Our society faces a multitude of problems, including hunger, inequality, racial disparities and injustices, climate change, and many more. In Social Problems: Continuity and Change (2016), the topic of societal problems and change defines what a social problem is, what are the stages of development of a social problem, perspectives and theories, sources of societal changes, and ways scholars study social problems.
Problems within a society can be defined by recognizing and addressing "any condition or behavior that has negative consequences for large numbers of people" (Social Problems, 2016, p. 6). Identifying the degree to which a problem is a problem can be both objective and subjective, depending on the influence and perspective of the individual or group involved.
Social problems go through a natural development, starting with an individual or group making a call to action or a claim or outcry. Catching the attention of those in positions of power or the influence of the individual or group will determine the success of the claim to draw enough attention to validate and legitimize the claim and advance to the second stage of development. At this stage, with the backing of empirical evidence, the group seeks attention from governmental agencies or people in power to take action on the now-legitimized claim. If the social problem is not acted upon, in stage 3 the group or individual can respond by "reasserting their claims and by criticizing the official response" (Social Problems, 2016, p. 11). Finally, if no progress is made or if an adequate response is not received, the groups or individuals can decide to try different strategies and approaches for addressing the social problem.
Bringing a social problem to the attention of policymakers and agents of change and creating social change can be difficult because of the different perspectives and beliefs held by humans in our society. For some, social problems are individual problems that need to be dealt with at a personal level. For others, social problems are everyone's problems and should be addressed at a societal level. The "social imagination," a term coined by C. Wright Mills, refers to "the ability to appreciate the structural basis for individual problems" (School Problems, 2016, p. 13).
Sociological perspectives can be looked at from three different theoretical perspectives: functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. These three perspectives can best be summed up in the chart below.
One thing to count on in our society is that social problems will always be present. This persistent presence can become overwhelming and create feelings of pessimism. For what can one person or one group really do to be an agent of change when there are so many serious social issues that need to be addressed?
The good news is "change is possible!" And how does change happen? ...with the actions of individuals and groups who see a problem and want to make a difference, with policymakers who use their positions of power to make laws and enact policies that address the problems, and by looking outward beyond our country's borders to see how other nations have addressed social issues (Social Problems, 2016, pp. 24-26). Through the use of surveys, observational studies, and experiments, scholars and researchers can gather information about social problems and use that data to become agents of change.
Eleanor Roosevelt said...
So, now is the time for change! What needs to change? Who are the agents of change? And what about us? We are billions of beautiful hearts. We are children waiting to be loved. ...are you ready? I'll be ready 'cause now it's time to let them know we are ready... what about us!
P!nk. (2017, August 16). P!nk - What about us (Official video). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClU3fctbGls
Social Problems: Continuity and Change. (2016). University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/141