A social problem refers to a condition or behavior with detrimental effects on the physical and social aspects for a large group of people that are recognized with a need to be addressed. Social problems must have proven severe and extensive consequences (Spector & Kitsuse, 2001). To qualify as a social problem the adverse condition or behavior must call for attention to be addressed. Policy makers and citizens are tasked with the responsibilities of identifying the most immediate social problems in society and calling for recognition for their address.
Sociology deals with the systematic study of individual and the social structures and their relationship with the society. Sociological perspectives, therefore, offer an objective and systematic approach to the causes of social problems by examining the problems and solutions in relation to social structures (Spector & Kitsuse, 2001). Sociological perspectives help in distinguishing personal and public issues through the use of social imagination. The sociological perspective uses theories for explanation prediction and understanding of social problems. The theories define the relationship and analysis at the societal and individual level to make decisions using social research and data analysis (Rubington & Weinberg, 2010).
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Types of Social Problems
Social problems are based on individual and societal influence of various factors in society such as social, cultural, ecological and economic. Individual social issues include drug abuse, suicide, and delinquency. Societal or collective social problems include housing, population explosions, poverty and exploitation (Spector & Kitsuse, 2001).
The Life Cycle of a Social Problem
Stage 1: Emergence and claims making
The emergence of a social problem is marked by calls for attention towards undesirable conditions or behaviors which require solutions. The claims are made by social entities social change group the media of influential people in society. Citizens, policymakers or organized masses can engage in protests which lead to social problems emergence (Rubington & Weinberg, 2010).
Stage 2: Legitimacy
When a social problem emerges, the social groups engage in the persuasion of how government through the local state and federal governments to take action towards finding solutions to the problem. The government or non-governmental organizations act by allocating resources and formulating policy regarding the social problem. The social groups’ efforts are based on the need to prove that the social problems are legitimate, making sense and can be demonstrated through empirical evidence (Rubington & Weinberg, 2010).
Stage 3: Renewed claims
The social groups follow the government to determine the action taken in finding solutions. The groups access the goals and scope of the solution, and when it falls to cater for the problem, they make fresh claims by criticizing the governmental response to the problems.
Stage 4: Development of alternative strategies
The social groups after persistent follow up on the government and other interests groups may realize that their expectations will not be met and that they formulate different strategies to address the problem as they continue pressing the government for more action (Konradi et al., 2001). For example, the emergence of sexual offenses as a social problem was highlighted by social groups who urged the government to take charge. Due to lack of action from the government social groups mobilized people in the non-governmental organizations to find solutions, and the government later came aboard and helped in prosecutions of offenders and in making policies on sexual offenses which address the persistent social problem.
Sociological Perspectives Differences in Causation and Solutions to Social Problems
Functionalist perspective
The perspective examines the functions and consequences of societal structures and explores how society creates and maintains social order. The perspective analyses social issues based on how they emerge from the community and the functions they serve in society (Konradi et al., 2001). Social problems are evaluated as dysfunctions with positive benefits to society. For example, homelessness though unpleasant to the victims serves to highlight the issues in social structures in wages and housing.
Conflict perspective
The perspective examines the society as held together by power and coercion to benefit the powerful. Social problems emerge as a result of conflicts between the powerful groups based on their social classes, gender, race, and ethnicity. The perspectives argue that the most significant social problem is the system of inequalities exist in society as conflict emerges from the social bases of values resources and interests (Rubington & Weinberg, 2010). Therefore the society lacks solutions to the social problems. It argues solutions that to the social issues can only come from the society itself.
Feminist perspective
The perspective addresses the emergence of social problems as based on women oppression in society. Feminists define gender, race and social class as the sources of social issues which trigger social, societal inequalities, conflicts within groups. The theory focuses on social changes, power and social disparities to address the social problems based on women domination by men.
Interactionist perspective
The perspective focus on how societies use words language and symbols to maintain social realities. Through interactions with others, social problems emerged based on assumptions on expectations rules and norms of practice. Social issues are also learned such as alcoholism and delinquency while other develop through definition and labeling form the society (Rubington & Weinberg, 2010). The perspective approach to social problems s through examination of the groups defining the problem and who is described as deviant.
Conservative’s Liberals and Radicals View of Social Problems
Conservatives see social issues as caused by individuals or groups who make irrational choices and solutions should be derived from traditional maintenance of the order of society. Conservatives justify the existing economic and political injustices and argue that social problems can be solved through hard work, not by the government (Rubington & Weinberg, 2010). Liberals view social issues from an individual perspective and maintain that the government should not be involved in social issues by opposing governmental programs which support redistribution of wealth through the address of social problems. The radicals criticize the government on their address of social problems. Radicals believe that social issues are inevitable consequences of capitalism and will continue to persist as long as capitalism exists.
References
Konradi, Amanda and Martha Schmidt. 2001. Reading between the Lines: Toward an Understanding of Current Social Problems. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield
Rubington, E., & Weinberg, M. S. (2010). The study of social problems: Seven perspectives (7th Ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Spector, M., & Kitsuse, J. I. (2001). Constructing social problems . New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.
