Perspectives on Current Social Problems

This book gives readers the intellectual tools to be intelligent consumers of writing (whether by journalists or academics) on contemporary social issues. It accomplishes this with the paradigms for reading and thinking presented in the first chapter. The anthology concentrates on problems in the United States, but uses cross-cultural data whenever appropriate to illuminate what is happening in the United States. All selections are well-grounded in the sociological perspective and include a rich variety of data to support the key conclusions that each author makes. Timely essays include the following “hot topics”: restructuring the U.S. economy; the continuing legacy of racism in U.S. society; homelessness, the minimum wage; temporary workers; immigration and pluralism; the “bell curve” debate; bilingual education; type schooling and minority success; eating disorders; gender equity in athletics; sexual harassment; gambling; kids and crack cocaine; gun violence; street crime; family violence; blended families; the restructuring of the health care system; AIDS; and hunger.