Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 18: CAN SOCIAL PROBLEMS BE SOLVED?

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina demonstrated just how serious a social problem can be that is created by a natural disaster such as a hurricane. The failed infrastructure contributed significantly more problems than those initially created by the natural devastation of the hurricane. Whereas the United States is the most technologically advanced nation in the world, one can only ask, why weren’t the victims of the hurricane provided better assistance? Why weren’t the infrastructures hardened to withstand the damage of Katrina? Where was the Office of Emergency Preparedness when the people of New Orleans needed their help the most? But hind sight is always 20/20. Looking back on the devastation of the hurricane and its aftermath makes criticism of a flawed system easy. The solutions to social problems become more difficult.

Solving social problems is a far more complex undertaking than simply identifying them and pinpointing their social location. It is so much easier to call attention to a problem than to carry out a solution. In many cases, the ideal solution may be less than practical. Preventive measures are praised if they are implemented prior to a potential disaster and help save property and lives. But if the disaster never comes, the money spent in prevention is criticized as having been misappropriated and foolishly spent. Unfortunately, Americans have become more accustomed to responding to social problems in after-the-fact measures. Solutions after they have struck seem to take precedence over preventive measures before they occur. For example, a flood protection plan in New Orleans would have cost an estimated 2.5 billion dollars. But rather than “bite the bullet” for such an expensive plan, the government opted to chance the effects of a hurricane. Katrina resulted in tens of billions dollars of damage, lost wages in the billions, a staggering loss of life, injuries, and personal trauma…damages that no price tag can compensate.

Another snafu in addressing social problems involves actually defining the problem in order to fix it. Sometimes there is no agreement on what the problem is. Identifying a problem often gives rise to additional problems, can upset the status quo, and threaten the careers of individuals in elected or appointed offices.

One technique of solving social problems is through social change. Social change is the alternation, modification, or transformation of public policy, culture, or social institutions over time. Solutions may be short-, middle-, or long-term and a combination of micro-and macro-level attempts. Microlevel solutions focus on how individuals operate within small groups to try to remedy a problem that affects them, their family, or friends. But individual and small group efforts at solving social problems are usually short-term measures. Midrange solutions to social problems concentrate on how secondary groups and formal organizations can deal with problems or assist individuals in overcoming problems such as drug addiction or domestic violence. Midrange solutions are based on the assumptions that some social problems can best be solved by reaching one person at a time and prevention and intervention are most effective at the personal and community levels. Examples of midrange solutions include Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and other self-help groups. Grassroots groups are specifically useful in bringing about a change that may reduce or eliminate a social problem in a specific community or region. But grassroots efforts are often insufficient to make sustained change or change at the level required. When a more diverse effort is needed, a social movement is needed. A social movement is an organized group that acts collectively to promote or resist change through collective action. Mothers Against Drunk Driving and PETA are two examples of grassroots efforts that evolved into social movements. To be most effective social movements need to increase their organizational structure and scope to a macrolevel to include large scale social institutions such as the government and media. This may involve the use of special interest groups, lobbies, and pressure groups.

Collective behavior and national social movements are significant ways in which people seek to resolve social problems. Collective behavior is voluntary, often spontaneous activity, that is engaged in by a large number of people and typically violates dominant group norms and values. National social movements take five forms. They are reform movements, revolutionary movements, religious movements, alternative movements, and resistance movements.

But macrolevel approaches to solving social problems are not without their problems. Macrolevel approaches may overemphasize structural barriers in society and deemphasize the importance of individual responsibility.

But overshadowing any method used to resolve a social problem is the underlying theoretical perspective one accepts. From the functionalist perspective social problems arise when social institutions do not fulfill the functions they are supposed to perform or when dysfunctions occur. According to the functionalist approach, dysfunctions create social disorganization, which in turn causes a breakdown in traditional values and norms that serve as social control mechanisms.

The conflict perspective assumes that conflict is natural and inevitable in society. According to Marxist theorists, groups are engaged in a continuous power struggle for control of scarce resources. As a result of the unjust use of political, economic, or social power, certain groups of people are privileged while others are disadvantaged. Other conflict theorists view the interlocking nature of race, class, and gender as systems of domination and subordination as central concerns of social problems.

The symbolic interactionist perspective focuses on how people act toward one another and make sense of their daily lives. Symbolic interactionists study social problems by analyzing the process whereby a behavior is defined as a social problem and how individuals and groups come to engage in activities that a significant number of people view as major social concerns.

Each of the sociological perspectives suggests ways in which social problems may be identified and remedies may be sought. In doing so, these theories provide divergent views on social change that might reduce or eliminate social problems.