Understanding Social Problems

This up-to-date and accessible text fills an important gap in the market by introducing students to social policy perspectives on social problems. Written in an accessible, student-friendly style, using subheadings, boxed material, tables, and up-to-date examples Each chapter includes a brief outline of the issues to be explored and question sections to help learning, develop evaluative skills and encourage project work Includes an annotated guide to further reading, helpful internet addresses, and a bibliography of sources cited Chapters can be used independently or in conjunction with others addressing related questions

List of Figures. List of Tables. About the Contributors. Guide to the Book. Social Problems in Social Policy: An Introduction (Margaret May, Robert Page and Edward Brunsdon). PART ONE. STUDYING SOCIAL PROBLEMS. 1. Social Problems: Sociological Perspectives (John Clarke). 2. The Exploration of Social Problems in the Field of Social Policy (Robert Page). PART TWO. SOCIAL POLICY, SOCIAL PROBLEMS. The Family. 3. Family Change and Lone Parents as a Social Problem (Jane Lewis). 4. Caring and Dependency: Age and Disability (John Baldock). 5. Domestic Violence (Lorraine Radford). Poverty and Social Exclusion. 6. The Changing Face of Poverty (David Donnison). 7. Child Poverty and the Policy Response (Karen Rowlingson). 8. Homelessness (Mark Liddiard). 9. Income and Wealth (Paul Spicker). Health. 10. Health Inequalities (Helen Jones). 11. Mental Disorder (Pauline Prior). 12. Problematic Identities and Health (David Kelleher). Community Problems. 13. The Problematic Community (Susanne MacGregor). 14. Safe and Sound? Crime, Disorder and Community Safety Policies (Dee Cook). 15. Drugs and Drug Misuse (Arthur Gould). PART THREE. REPORTING SOCIAL PROBLEMS. 16. Press-Ganged! Media Reporting of Social Work and Child Abuse (Bob Franklin and Nigel Parton). 17. Defrauding the Community? The Abuse of Welfare (Hartley Dean). 18. Ways of Seeing: The News Media and Racist Violence (Eugene MLaughlin and Karim Murji). PART FOUR. CONSUMER PROTECTION IN SOCIAL POLICY. 19. Protecting the ‘Vulnerable’: Welfare and Consumer Protection (Margaret May). 20. Food and the Environment (Meg Huby). Index.