Contemporary Social Problems

542 Pages·2004·3.423 MB·English

by  Vincent N. Parrillo

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Contemporary Social Problems
S I X T H E D I T I O N
Vincent N. Parrillo
William Paterson University
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To Beth,
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Parrillo, Vincent N.
Contemporary social problems / Vincent N. Parrillo.—6th ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical reference and index.
ISBN 0-205-42076-1
1. Sociology. 2. Social problems. 3. United States—Social conditions—1980– I. Title.
HM585 .P33 2005
361.1—dc22
2004044292
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 09 08 07 06 05 04
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List of Features
Social Constructions of Social Problems The Globalization of Social Problems
The Production of Reality 19 Problems in a Changing Society 37
Social Identity 42 Population Impact on the Environment 65
Western Views on Population and Environment 60 Cities in an International Context 109
Attitudes toward the Homeless 104 The International Impact of Multinational
Permatemps 135 Corporations 123
Social Concepts of the Poor 158 Unemployment, Government Aid,
Gender Differences and Gender Bias 202 and Child Poverty 178
The Debate about African-American Families 244 Gender, Malnutrition and Death 216
Social Norms, Deviance, and Crime 257 International Immigration Issues 227
What Is Marriage? What Is Family? 294 International Organized Crime 270
The Social Construction of Mental Illness 344 The Family in an International Context 311
The Effects of Tracking and Labeling 363 Health Care in an International Context 327
Changing Definitions and Societal Responses 389 Education in an International Context 370
Sex Scourges: An Old Social Problem 431 Alcohol and Drug Abuse 414
Genital Mutilation and Female Sexuality 426
iii
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Contents
Preface / xix
The Sociology of Social Problems / 1
CHAPTER 1
Definitions and Solutions / 2
Changing Definitions / 2
Conflicting Definitions / 3
Conflicting Solutions / 3
“Problem” Solutions / 4
The Four Elements of a Social Problem / 4
Individual or Social Damage / 5
Offense to a Powerful Group’s Standards / 5
Persistence / 6
Overabundance of Proposed Solutions / 8
The Overabundance of Solutions Provided by Culture / 8
The Role of the Social Scientist / 10
Research Thinking / 11
Research Observation / 12
The Importance of Theories / 14
Sociological Perspectives / 14
The Functionalist Viewpoint / 15
The Conflict Viewpoint / 17
The Interactionist Viewpoint / 20
v
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vi | Contents
The Feminist Viewpoint / 21
The Postmodernist Viewpoint / 22
Guiding Principles for Thinking About the Future / 23
We Can’t Always Predict the Future, But We Do Invent It / 24
Visualizing Alternative Scenarios / 25
SUMMARY / 26
KEY TERMS / 27
SUGGESTED READINGS / 27
The Individual in Modern Society / 29
CHAPTER 2
Functionalists: Social Situations Create Individuals’ Problems / 30
The Loss of Community / 32
Anomic Situations / 33
Conflict Theorists: Powerlessness and Alienation / 35
Powerlessness / 35
Political Alienation / 36
Consumption and the Human Commodity / 39
Interactionists: Searching for Meaningful Identities / 40
Individual Negotiation and Social Change / 40
Secularization and the Search for Meaning / 43
Postmodernism: A Break with the Past / 47
Adolescent and Young Adult Suicide / 48
Motivations for Suicide / 49
Media Influences / 50
Thinking About the Future / 50
What Are the Solutions? / 51
Considering Future Scenarios / 52
SUMMARY / 52
KEY TERMS / 53
SUGGESTED READINGS / 54
Population and the Environment / 55
CHAPTER 3
Population in a Sociohistorical Context / 55
Malthusian Pessimism / 56
Demographic Transition Theory / 59
Population Pressure on the World / 61
Continuing Growth / 61
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Contents | vii
Contrasts in Population Growth / 62
Contrasts in Resource Use / 64
The Loss of Forests, Plants, and Animals / 66
Tropical Rain Forests / 67
Extinction of Plants and Animals / 69
World Hunger / 70
The Developing World / 70
Causes of Hunger and Malnutrition / 71
The Ecosystem / 71
Ecosystem Thinking / 72
Current Ecosystem Problems / 73
Chemical Explosions and Spills / 80
Toxic Dumps: Victimization Without Realization / 81
Sociological Perspectives / 82
The Functionalist Viewpoint / 82
The Conflict Viewpoint / 83
The Feminist Viewpoint / 83
The Interactionist Viewpoint / 85
Thinking About the Future / 85
SUMMARY / 87
KEY TERMS / 88
SUGGESTED READINGS / 88
Housing and Urbanization / 91
CHAPTER 4
U.S. Cities in Sociohistorical Context / 92
Urban Change in the United States / 93
Urban Sprawl / 93
Traffic Congestion / 95
Housing Problems and Solutions / 97
Redlining and Abandonment / 97
Urban Renewal / 97
Housing Subsidies / 99
Gentrification / 100
Homelessness / 102
Political Fragmentation / 105
Can Snowbelt Cities Compete with Sunbelt Cities? / 106
The BosWash Megalopolis / 106
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viii | Contents
Urban-Suburban Interdependence / 107
The Central Cities / 108
The Outer-Ring Suburbs / 108
The Inner-Ring Suburbs / 108
Thinking Regionally / 108
Living with Terrorism / 110
Sociological Perspectives / 111
The Functionalist Viewpoint / 111
The Conflict Viewpoint / 112
The Feminist Viewpoint / 113
The Interactionist Viewpoint / 113
Thinking About the Future / 114
SUMMARY / 115
KEY TERMS / 117
SUGGESTED READINGS / 117
Power, Work, and the Workplace / 119
CHAPTER 5
Work in Sociohistorical Context / 120
Corporate Power / 120
Who Owns the Corporations? / 120
Engulf and Devour / 122
Corporate Technostructure / 124
Market Manipulation / 125
Consumer Manipulation / 126
The Military-Industrial Complex / 127
Wasteful Spending / 128
The Revolving Door / 129
Work in the United States / 130
Occupational Trends / 130
Unemployment and Underemployment / 132
Job Satisfaction / 138
Occupational Health and Safety / 139
Government Regulation / 140
Health Hazard Occupations / 141
Sociological Perspectives / 144
The Functionalist Viewpoint / 144
The Conflict Viewpoint / 145
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Contents | ix
The Feminist Viewpoint / 146
The Interactionist Viewpoint / 148
Thinking About the Future / 149
SUMMARY / 150
KEY TERMS / 152
SUGGESTED READINGS / 152
Poverty and Social Class / 155
CHAPTER 6
Poverty in Sociohistorical Context / 156
Blaming the Poor / 156
Intelligence as an Explanation / 157
The Culture of Poverty / 157
The Nature of Poverty / 159
Absolute Deprivation / 160
Relative Deprivation / 161
Who are the Poor? / 162
Minority Status / 162
Family Structure / 164
Age / 164
Locale / 164
The Impact of Poverty / 166
Health / 167
Housing / 167
Family Life / 168
Attitudinal Responses / 168
Education / 169
Work / 169
Work and Welfare / 170
The Welfare Poor / 170
Public Welfare Programs / 171
Income Distributions / 174
Eliminating Poverty / 174
The “Trickle Down” Approach / 175
The “Robin Hood” Approach / 175
The Interventionist Approach / 175
Welfare Reform / 176
The 1996 Legislation / 176
Assessing the Impact of the Legislation / 177
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x | Contents
Sociological Perspectives / 180
The Functionalist Viewpoint / 180
The Conflict Viewpoint / 181
The Feminist Viewpoint / 183
The Interactionist Viewpoint / 184
Thinking About the Future / 185
SUMMARY / 186
KEY TERMS / 186
SUGGESTED READINGS / 188
Gender Inequality and Heterosexism / 191
CHAPTER 7
The Sociohistorical Context / 192
Sexism / 192
Homosexuality / 193
The Biological Argument / 194
“Support” for the Biological Argument / 195
Weakness of the Biological Argument / 196
Gay Genetics / 196
Homosexuality in the United States / 197
Stigma and Sanctions / 197
Tolerance and Backlash / 198
How Many Gays Are There? / 198
Public Attitudes About Homosexuality / 199
Socialization and Sexism / 201
Family Influence / 201
Media Influence / 203
Sexual Harassment / 205
Arenas of Change / 207
Education / 207
The Workplace / 209
Political Representation / 212
The Social Construction of Maleness / 212
Sociological Perspectives / 214
The Functionalist Viewpoint / 214
The Conflict Viewpoint / 215
The Interactionist Viewpoint / 217
The Feminist Viewpoint / 219