Corruption, crime, economic inequality, religious fundamentalism, financial crises, environmental degradation, population ageing, gender inequality, large-scale migration... This book tackles many of the most pressing problems facing societies today. The authors demonstrate that similar social mechanisms lie behind many of these seemingly disparate problems. Indeed, many societal problems can be traced back to behaviours that are perfectly rational and often well-intended from an individual perspective. Yet, taken together these behaviours can – paradoxically – give rise to unintended and undesirable outcomes at the society level. In addition to addressing the causes of societal problems, the book explains why some problems rank higher on the public agenda than others. Moreover, it is shown how government intervention may sometimes provide a cure, yet other times exacerbate existing problems or create new problems of its own. This book includes an extensive amount of data on trends and geographic variation in the prevalence of different problems, as well as telling examples – both recent and historical – from a variety of countries to support its key arguments. Employing a bold multidisciplinary approach, the authors draw on insights from across the social sciences, including sociology, economics, anthropology, criminology, and psychology. Throughout the book, students are introduced to analytical concepts such as free-riding, herding behaviour, principal-agent relations and moral hazard. These concepts are essential tools for better understanding the roots of many societal problems that regularly make headlines in the news. This improved understanding will, in turn, be critical for ultimately finding solutions to these problems.

Bad Moon Rising focuses on emerging social problems, which refers to those problems that can both radically and adversely impact the current stability of our society and fundamentally change us in ways opposed to being free, happy, and well. Central to this book is the assumption that all people have inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. By placing the individual as a central element in the discussion, this book does what most other texts on the subject of social problems too often ignore-the existential needs of the individual. From this sociological perspective, Bad Moon Rising explores several emerging social problems. First, the effects that technology is imposing on our most succinct inalienable rights, including freedom of thought and the right to freely debate our ideas within the new virtual public square is explored. Second, the social problem of economic inequality as it affects our middle-class tier is explored. The middle-class has been melting away in recent years, possibly leading to devastating consequences for our society. Third, human intimacy is essential to establishing personal wellbeing and happiness. As more schools encourage online classes and social networking platforms continuing to inhibit real opportunity for physical and synchronistic contact with each other, our society is now witnessing an epidemic of mental illness such as depression, anxiety, and suicide. Also, the effects of decreasing marriage rates, in favor of alternative lifestyles like cohabitation is explored as, yet, another emerging problem. Finally, the subject again returns to happiness, which is achievable by having both purpose and meaning in life. Bad Moon Rising is intended to bring our nation's most pressing problems out into the public square. This is the space where the norms of pleasant civility are pushed aside for the moment. In this space, we disrobe ourselves of titles, status, and rank; here, we debate by exchanging ideas freely and robustly. The public square is the proper space to sound the alarm, especially when our leaders are telling us there is no concern, "nothing to see here; move along!"

This book employs the paradigm advocated by C. Wright Mills in THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION. The theme centers on how social problems directly impact the personal lives of students and other citizens in society. The SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION paradigm used throughout the text provides an integrated view of social problems.

This book is an economical introduction to social problems with a built-in study guide, emphasizing an applied approach that looks at the interplay between research and policy in finding solutions. This book explores the nature and extent of social problems, documents the advances and setbacks that we as a society have made, and analyzes what works and what doesn't work regarding solutions to todays problems. This straightforward book helps readers study this constantly changing field by applying social science research to the solutions of some of the most difficult and controversial problems confronting the United States and the world today. Designed for those interested in social problems, sociology or social sciences.