SOCIAL PROBLEMS: CONSTRUCTIONIST READINGS (SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND SOCIAL ISSUES)

This collection of readings is aimed at several levels of students of social problems. It is accessible to the uninitiated who are not already familiar with the constructionist literature, and aimed at those who are not particularly interested in subtle theoretical and empirical issues of concern to academics studying social problems from constructionist perspectives. Some readings focus on the construction of problems by scientists and other professionals; others examine the work of social activists, mass media, and social service personnel. Among the topics included are constructionist studies of social inequalities, and of individual deviance; a comparison of the images of social problems in the United States with those in other countries; and an examination of the importance of politics and power in constructing public images of social problems.