Understanding Social Problems

Understanding Social Problems

1. WEEK ONE

   • What is sociology?
     • 'focuses on the study of human behaviour & social interaction to understand how societies are organises, develop & change' (TASA n.d.)
     • Humans are 'social beings'
   • Elements of Social Structure & Culture
     • Social Structure
       • The way society is organised into different parts
         • Insitutions
         • Social groups
         • Statuses
         • Roles
     • Culture
       • The meanings & ways of life that characterise society
         • Beliefs
         • Values
         • Norms & sanctions
         • Symbols
   • Sociological Imagination
     • The ability to see connections between our personal lives and broader social world
   • What is a social Poblem
     • A social problem is a social condition that a large enough section of society views as harmful to members of society and in need of remedy

2. WEEK TWO

   • The Functionalist's Worldview
     • Macro view of society
     • Society as a complex system of interrelated parts
     • Social stability, consensus & solidarity
     • Social institutions serve important function to society
       • Manifest functions
         • The intended consequences
       • Latent functions
         • The unintended consequences
     • Dysfunctions in society's components can lead to conflict, deviance and chaos
     • Order, stability & productivity
   • Theorists
     • Auguste Comte (1798-1857 The 'founding father' of sociology
     • Herbert Spencer (1820 - 1917) Society as a an organisim
     • Emile Durkheim (1858 - 1917)
       • Solidarity holds societal together
         • Two forms of solidarity
           • Mechanical Solidarity (traditional societies)
           • Organic Solidarity (modernity)
       • Key Concepts
         • The collective conscience
         • Anomie: A state of normlessness
     • Robert Merton (1901 - 2003)
       • Manifest & latent functions & dysfunctions
       • Functional alternatives
       • Paradigm of deviant behaviour: Strain Theory
   • Functionalist Theories of Social Problems
     • Social Pathology Model
       • Social problems result from some 'sickness' in society. Society becomes 'ill' when its parts no longer function properly.
     • Social Disorganisation Model
       • Rapid social change disrupts the norms in society, creating a state of anomie. When norms are weak, social problems can arise.

3. WEEK THREE

   • The Conflict Theorist's Worldview
     • A macro view of society
     • Struggle results in an unequal sytem
     • A pyramid structure of power & wealth
       • The elite determine the rules for those below them
   • Theorists
     • Karl Marx (1818 - 1883)
       • The effects of the growth of industrial capitalism
       • Human history & social life determined by the economic system
       • Relationship to 'means of production'
         • The Bourgeoisie = The elite
         • The Proletariat = The workers
       • Key Concepts
         • Class consciousness & class stuggle
         • Division of labour
         • Alienation
     • Marx Weber (1864 - 1920)
       • Agreed with Marx
       • Important of two other factors
         • Social prestige (status)
         • Political influence
       • Key concepts
         • Power
         • Authority
     • Pierre Bourdieu
       • Concept of Capital
         • Politcal
         • Economic
         • Cultural
         • Social
       • Symbolic violence
   • Conflict Theories of Social Problems
     • Marxists Conflict Theories
       • Concept of 'corporate violence'
       • Social problems result from class inequality inherent in the capitalist system
       • Problem of 'alientation'

4. WEEK FOUR

   • Symbolic Interactionist's Worldview
     • Micro approach
     • The theoretical framework that focuses on how individual interactions between people influence them & how these interactions can impact on society
   • Theorists
     • Charles Cooley
       • The looking glass self
         • Other people act a social mirror
         • People define themselves according to society's perception of them
     • George Herbert Mead
       • Genrealised other
         • We learn society's rules by anticipating how people will react
     • Herbert Blumer
       • Meaning, Language & Thought
         • Meaning: Human beings behave towards things on the basis of the meanings they ascribe to those things
         • Language: The meaning of such things is derived from, or arises out of, the social interaction on has with others in society
         • Thought: These meanings are handled in & modified through an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with the things he or she encounters
     • Erving Goffman
       • Dramaturgy
         • We develop our 'identities' through trying on all sorts of roles, adopting some & discarding others
     • Howard Becker
       • Human action is related to the labels attached to it
       • The label is applied when people see our behaviour & react to it
         • This can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy for behaviour
   • Symbolic Interactionist Theories of Social Problems
     • A condition must be defined or recognised as a social problem for it to be a social problem
     • Three key ways of thinking
       • Blumer's (1971) stages of a social problem: Societal recognistion, social legitimation, mobilisation for action, development & implementation of an official plan
       • Labelling theory (Becker): a social condition or group is viewed as problematic if it is labelled as such
       • Social constructionism: Society as a social creation. Social constructionists question the 'take' on the problem under discussion