The new second edition of this distinctive and widely adopted textbook brings into the classroom an overview of how images of social problems can shape not only public policy and social services, but also the ways in which we make sense of ourselves and others. It introduces two primary changes. First, some attention is devoted to the "new social movements" that emphasize social change through identity transformation rather than through structural change. Second, the text now also looks more closely at the importance of emotions in constructing public consciousness of social problems.When the first edition was published, Teaching Sociology noted, "Loseke does a superb job explaining the relationship between sociology and social problems in a text that is very well research and engaging, yet with tremendous attention to detail and accuracy... [W]ould provide a solid base for any social problems class." Contemporary Sociology wrote that the book is "engagingly well written in a personal, unpretentious style, and well informed by the author's knowledge of the professional literature."

The new second edition of this distinctive and widely adopted textbook brings into the classroom an overview of how images of social problems can shape not only public policy and social services, but also the ways in which we make sense of ourselves and others. It introduces two primary changes. First, some attention is devoted to the “new social movements” that emphasize social change through identity transformation rather than through structural change. Second, the text now also looks more closely at the importance of emotions in constructing public consciousness of social problems. When the first edition was published, Teaching Sociology noted, “Loseke does a superb job explaining the relationship between sociology and social problems in a text that is very well research and engaging, yet with tremendous attention to detail and accuracy… [W]ould provide a solid base for any social problems class.” Contemporary Sociology wrote that the book is “engagingly well written in a personal, unpretentious style, and well informed by the author’s knowledge of the professional literature.”

Arguing that we commonly understand "wife abuse" and the "battered woman" in terms of standardized images of problems and people, the author explores how these images inform and shape social services for women who have been assaulted. Using ethnographic data of shelter work from the perspective of workers, she shows how these standardized images affect organizational structure and how front-line workers make sense of their interventions into clients' lives.

While social constructionist approaches to social problems are popular among academic researchers in sociology, communication, public policy, and criminology, this perspective tends not to be adequately covered in popular social problems texts. There are several likely reasons why students are often not introduced to constructionist perspectives until they reach advanced undergraduate or even graduate work. Student interest often lies in understanding real problems in the social world, but social constructionist perspectives focus on questions about how humans create the meaning of our world. Donileen R. Loseke claims that questions of constructionists seem esoteric and perhaps even a waste of time in a world containing very real want and pain. Social constructionism originally was posed as an alternative to other theoretical approaches examining social problems as objective conditions. This has led some to argue that either you believe that social problems exist out-side human awareness, or you believe that social problems are constructed. Loseke is convinced that social construction perspectives help us make sense of daily living. The questions of construction--how do humans create, sustain, and change meaning--only sound esoteric. At its best, social constructionism encourages a way of thinking that is distinctly sociological and empowering, to those who use it. However, the insights of constructionism do not depend on suspending all belief that a real world exists outside our understanding of it. Constructionism is less an alternative to other theoretical frameworks, than an important addition. Different frameworks pose questions about different aspects of life. To deny the importance of any theoretical framework is to limit our comprehension. The author claims that we cannot afford to do this if we want to understand the perplexity and complexity of the human condition. Donileen R. Loseke is Professor of Sociology, University of South Florida. A past president of the Society for the study of Symbolic Interaction, she is the author of The Battered Woman and Shelters: The Social Construction of Wife Abuse, and coeditor (with Richard Gelles) of Current Controversies on Family Violence.

Written by a highly respected team of authors brought together by the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP), this book provides accessible insights into pressing social problems in the United States in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and proposes public policy responses for victims and justice, precarious populations, employment dilemmas and health and well-being.

Within the last four years, the death of George Floyd brought a new level of urgency to understanding police violence; the world experienced two of the three hottest years on record; drug overdose deaths in the U.S. surpassed 100,000 per year for the first time; the foreign-born percentage of the population became the highest ever; and COVID-19 transformed education, work, and public health. Seeing Social Problems: The Hidden Stories Behind Contemporary Issues, Second Edition shows students how to think about social problems in a new way, by exploring the connection between their own experiences and larger social forces. The personal relevance of this book’s content is at the forefront of every discussion. Chapters engage students in thinking about the world sociologically by focusing on case studies that represent broader social problems. In each chapter, learning objectives attune students to important concepts. Two sets of discussion questions— “First Impressions” and “What Do You Know Now?” — encourage students to recognize how the chapter has broadened their perspectives. An exploration of social policy at the end of each chapter shows students that how someone understands an issue influences the ways they go about addressing it. New to the Second Edition: - New chapter, “LGBTQ+ People and Their Critics,” explores different ways of understanding growing diversity in American society based on gender identity and sexual orientation - New chapter, “Education and Upward Mobility,” encourages readers to think more expansively about their schooling experiences, starting when they were very young and continuing through college - New chapter, “Immigration and Border Security,” exposes competing ways of seeing the rising influx of migrants entering the U.S. from Mexico - New chapter, “Health and the Environment,” draws on discussion about familiar topics including Covid-19, obesity, and climate change - New chapter, “Technology and Instant Pleasure” motivates students to recognize the wider societal impacts of their frequent usage of mobile devices to make life more convenient

New Publication Coming Soon!