You are here

How Can We Solve Our Social Problems?
Share

How Can We Solve Our Social Problems?

Third Edition

Courses:
Social Problems

November 2015 | 344 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
“Rarely do I find a book that so clearly and concisely presents the material is such an accessible engaging manner. I just hope it never goes out of print!”  
– Chris Adamski-Mietus, Western Illinois University  

Many of today’s social problems—poverty, crime, racism, sexism, drug abuse, unequal access to quality health care or education, threats to the environment, over-population—can seem intractable. James A. Crone’s How Can We Solve Our Social Problems?, Third Edition is designed to give students studying these types of social problems a sense of hope. Unlike the standard survey texts that focus heavily on the causes and consequences of problems, this book is devoted to analyzing possible solutions. It maintains a sense of sociological objectivity throughout, and without moralizing, describes what could be done in America and on a global scale, through government policies, private sector initiatives, and the collective actions of citizens, to address even our most pervasive social problems.  

Contributor to the SAGE Teaching Innovations and Professional Development Award

?Find out more at www.sagepub.com/sociologyaward

 
Chapter 1: Preparing to Solve Our Social Problems
What Is a Social Problem?

 
History of Studying Social Problems

 
Teaching About Social Problems in Today’s World

 
How Can Sociologists Address Social Problems and Yet Remain Objective?

 
What Social Problem Should We Solve First?

 
How Might Sociological Theory Help Us to Solve Social Problems?

 
A Theory of Conflict and Social Change: A Way to Better Understand and Therefore Solve Our Social Problems

 
Causal Model: A Picture of Our Theory

 
My Own Theoretical Orientation

 
Other Sociological Theories That Can Help Us Understand and Solve Social Problems

 
Concluding Thoughts on Theory and Social Problems

 
Addressing Social Problems Within Capitalism

 
The Next Chapter

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 2: Barriers, Possibilities, and How Sociology Can Help
Barriers to Solving Our Social Problems

 
Possibilities for Solving Our Social Problems

 
How Can Sociology Help to Solve Social Problems?

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 3: How Can We Solve the Problem of Increasing Inequality?
Definition and Statistics

 
Causes of Growing Inequality

 
Consequences of Growing Inequality

 
Options We Have With Inequality

 
What Should We Do?

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 4: How Can We Solve the Problem of Poverty?
Assumptions We Can Make About Solving Poverty

 
What Can We Do?

 
Concluding On an Optimistic Note

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 5: How Can We Solve the Problem of Racial/Ethnic Inequality?
Now, and Where to Next?

 
What Might Racial/Ethnic Equality Mean?

 
What More Can We Do?

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 6: How Can We Solve the Problem of Gender Inequality?
What Can We Do?

 
Concluding Thoughts

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 7: How Can We Solve the Problem of Unequal Education?
What Can We Do?

 
Problems That Prevent Us From Having Excellent Public Schools

 
Tax Money for Schools

 
Positive Consequences

 
What Will Not Work If We Want Excellent Public Education: The Voucher System

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 8: How Can We Solve the Problem of Crime?
What Can We Do?

 
A Dilemma: Capitalism and Crime

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 9: How Can We Solve the Problem of Drugs?
Keep the Current Policy

 
Legalize Drugs for Adults

 
Take a Step-by-Step Approach by Legalizing One Drug at a Time

 
Where to Go From Here?

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 10: How Can We Solve the Problem of Health Care?
Consequences of Our Problem

 
Why Don’t We Have a Health Care System That Covers All Citizens Like All Other Industrial Nations?

 
Criteria for a Health Care System For All Americans

 
How We Could Implement These Criteria

 
Advantages of Health Care For All Americans

 
Disadvantages of Health Care For All Americans

 
What Other Countries Include in Their National Health Care Systems

 
The Future: What Could Happen?

 
Summer and Fall 2009 and Winter 2010: Finally, Serious Debate

 
March 21, 2010: Health Care Reform Passes Congress

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 11: How Can We Solve the Problems of Families?
Decreasing Inequality to Help Families

 
Decreasing Poverty to Help Families

 
Creating Enough Jobs and Enough Decent-Paying Jobs to Help Families

 
Creating Racial and Ethnic Equality to Help Families

 
Creating Gender Equality to Help Families

 
Including Gay and Lesbian Couples to Help Families

 
Decreasing Crime to Help Families

 
Changing the Way We Deal With Drugs to Help Families

 
Creating a National Health Care System to Help Families

 
Creating Good-Quality Education for All Students to Help Families

 
Educating Students to Help Families

 
Educating Parents to Help Families

 
Summary of What We Can Do to Help Families

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 12: How Can We Solve the World’s Population Problem?
Causes of the World’s Population Problem

 
What Can We Do?

 
Where Are We?

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 13: How Can We Solve the World’s Environmental Problem?
Consequences

 
What Can We Do?

 
Conclusion

 
Questions for Discussion

 
 
Chapter 14: Solving Our Social Problems: Predictions and Conclusions
A Number of Similar Social Conditions

 
Defining a Social Condition as a Social Problem

 
Legitimation

 
Values and Vested Interests

 
Loss of Control Over the Social Problem

 
Attention and Resources

 
Someone Will Be Dissatisfied

 
Compromise

 
Becoming Accustomed to Social Change

 
Capitalism and Social Problems

 
Environment, Population, and Standard of Living

 
Building a Sustainable Society

 
Conclusion

 
Questions for Discussion

 

“It is easy to read and gets to the point quickly without including unnecessary details. I also like that it provides realistic solutions, things that can be done either by individual or group effort…Rarely do I find a book that so clearly and concisely presents the material is such an accessible engaging manner. I just hope it never goes out of print!”

Chris Adamski-Mietus
Western Illinois University

“I adopted this book because of its readability and its emphasis on solving problems. Social problems can, quite frankly, be depressing to cover day in and day out. It's great to be able to end each unit or topic of discussion on a high note by discussing solutions.”

Laci Fiala
Walsh University

I've used this book, including previous editions, for a number of semesters and it's been very useful.

Dr Beverly Bennett
Social Science Dept, Wilbur Wright College
January 15, 2021

I lIke the information contained in this book, but it was a little light on introductory knowledge for my freshman level class. I may adopt it as a supplement next semester, but I don't think it could stand on its own in my particular class.

Ms Jennifer Darling
Soc Crim Just Sub Abuse Dept, University Of Central Oklahoma
July 7, 2016

Chose a different Sage textbook, shared this with a colleague who may be interested in it.

Mr barry davis
Arts Humanities Dept, Tri-State Bible College
September 21, 2015
Key features

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

  • Includes the most recent efforts to address problems of affordable and universal health care, marriage equality, and climate change.
  • Explores the latest thinking in the continuing debate over economic inequality in the U.S.
  • Key data and statistics have been updated throughout.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Gives students hope and a sense that there are indeed answers to the challenges we face in today's world with specific and realistic steps that can be taken to solve our social problems.
  • Illustrates how many problems are linked (like overpopulation and threats to the environments), and that solving one social problem can also help address others.
  • Helps students use theory to better understand the social problems we face, and to see sociology as a key tool for solving our social problems.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 3

Chapter 10


For instructors

Select a Purchasing Option


Rent or Buy eBook
ISBN: 9781506304847

Paperback
ISBN: 9781506304830
$95.00

This title is also available on SAGE Knowledge, the ultimate social sciences online library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.