Social Issues
Adverse social situation that affects the target group
Can be changed by human effort and probably has a human or social cause Ex- natural disasters/preventable disasters
o Will to act to solve a problem
People need to be willing to pay, sacrifice time, ect.
Three Views of Human Nature:Compassionate Sacrificing Human Being
*people are basically good, sympathetic, and generous *once compassionate motivation is stimulated, people will do what is needed Believe people are basically good at heart, sympathetic, and generous Common in religion Some doubt it is true and others believe it is the highest example of human behavior Seen in parents who are willing to give up their own lives for the sake of their child People who have this view of human nature will support the greatest freedom of movement and decision making for the individual, in the belief that once this motivation is stimulated, people will do the right thing
Evaluating Claim Making
Step 1: Social constructionism and bracketing Step 2: Author bias Step 3: Argument bias Step 4: Data bias
Theories used to examine social issues
Structural Functionalism/Functionalist Conflict Symbolic Interactionist Feminist, which some theorists agree is a part of the conflict perspective
There are 6 elements of social problems:
Target Groups Adverse social situations Advocate groups Ameliorating action (proposed change) Action group Will to act
How does a problem become a social issue?
Recognition Widespread concern Media hype Mutual influences (individual attitudes, group ideologies, societal beliefs and practices, i.e., the government and the community)
The Sociological Imagination: C. Wright Mills
Refers to the ability to see the connections between our personal lives and the social world in which we live This imagination includes 1. private troubles including family, close friends, and secondary groups 2. public issues, which are an expansion of the private troubles. Reminds us that social problems are not individual failures but societal failures Personal troubles become public issues when we recognize that troubles exist because of social forces not individual characteristics The sociological imagination allows us to understand history and biography and the relationships between them within our society. The sociological imagination helps individuals understand their own experiences and measure their own hopes and fate based on what has happened before and what might occur.
Social Constructionism
Social conditions become problems only when they are defined as problems. Society creates/builds problems by labeling them as such. Being able to use one's sociological imagination helps to socially construct problems. Bracketing: setting aside one's view of reality to study another person or group's view. Social construction takes time.
Social structure and social problems
Social problems are rooted in how our society is organized (social structure) and the culture of our society. We create our society - rules & regulations.
Variability of social problems
Social problems vary across societies and across historical times. Reactions to social problems vary within a society. Opinions of the public, the media, and our leaders sway us into believing what is and what is not a social problem. Social problems change over time.
Why Study Social Issues?
The issues affect each of us Issues/problems are created by people People collectively can/must solve the larger issues/problems
How do social problems occur?• Self-Interest
o A major reason why stratification develops in the first place o Gender issues o Is the norm in a for-profit business world Business makes itself look better than it is and then fails
How do social problems occur?• Racism and Discrimination
o African Americans in the 1800-1900s o Linked to stratification problems o Usually require gov intervention since those in power do not easily give up their position of advantage
How do social problems occur? Aftermath of a Natural Event
o All the groups/orgs that help after a natural disaster o Assistance is needed for many years to rebuild neighborhoods/cities/lives o People have many concerns such as environmental threats and prevention
How do social problems occur?• History of Enmity and Conflict
o Countries/people still have conflicts long after the situation is over Ex- Jews and Arabs
How do social problems occur?• Competing Interests
o May technically be self-interest on a group level but can have other dimensions as well o Territorial claims are an important aspect of political interests, especially when natural resources such as water, energy and minerals, geostrategic claims, and/or control of a population within territorial boundaries are at stake Ex- Russian jews purchasing land in middle east to eventually claim all
How do social problems occur?• Inequality
o Most prominent inequality is poverty o Minorities suffer from inequality o Stratification- organization of people according to differential access to resources and the consequent social positions in society
How do social problems occur?• Ignorance
o Problems develop because of ignorance Things could be prevented if people had knowledge of them Ex- AIDS, many other diseases
How do social problems occur? development
o Social problems include fear of disease, fire, infrastructure issues o Sometimes developmental problems persist because of lack of resources, inadequate infrastructure or insufficient political structure o Technological advances also bring social problems Censorship and control
• Claims making
process by which a person tries to convince others of the truth and importance of an issue o Advocate groups are the main claims makers but everyone engages in claims making at some time or another
Dynamics of Advocate Groups: Status
reflects power of individual members
Expressive movements
seek to change individual behavior
Instrumental movements
seek to change the structure of society
• Bracketing
setting asides one's own ideas of reality to study another reality o Ex- someone studying UFO's who does not believe in them has to bracket their beliefs aside
Dynamics of Advocate Groups: Impact on Participants
social facilitation; influence on life- diffuse or segmented impact
Altruism
the basic human virtue of living for others
Social facilitation
the effect of the group on individuals
o Action group
the group that puts the proposed change into effect
o Ameliorating action
the proposed change
Dynamics of Advocate Groups: Leaders
those who influence others to pursue specific goals
Dynamics of Advocate Groups: Rewards and Equity
unequal rewards causes dissatisfaction. Fair distribution of rewards: equity, equality, equal (relative need); special skill or task
Dynamics of Advocate Groups: Group Norms
unspoken rules or behavior
Elements of a Social Condition
1. objective element: the existence of the problem (this element is based on the concept of social constructionism) 2. subjective element: beliefs about the problem
Three Views of Human Nature:The Greater Good
*sacrifice individual rights for a better society *do the right thing Philosophers such as John Locke concluded that people will contribute to the betterment of society even if they receive no personal reward People would rather benefit society as a whole b/c they are part of society People with this view of human nature will emphasize the need for info to convince people of the greater social good and that people will want to do the right thing
Three Views of Human Nature: The Rational Human Being
*survival of the fittest *self-interest *competitive with a greater reward in the future Early philosophers believed humans are basically selfish and competitive and will act to benefit others only when it serves themselves John Stuart Mill and Adam Smith believe that people are rational and when given the choice they will go for the biggest reward for the least cost • There are times when people don't choose the biggest and best for themselves, when they help others without expecting a reward (saving someone from a burning building) those who argue for the rational view say that sharing is simply a monetary sacrifice for a bigger reward to come people who have this view of human nature seek more restrictions to prevent selfish behavior and encourage behavior that benefits others
What is a social issue?
A social condition that has negative consequences for individuals, families, and communities. A social condition that people collectively believe can cause harm or threaten a population and which should be remedied. A condition that violates the values and norms of a group of people and that can cause emotional or economic suffering. A condition that involves a crisis in institutional arrangements.
Making the Case
Advocate groups make the public case for social change. Making the public case is difficult: *heterogeneous audiences *tension among cultures *the political climate *location and time frame Advocate groups ask for understanding
Structural Functionalism
Assumes society is an integrated system of interdependent parts, bound together by shared values and norms. Postulates that problems arise out of social disorganization, usually caused by rapid social change. Social structures can have positive and negative affects on society. Negative benefits cause dysfunction. Theorists use a macro perspective. Critics believe this theory perpetuates the status quo. Structural functionalists focus on restoring the social order, repairing broken institutions, and avoiding dramatic social change.
Conflict Perspective
Assumes that society is composed of diverse groups with conflicting values and interests all vying for power, wealth, and other resources. Problems arise because of dominance and exploitation. Causes oppression and exploitation of one group over another. Critics believe if conflict did not exist, then there would be cohesion and harmony or a utopian society. Conflict theorists focus on how social problems are the result of social, economic, or political inequalities that are a part of the social system.
Feminist Perspective
Attempts to describe the oppression of women; gender inequalities lead to social problems Is a relatively new theory, although the first U.S. public meetings to discuss equality for women were held in 1847. Aligned with the conflict theory Theory examines the roles of both women and men in the society
Why Start a Social Movement?
Desire for structural reform reason to advocate: dissatisfaction, deprivation (actual and perceived), timing reformation capacity reason to advocate: available resources,socioeconomic status/clout, timing social reformer motivation reason to advocate: member motivation (identity and ideology), compassion and altruism
What Causes Social Problems?
Development Aftermath of a Natural Event Inequality Self-interest Racism and Discrimination Competing Interests History of Conflict and Enmity Ignorance
Symbolic Interactionist
Focuses on the interaction between individuals and their perceptions; we create our reality through social interaction. The use of language, words, and symbols is used to create and maintain the social order Social problems are learned from other individuals Situations become problems when they are defined as such, i.e. social constructionism and labeling Labeling theory is important in this perspective because conditions are only viewed problematically once they are labeled as a problem Critics believe this theory focuses too much on micro issues
Where do social problems start?
They don't start with individuals and individual concerns. Issues/problems are a disruption of the social order. There must be collective agreement about an issue for it to become a problem.
How does society handle social issues?
Want to physically help those in need to survive a crisis. Society resists helping people more than they need to be helped. Those receiving help are expected not to ask for more help than they need. If a person receives help, they are expected to help others (give back to the society). Persons who need help are often blamed for their predicament. Assistance should never be greater than that of those individuals who are giving the aid/assistance. A person's secondary responsibility is to support other family members and neighbors. Individuals should look toward private, non-profit help first before seeking help from the government. A person's primary responsibility is to support one's self and family.
Handling Social Issues - Blaming the Victim
We also handle social problems by blaming the victim - a painless, evasive approach. Victims are usually identified as different, maladaptive, and less - less competent, less skilled, less knowledgeable. Blaming the victim is labeling. Labeling issues as problems can serve socio-economic class interests and preserve an existing social order. Labeling issues as problems can change the focus of problems in a community - Ex. idleness to unemployment to leisure-time problem. Blaming the victim involves passing judgments and deciding that the victims are guilty of being less, maladaptive, and unfortunate.
Levels of Social Problems
Where is the problem? Which institutional level should handle it? *local *state *regional *federal *international Who should collect the information? What is claims making?
Diffuse impact
an influence that affects all aspects of their lives
Exceptionalism
arrangements that are private, voluntary, remedial, special, local, and exclusive. This approach implies that problems occur to a specifically defined population in an unpredictable manner. It also implies that the individuals who experience these problems have some type of defect or unfortunate circumstance. Remedies must be tailored to the particular circumstance.
Universalism
arrangements that are public, legislated, or preventive, general, national, and inclusive. Views problems as predictable occurring throughout a society and are a function of the social arrangements of a society. Which of these approaches focuses on "blaming the victim"?
• Social construction
arranging the factors of one's experience into a coherent worldview
Dynamics of Advocate Groups: Leadership Styles
authoritarian, democratic, laissez-faire or a combination
Target group
collection of individuals who are treated unfairly, don't get their fair share of social and/or material resources, or face serious threats to their well-being.
Dynamics of Advocate Groups: Groupthink and Decision Making
desire for consensus or conformity may cause incorrect decisions
Dynamics of Advocate Groups: Productivity
does group achieve it's goals? what is its usage and capacity of resources? disjunctive and conjunctive tasks
Stages of an Advocate Group
emergence a time when the advocate group is forming • One or more people take up challenge of advocating for change • Problem is identified in this stage and a core group of members are assembled coalescence problem is framed and defined, new members are recruited, resources are gathered, leaders emerge, an organizational structure emerges, and a plan of action is developed • Slogans are made • Formal methods are advertising, journaling, lobbying • Less forma methods are bake sales, demonstrations, fundraisers action • Group is clear on the problem and what needs to be done • All that is left is implementation bureacratization • Not all groups develop to this point • Must become formal to be successful • Movement relies less on charisma but on the skills of a capable staff decline • Reasons can be positive or negative • Positive: o If goals are met there is no more reason for group to meet • Negative: o Poor leadership, loss of interest, lack of funds, internal conflict
interest group
formally organized; legal entities action taken : institutional means Political Parties: associated with political groups. Think Tanks: focus on collecting and disseminating information. Special Interest groups: focus on a single issue. More formally organized Have officers Membership Lobbying
o Advocate group
group of people who recognize a social problem Motivated for reasons including self-interest, altruism, and idealism Organize themselves to bring the issue into the public arena for discussion and action Collection of persons who agree that something is a problem and work to change it (Horsfall, 2012). The groups work for modification of the existing order of things. Advocacy is a political process because individuals want to influence decision-making (public-policy), resource allocations, and outcomes.
Conjunctive task
group productivity rests on the weakest member; the larger the group the lower the productivity
Disjunctive task
group relies on the strongest or best member for a good outcome (size is not important)
Dynamics of Advocate Groups: Structure
if structured there is a predictable pattern of behavior (hierarchy)
crowd
informally organized (unorganized; possibly unstable) action taken: non institutional means
riot
informally organized (unorganized; unstable) action taken: non institutional means
social movement
informally organized at first; may become formally organized action taken: combination of institutional and non institutional means Seek broad social change. Form outside of political parties and political influence. Have a broad appeal. Major way for citizens to voice their grievances. No organizational structure Don't usually contribute financially Usually identify more strongly with movement than interest group Boycotts, sit ins, protests
Types of Social Movements: Reform
instrumental: reformative; partial change within the social structure via policy reform o Reformative change is limited change at a structural level Change sought by group that will likely focus on a single issue expressive: alternative; partial change in individuals via individual reform o Alternative change is partial change on an individual level
Types of Social Movements: Revolutionary
instrumental: transformative; total change of the social structure o Transformative or revolutionary change is radical change at the structural level Sought by a group that wants to transform an entire society • American revolution expressive:redemptive; total change of the individual o Redemptive change is a radical change on an individual level Alcoholics Anonymous
Groupthink
when a group of ordinarily reasonably people make an irrational and flawed decision • Happens when group is highly cohesive, composed of members who are fairly homogenous, under amount of stress Decision at the time appears to all group members as being reasonable and appropriate
Author Bias
• Second step in evaluating a claim is to look for author bias • Author bias- distorted or misleading interpretation of the information of which the author may or may not be aware
Data Bias
• The social problems expert should never dismiss a source of information as invalid bc the source does not seem reliable • On the other hand, giving an unreliable source undue weight could cause the conclusions to be biased • You can compare data to similar data and if it is similar, it is probably correct • Things to look for: o Wording Look for exact meanings of the words and their implications o Numbers Vs Percentages o Graphs o Errors in Conducting Studies o Conceptualization For many years church attendance was used as a measure of religiosity, whereas a person could be very religious and not go to church o Sample and Generalization Must use random samples o Significance o Cause vs Correlation
Argument Bias
• Third step in evaluating a claim is to look for argument bias • Argument bias- an attempt to convince by means other than use of data or information • "everyone knows.."