Learning goals
As I join this class my learning goals are quite many, but the most notable one is to gain deeper knowledge of the causes and solutions of social problems. In so doing, I will seek to comprehend the role of individuals in solving or reducing the possibility of social problems. Secondly, I aim at understanding the connection between the social problems faced by a society and the economic strength of such a society. Thirdly, I aim at expanding my knowledge on the different interpretations of social problems, such as the conflict theory, and the structural theory, and so on.
My understanding of social problems
In my understanding, social problems are all the negative forces that affect the wellbeing of some or all of the members of a society. Going by my definition, therefore, social problems include such vices as drug abuse, high crime rates, and the presence of prostitution, and so on. Sociology is similar to other disciplines in the sense that it endeavors to establish a comfortable and prosperous society. Much like economics and political science, sociology’s main stakeholders are members of a society. The topic I am most interested in learning is the relationship between economic status of a society and the frequency of social problems.
Response 1
As noted by my classmate, feminism is a complex concept that stretches beyond the common presumption; that it is an effort by the womenfolk to achieve equality in the society. The primary tenets explained in my classmate’s observation are the pillars of the feminist approach in solving sociological problems. Apparently, I do concur with the observation, especially because it recognizes the fact that the feminist approach seeks to solve the sociological problems for the betterment of the entire society and not for the sake of changing the position of women in the society (Leon-Guerrero, 2011). Undoubtedly, the observation made by my classmate indicates a deep understanding of the text.
Response 2
There could not be a truer observation than what my classmate made regarding the functionalist interpretation of social problems. As a matter of fact, functionalists believe that a successful society is successful because the various functions or parts are efficiently working in collaboration with one another. Similarly, a dysfunctional society is weak due to the inefficiencies within the entire system. I think this is a good interpretation of the phenomena because social problems affect society in part or as a whole. The analogy made by my classmate regarding the difference between individual and social problems is a perfect simplification of what Lemert (2012) explains in his book Social things: An introduction to the sociological life.
References
Lemert, C. C. (2012). Social things: An introduction to the sociological life. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Pub.
Leon-Guerrero, A. (2011). Social problems: Community, policy and social action. (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.
