Social Policy (Week 3)

What is a social problem?

A problem related to how a person or group behaves, or what they experience, that concerns the public and leads to debate about how to solve it.

Common questions regarding social problems

Should the government intervene?

Should there be a coordinated intervention by charities and governments?

How do sociologists define social problem?

A social problem is a condition perceived to be wrong or troublesome and widespread, YET CHANGEABLE.

Loseke (1999)

What is ‘social’ about a social problem?

“Such problems have gained a hold on the attention of a particular society at a particular time”.

(Clarke and Cochrane, 1998)

What are the 4 main elements of a social problem?

Social Conditions - the issues need to be shared by a large number of people.

Perceptions - Views may very from source to source (e.g. experts, general public or everyday experience.)

Judgements - Something is wrong and needs to be put right (Often involves blame for the problem.)

Solutions - Will be strongly linked to how the problem is perceived and judged.

(Manning, Alcock et al 2012)

What is significant about the contributions brought to social problems?

It shows:

• Social problems are NOT fixed

• They are subject to debate as opinions are bias.

• Social problems can be seen as ‘socially constructed’.

What does it mean if something is a ‘social construct’?

It has been created through historical processes and social interaction. It is not natural but a product of the society we live in.

How do sociologists think social problems come about?

What’s ‘taken for granted’ varies greatly between different cultures.

How do people come to see some things as being ‘reality’?

Berger and Luckmann (1966)

How do social constructions happen?

They come from us seeing attitudes as dependent on perception we have learned socially rather than the way things ‘really are’. The big question is whether its a construction or if its ‘naturally’ true.

What do “common sense” constructions depend on?

Assumptions we make

Stereotypes

Political understandings

What does Blumer claim about social problems?

Sociology’s attempt to understand social problems, starts it’s analysis too late he claims:

• It seeks to explain social problems without asking why they exist or come to exist, the discipline looks at problems from face value AFTER society has recognised it and fails to ask what made society recognise it.

• There is an assumption of ‘Objectivity’ - social problems are just ‘there’.

• This ‘objectification leads to an easily identifiable ‘remedial treatment’, ignoring varying views may disagree with the treatment sociology and administered.

Blumer on social recognition

Social recognition “gives birth” to a social problem, but it must acquire social legitimacy in order to be addressed.

Blumer’s 5 stages

• Emergence of Social Problems - A problem begins but is not yet recognised by society and therefore despite its emergence it does not yet exist.

• Legitimation of Social Problems - Recognition gives birth to a social problem. But if the social problem wants to move on, it needs recognition too. To do this it requires a degree of respectability to be considered for the arenas of public discussion.

• Mobilization of Action - The problem now becomes a controversy and requires discussion and claims. Constituting Mobilisation of society for action.

• Formation of a Social Plan - Putting together a plan to solve the social problem.

• Implementation of the Official Plan - The is now put in place and some who lose advantages may try getting rid of the plan.