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Social Problems
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Social Problems
Sociology in Action

First Edition
Edited by:

Other Titles in:
Social Problems

December 2019 | 400 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
The authors are proud sponsors of the 2020 SAGE Keith Roberts Teaching Innovations Award—enabling graduate students and early career faculty to attend the annual ASA pre-conference teaching and learning workshop.

Wake up your social problems classes! Social Problems: Sociology in Action helps your students learn sociology by doing sociology. 

Social Problems: Sociology in Action will inspire your students to do sociology through real-world activities designed to increase learning, retention, and engagement with course material. Inspired by the best-selling introductory sociology text, Sociology in Action, this innovative new book immerses students in an active learning experience that emphasizes hands-on work, application, and learning by example as they grapple with the causes and consequences of social problems as well as possible solutions. Each chapter explains key concepts and theories in social problems and pairs that foundational coverage with a series of carefully developed learning activities and thought-provoking questions. The comprehensive Activity Guide that accompanies the text provides everything you need to assign, carry out, and assess the activities that will best engage your students, fit the format of your course, and meet your course goals.

This title is accompanied by a complete teaching and learning package. Contact your SAGE representative to request a demo.
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Learning Activities
 
Preface
 
About the Authors
 
About the Contributors
 
Unit I: Inequalities as Social Problems
Kathleen Odell Korgen
Chapter 1: Understanding and Solving Social Problems
What is a Social Problem?

 
Sociology and the Study of Social Problems

 
Why are some, But Not Other, Social Conditions Considered Social Problems?

 
How Can Professional Sociologists—and You—Help Solve Social Problems?

 
How to Conduct Social Scientific Research

 
Dawn R. Norris
Chapter 2: Analyzing Economic Inequalities
Economic Inequality and Social Problems

 
Explaining Economic Inequality

 
Wealth and Income Gaps: How Much Inequality Exists?

 
The Question of Mobility

 
Social Problems That Cause Economic Inequality

 
Social Problems Caused by Economic Inequality

 
Solving the Social Problem of Economic Inequality: Policies, Movements, and Action

 
Meghan Burke
Chapter 3: Recognizing Racism and Racial Inequalities
What is Race?

 
What is Racism?

 
Why Does Racial Inequality Exist?

 
Why Do Racial Inequality and Racism Persist?

 
What Social Problems Relate to Racism and Racial Inequalities?

 
How Can We Challenge and Address Racism and Racial Inequality?

 
Kris Macomber
Chapter 4: Examining Gender Inequalities
How Does a Social Constructionist Approach Examine Gender Inequality?

 
The Roots of Contemporary Gender Inequality: Identifying Patriarchal Culture

 
Contemporary Gender Inequality in the Workplace

 
Men’s Violence Against Women

 
How does Gender Inequality Affect Boys and Men?

 
Other Gendered Social Problems

 
Gender-Based Movements and Social Change

 
Jason Crockett
Chapter 5: Focusing on Sex and Sexualities
Sex and Sexualities

 
Social Responses to Sex and Sexualities

 
Enforcing Sexual Norms at the Micro Level

 
Why Attitudes Toward Sex and Sexualities Change

 
 
Unit II: Global Population Problems
Deborah Lowry
Chapter 6: Preparing for Aging Societies
What is Population Aging?

 
What Social Problems Accompany Aging Societies?

 
What are Governments Doing to Prepare for Aging Populations?

 
What Can Local Communities Do to Improve Conditions of Aging?

 
Daniel Herda
Chapter 7: Making Sense of Migration and Immigration
What Is Migration?

 
The Social Construction of Immigrants as a Problem

 
Social Problems Causing Migration

 
Social Problems Affecting Immigrants

 
Social Problems Caused by Immigration

 
Lillian MacNell
Chapter 8: Researching Environmental Problems
The Link between Environmental and Social Problems

 
The Environmental Costs of Powering Our Lives

 
Recognizing and Curbing Climate Change

 
Food and Agriculture

 
Confronting Environmental Injustice

 
Bridget Diamond-Welch
Chapter 9: Contesting Crime
The Social Construction of Crime

 
Mistakes in Claim Construction

 
Class, Race, Gender, and Critical Criminology

 
Social Problems that Cause Crime

 
Amy Sodaro
Chapter 10: Understanding War and Terrorism
Understanding War as a Social Problem

 
Seeing War as a Social Problem

 
War’s Impact on Society

 
Understanding Terrorism as a Social Problem

 
Consequences of Terrorism

 
Confronting War and Terrorism

 
 
Unit III: Institutional Problems
Rena C. Zito
Chapter 11: Identifying Problems in the Criminal Justice System
The U.S. Criminal Justice System

 
Policing

 
Courts and Corrections

 
Criminal Records

 
Rena C. Zito
Chapter 12: Discovering Problems in the Family
What is a Family?

 
Social Construction of Families as Problems

 
Family problems as Social Problems

 
Social Problems Affecting Families

 
Erinn Brooks
Chapter 13: Pursuing Equity in Education
Education and Schooling

 
The Purpose of Education

 
Social Problems in Education and Schools

 
Reforms that Can Improve Education Systems

 
Gregory T. Kordsmeier
Chapter 14: Prioritizing Health and Health Care Inequalities
Understanding Health and Health-Related Social Problems

 
How Social Problems Affect Health

 
Social Problems and Inequalities in the Health Care System

 
Facing Health Challenges Collectively

 
Kathleen Odell Korgen and Maxine P. Atkinson
Chapter 15: Realizing the Power—and Vulnerability—of Institutions
Why Does a Society Need Social Institutions?

 
Why Do Institutions Fail?

 
Declining Faith in Institutions in the United States

 
How Can Social Problems Weaken Institutions?

 
How Can We Save Our Social Institutions?

 
Glenn A. Bowen
Appendix: Addressing Social Problems through Service-learning
Fundamentals of Service-learning

 
Assessment of Service-learning

 
Tips for Faculty Considering Service-learning

 
Service-learning in a Social Problems Course

 
 
References
 
Glossary
 
Index

Supplements

Instructor Resource Site
edge.sagepub.com/atkinson


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LMS cartridge included with this title for use in Blackboard, Canvas, Brightspace by Desire2Learn (D2L), and Moodle

The LMS cartridge makes it easy to import this title’s instructor resources into your learning management system (LMS). These resources include:

  • Test banks
  • Editable chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides
  • Sample course syllabi
  • Lecture notes
  • All tables and figures from the textbook 
Don’t use an LMS platform?

You can still access all of the same online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site.
Student Study Site

edge.sagepub.com/atkinson

 

The open-access Student Study Site makes it easy for students to maximize their study time, anywhere, anytime. It offers flashcards that strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts, as well as learning objectives that reinforce the most important material.

This is well-structured, easy to follow with updated cases book. I recommend to anyone who plan to teach or study social problem topics.

Dr Aslan Tanekenov
Sociology, Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Research (KIMEP)
May 17, 2022