Social Problems

by Joel Best

A complete set of tools for analyzing any social problem.

Updated with nine new end-of-chapter case studies and more than 50 new boxed examples, the Third Edition of Joel Best's Social Problems elucidates the complex, competitive process through which social problems emerge, paying particular attention to how resources and rhetoric affect each stage of the process. Drawing on social constructionist theory, Best shows how activists, experts, and their opponents engage in claimsmaking, and how the media then report on these claims, prompting public reaction and driving policy. In order to help students connect theory to everyday life, Joel Best fills the book with colorful examples and real-world case studies.

Genres: Sociology, Nonfiction, Read For School, Textbooks, School

350 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 19, 2007

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a basic intro book to social problems, Best has done an excellent job of using both standard academic language to teach students and a solid cadre of case studies as examples. On top of that, in an age where the cost of text books has gone through the roof, Best has kept the cost very reasonable.

[Fran D · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

My prof recommended this book to me in my social policy class. Was a bit technical and drawn out at times but I really enjoyed the case studies the most. Without those I probably wouldn’t have finished the book tbh. Made me see social problems in a different light. How do we define social problems? Who gets to determine that? Why are some issues made social problems while some are not? How do we come to that conclusion?

[Shay Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I assigned the 4th edition of this text to my Social Problems course. The students seemed to enjoy the book. It was a bit repetitive at times, and some of the included figures were not always intuitive, but the overall structure of the book made teaching the social problems process relatively smooth!

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book for a sociology course focusing on the construction and perception of social problems. This book was very straight forward, easy to read, and had wonderful diagrams to go along with more abstract concepts. I would read this again!

[Ginger M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Social Problems

This is the book for my social problems class, however I thought we would be discussing actual social problems such as homelessness, drug abuse, racial inequality and so on. I must say this book just drones on and on. This class has been a real disappointment.

[Alexus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative.

[Gregory Colley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very technical

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for class

[Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

actually sociological!

[Brittany]

An interesting and look at the social construct and policy making. Easier to read than many textbooks I've experienced, but not most captivating either.

[Em (Makenna) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Textbook for one of my classes- clear and concise. Probably my favorite reading we've done so far.

[Rook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used this as the main textbook for a Social Problems course. It's an analytically useful way of approaching the construction of social problems, and very readable for students, but I wouldn't recommend making it the core text for a course, mainly because if you stretch it out over a full semester, you'll start belaboring the point halfway through. Better to excerpt a couple of chapters at the beginning of the semester and then use it as a theoretical framework for addressing specific social problems/conditions.

[Ly · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book changes my perspective about social problems and the role of the media in shaping social problems today.

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, and very easy to read. It was almost pleasurable to read this for my class.