Social Problems, VangoBooks

Drawing on the perspectives of multiple groups (rich, middle class, and poor; whites and people of color; gays and straights; females and males), Social Problems, 10/e examines troubled institutions, problems of inequality, conformity and deviance, and the problems of a changing world.   Now available in paperback, this text familiarizes students with the most trying problems of their times, while stimulating them to think in a critical, scientific way.

Table of Contents:
IN THIS SECTION: 1.) BRIEF 2.) COMPREHENSIVE     BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS:   Chapter 1: Sociology and Social Problems            PART I: Troubled Institutions Chapter 2: Problems of the Family Chapter 3: Problems of Education  Chapter 4: Problems of the Economy         Chapter 5: Problems of Government          Chapter 6: Physical and Mental Health        PART II: The Problems of Inequality Chapter 7: The Poor          Chapter 8: The Ethnic Minorities Chapter 9: Aging and the Life Cycle           Chapter 10: Women and Men           PART III: Conformity and Deviance Chapter 11: Sexual Behavior            Chapter 12: Drug Use          Chapter 13: Crime and Violence       PART IV: Problems of a Changing World Chapter 14: Urbanization     Chapter 15: Population           Chapter 16: The Environment           Chapter 17: The Global Divide: Globalization and International Inequality Chapter 18: Warfare, Terrorism, and International Conflict   COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS:   *All Chapters end with: Summary, Questions for Critical Thinking, Key Terms, and Internet Exercises      Chapter 1: Sociology and Social Problems          What Is a Social Problem?        Social Problems and Social Movements            Foundations of the Sociological Approach         Sociological Perspectives on Social Problems Applying the Sociological Perspectives: An Example     Doing Sociological Research     Interpreting Claims About Social Problems               PART I: Troubled Institutions Chapter 2: Problems of the Family Families Around the World       Understanding Family Diversity Family Problems           Solving the Problems of the Family Sociological Perspectives on Problems of the Family             Chapter 3: Problems of Education  Equal Educational Opportunity for All?  The Quality of Education           Solving the Problems of Education    Sociological Perspectives on Problems of Education      Chapter 4: Problems of the Economy         The World Economy    Understanding Our Economic System   The New Economic Realities    Solving the Problems of the Economy    Sociological Perspectives on Problems of the Economy Chapter 5: Problems of Government          The Growth of Government      Who Runs the Government?     The Political Process: Citizens and Special Interests       The Dilemmas of Government   Solving the Problems of Government     Sociological Perspectives on Problems of Government  Chapter 6: Physical and Mental Health       How Can the U.S. Health-Care System Be Improved? Physical Illness  Mental Disorders          The Crisis in American Health Care       Solving the Problems of Mental and Physical Health      Sociological Perspectives on the Problems of Health and Health Care    PART II: The Problems of Inequality Chapter 7: The Poor          What Can We Do to Reduce Poverty? The Rich and the Poor: A Widening Gap           Measuring Poverty The Life of Poverty       Understanding the Welfare System        Explanations of Poverty            Solving the Problems of Poverty            Sociological Perspectives on the Problems of the Poor    Chapter 8: The Ethnic Minorities Ethnic Groups   Ethnic Minorities in North America        Explaining Ethnic Inequality       Solving the Problems of Ethnic Relations           Sociological Perspectives on Problems of Ethnic Minorities        Chapter 9: Aging and the Life Cycle           Problems of the Young Problems of the Elderly The Graying of America            Solving the Problems of the Young and the Old Sociological Perspectives on Problems of the Life Cycle Chapter10: Women and Men          Gender Roles   Gender Inequality         Solving the Problems of Gender Inequality         Sociological Perspectives on Problems of Gender PART III: Conformity and Deviance Chapter 11: Sexual Behavior            Human Sexuality           Contemporary Sexual Behavior Sexual Behavior and Social Problems    Solving the Problems of Sexual Behavior           Sociological Perspectives on Problems of Sexual Behavior Chapter 12: Drug Use          Drugs and Drug Addiction        Why Use Drugs?          Drug Control in North America Solving the Drug Problem         Sociological Perspectives on Drug Use  Chapter 13: Crime and Violence      The Nature of Crime and Violence        Measuring Crime and Violence  The Causes of Crime and Violence       Criminal Justice Solving the Problems of Crime and Violence  Sociological Perspectives on Crime and Delinquency   PART IV: Problems of a Changing World Chapter 14: Urbanization     Understanding Human Communities      Problems of Urbanization          Solving the Problems of Urbanization    Sociological Perspectives on Problems of Urbanization  Chapter 15: Population        What Caused the Population Explosion?           The Impact of Population Growth         Migration          Solving Population Problems     Sociological Perspectives on Population             Chapter 16: The Environment           Ecology            The Human Impact       Dwindling Resources    Origins of the Environmental Crisis        Solving Our Environmental Problems     Sociological Perspectives on the Environment Chapter 17: The Global Divide: Globalization and International Inequality      Globalization and Global Inequality        Explaining the Global Divide      Solving the Problems of Global Inequality          Sociological Perspectives on the Global Divide  Chapter 18: Warfare, Terrorism, and International Conflict   The Nature of War       Terrorism         The Causes of Warfare and Terrorism   Solving the Problems of Warfare and International Conflict        The Prospects for the Future     Sociological Perspectives on Warfare, Terrorism, and International Conflict       Epilogue           Social Problems in the Twenty-First Century: Looking Forward and Looking Back        Three Critical Issues: Justice, Cohesion, and Survival     Justice  Cohesion          Survival            Three Scenarios for the Future  Notes   Glossary           Photo Credits   Name Index     Subject Index

About the Author :
James W. Coleman is a professor of sociology at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and past chair of the Social Sciences Department. He earned his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was a student of Donald R. Cressey who, until his death, was one of America’s leading criminologists and the co-author of this text.  Professor Coleman is an internationally recognized authority on white collar crime. In addition to numerous articles on the subject, he is the author of The Criminal Elite: Understanding White Collar Crime, currently its 6th edition.   He is also interested in the sociology of religion and has published a new book on Western Buddhism called The New Buddhism: The Western Transformation of an Ancient Tradition.  He is currently working on a book on the sociology of religion in the postmodern age.   Harold R. Kerbo is a professor of sociology at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Professor Kerbo has been promoting international education in the United States and abroad since the early 1980s and has extensive teaching and research experience in Asia and Europe. In addition to other teaching experience in Tokyo, Professor Kerbo was a Fulbright Professor during 1988—1989 at Hiroshima University, as well as a visiting professor in the Law Faculty at Hiroshima Shudo University. During 1991, Professor Kerbo was a visiting professor at the University of Duisburg, Germany, and returned to the Dusseldorf area during 1992 and 1993 as a research professor conducting research on employee relations in Japanese corporations located in Germany. In 1990, Professor Kerbo received a Fulbright-Hays grant to study at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, and for several months during 1994—1996 directed a research project on employee relations in American and Japanese corporations with operations in Thailand. During 1996, he was also a visiting professor in the MBA Program at the Prince of Songkla University in Thailand. From 1995, Professor Kerbo has been in charge of annual study programs he helped establish for American students in Thailand, with study trips also to Laos and Vietnam. During the winter term of 1999, Professor Kerbo was a visiting professor at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and was a visiting professor at the University of Wales, Great Britain, during the fall term of 1999. He is currently doing research on poverty in SE Asia with an Abe Research Fellowship, and based at the Center for the Study of Social Stratification and Inequality at Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. Professor Kerbo has published six books and numerous articles on the subjects of social stratification, comparative societies, corporate structure, and modern Japan. He is the author of the leading textbook on social stratification titled Social Stratification and Inequality, 7/E, and, along with John A. McKinstry, the author of Who Rules Japan?: The Inner-Circles of Economic and Political Power. His latest book is World Poverty: Global Inequality and the Modern World System.

Review :
“I believe Coleman and Kerbo definitely has the student in mind when writing this text. On a practical level, the chapters are clear and concise-and short, which while I hate to admit, is a benefit in the eyes of many students. However, there is no sacrifice when it comes to the quality of the material. This is a particularly difficult balance to strike, and the authors have done it nicely in that respect.” -Christine Janis, Northern Illinois University   “The pedagogy of the text is excellent. The outline is very thorough and easy to follow. The discourse follows a path which is very flowing in nature and easy for the reader to comprehend.” -Sondra McKinney, Missouri State University   “By and large, the text is highly accurate in its presentation of factual information, e.g. data, studies, surveys, and the like.” -C. William Hall, North Carolina State University   “I believe the length and pace of this text is right on. Information is paced well, coherent, and presented in a way that is sufficient to provide the requisite knowledge of the subject matter without drowning the student in a sea on unnecessary rhetoric.” -Christine Janis, Northern Illinois University   “I believe that this text provides both students and instructors with a well-grounded base for sociological investigation. The text is sound and written in a manner which is easy to understand without missing the severity of the issue.” -Sondra McKinney, Missouri State University