
movements
• Special interest groups
• Collective behavior
• Types of social movements
Sociological
Perspectives
• Functionalist
• Conflict
• Interactionist
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Problem with Tackling Social Problems
Ideal vs. Practical Solutions
Conflict between ideal solutions and the workable one
Preventive measures are costly and 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
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Social Change and Reducing Social Problems
Social change is the transformation of public
policy, culture or social institutions over time
Obstacles, delays, and frustrations confront those who
attempt social change
Solving a social problem can entail short-term,
middle-term or long-term efforts
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Microlevel Attempts to Solve Social Problems
Focus on how individuals operate within small
groups to solve problems
Primary groups: face to face emotion based interactions
Focus on how individuals can do something about the
problems they face.
Limitation: Fails to consider that secondary groups
and institutions play a major part in creating,
maintaining, and exacerbating many social
problems
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Midrange Attempts to Solve Social Problems
Focus on how secondary groups and formal
organizations deal with problems such as drug
addiction
Grassroots groups often work to change a perceived wrong
Mid-range attempts are based on 2 things:
Some social problems can best be reduced by reaching one
person at a time
Prevention and intervention are most effective at the
personal and community levels.
Limitation: Local efforts usually lack the capacity to
produce the larger changes needed at the national or
international levels
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Macro-Level Attempts to Deal with Social Problems
Focus on how large-scale institutions (e.g., government)
may become involved in remedies
Powerless individuals bind together to in organizations to
influence those at the national or global level.
Limitations:
Overemphasizes structural barriers in society, making
them appear insurmountable
De-emphasizes the importance of individual responsibility
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Working Through Special Interest Groups
Special Interest Groups:
Political coalitions designed to protect or advance
specific issues
Can be categorized on the basis of 3 factors:
1. Issues
Single issue versus multiple demands
2. View of the present system of wealth and power
Radical demands versus reform
3. Beliefs about elites
Whether to influence them or replace them
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Working Through Social Movements
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 and protest crowds
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Types of Movements
Reform movements
Change specific aspect of social structure
Revolutionary
Bring about total change in society.
Religious movements
Renovate or renew people through inner change
Alternative movements
Seek limited change in some aspect of people’s behavior
Resistance movements
Prevent change or undo change that has occurred.
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Functionalist Perspective
Social problems arise when social institutions do not fulfill
their functions or when dysfunctions occur
Solution:
Social institutions need to be more effective
Prevention of rapid social change
Maintenance of status quo
Restoration of order
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Conflict Perspective
Conflict is natural and inevitable in society.
Conflict occurs because of values held by divergent
groups in society.
Solutions:
Patriarchy, capitalism must be radically altered or
eliminated.
Dramatic changes in society giving minority groups
more opportunity.
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Interactionist Perspective
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
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