Contemporary Social Problems - Softcover

Parrillo, Vincent N.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0205336361 ISBN 13: 9780205336364

Publisher: Pearson, 2001

Synopsis

A straightforward text that uses five theoretical viewpoints to analyze contemporary problems and encourages students to think about their own lives and futures as they make decisions about solving social problems today.

Contemporary Social Problems provides a solid sociological perspective by using five (instead of the usual three) theoretical viewpoints ―functionalist, conflict, interactionist, feminist, and postmodernist ― to analyze social problems. The fifth edition provides even more insight into the ways that problems come into being, get recognized and defined, and generate responses. Like previous editions, Parrillo's applied writing style stimulates sociological thinking by maintaining an orientation toward the future. In every chapter, students are encouraged to construct future scenarios as they think about the decisions we make to solve social problems today.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Using an eclectic and comprehensive blend of theoretical viewpoints to analyze contemporary problems, the author illustrates how social problems are socially constructed, and provides many cross-cultural examples of problems in other societies. Topics that are new or updated for the sixth edition include:

• An expanded discussion of the sociological imagination and its role in helping to recognize and solve problems (Ch. 2).
• New material comparing per capita consumption in Most and Least Developed Countries, and on worldwide efforts to decrease the number of undernourished people (Ch. 3).
• How the threat of terrorism affects those living and working in cities (Ch. 4); an assessment of the 1996 Welfare Reform (Ch. 6); public opinion about homosexuality, civil unions, and gay adoptions (Ch. 7); legal decisions on college affirmative action policies (Ch. 8); international terrorism (Ch. 9); the stratification of health care in the U.S.; and the social costs of lack of health care (Ch. 11); “club drugs” like Ecstasy, Rohypnol, GHB, and Ketamine (Ch. 13).

Edition details

• Publisher: Pearson
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0205336361
• ISBN 13: 9780205336364
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 528