Understanding Social Problems

Chapter six on poverty , work , and the economy explains how these issues are connected and affect people’s lives in many ways. It touches on the poverty line , which was first created in 1963, is now outdated because it doesn’t include modern expenses like childcare, healthcare, and transportation, which makes it hard to truly measure who is poor. Poverty impacts women, children, and people of color the most, showing how stratification,  the unequal ranking of people in society, continues to define people's opportunities. There are two main explanations for why poverty exists. First, the individualistic explanation , which blames personal choices and motivation. Second, the structural explanation , which points to problems like low wages, unemployment, and lack of access to education. The chapter also talks about the culture of poverty , or the idea that people can become trapped by attitudes and habits formed through long-term poverty. As for the work environment, outsourcing a...

 This chapter on Children, Families, and Schools looks at how families and schools have changed over time and the roles they play in society. A family is a group of people related by blood, marriage, adoption, or commitment who provide emotional support ( help and comfort during stressful or tough times) and socialize children (teaching them the rules, values, and behaviors they need to fit into society). Families today are different from the past, with higher divorce rates, more couples living together without being married, and more women working outside the home than ever before. Schools also serve many people, but differences in funding, resources, and expectations create challenges for some students. From a functionalist perspective, families and schools are important because they help people grow, fit into society, and provide support. Conflict theory shows how they can reinforce inequality, while symbolic interactionism focuses on how everyday interactions between fami...

Chapter 4, about c rime and justice  talks about how society defines and responds to behaviors that break the rules or laws, starting with the key question: What’s the difference between deviance and crime? Deviance refers to actions that go against social norms and draw social disapproval, while crime involves behaviors that violate laws and are seen as especially harmful or dangerous. It explains that not every deviant act is a crime, but society decides which behaviors are serious enough to be punished by the law. The chapter also discusses how the media can distort our perception of crime by overdramatizing violent acts and creating unnecessary fear in people, even when the crime rates are actually declining. It introduces five main types of crime: violent crime , which includes acts like murder and assault,  property crime , involving theft or damage to people's property or possessions,  white-collar crime , which is done by professionals or corporations for finan...

 In this chapter about alcohol and drugs, I've learned that drugs have been a part of human life for thousands of years, from ancient mead and cannabis and now tobacco, rum, and cocaine in present day America. A drug is any substance other than food that changes the body’s structure or function, and today alcohol stays the most widely used drug, especially among college students where binge drinking can lead to serious injuries, assaults, or even deaths. Drug use is different across gender, race, education, and region, while religion often leads to lower usage rates. For example, men are more than twice as likely as women to engage in binge or heavy drinking, and whites report the highest rates of alcohol use while Native Americans report the lowest. Looking at alcohol and other drugs through a sociological view, functionalism shows how drugs can serve many purposes, like creating pleasure, income, or jobs, but also causing harm to people's health and society. Conflict theor...