Introduction to Contemporary Social Problem Lecture SW.pptx

Understanding Social Problems: Concepts, Nature, Types, and Causes.

1. BY DR. VICTOR EYO ASSI (PhD.) ASSISTANT PROF ESSOR FACULTY OF SOCIAL WORK [email protected]/[email protected] LECTURE ON Understanding Social Problems: Social problems: Concept, Nature, types, causes

2. CONCEPT OF SOCIAL PROBLEM In understanding the meaning and concepts of social problem, it is important to state that, when a particular social phenomenon or condition disturbs the social order and hinders smooth working of social institutions, that can be identified as a social problem. At the initial phase such conditions are neglected since they do not have any serious adverse effects on the social system. But gradually, they get accumulated and begin to affect normal social life . Then such condition is recognised as a social problem. Once social problem takes roots and develops beyond the bounds of tolerance, there arises resentment against it and there is a demand for remedy in the interest of social harmony.

3. But what is social problems? If asked, most people have no difficulty listing some examples as: crime, suicide, racism, sexism, terrorism , climate change. Most people have a common sense notion of what the term means, but actually defining the concept turns out to be much tricky. Suppose we agree that suicide and climate change are both social problems . What exactly, do the two have in common ? They seem very different: we usually think of suicide as an extremely personal act, committed by individuals who feel isolated and in despair, whereas climate change involves physical warming across a whole planet

4. DEFINITION OF SOCIAL PROBLEM Social problem are problems that affect the significant number of people in the society. Note, not all problem are social problem . A social problem must significant effect on a significant number of the population. E.g: COVID-19, Ebola, HIV/AIDS, Terrorism , Maternal mortality and infant mortality etc. A more precise, though broad, definition is given by E. Raab and G.J.Selznick . According to them, a social problem is “a problem in human relationship which seriously threatens society itself or impedes the important aspirations of many people.”

5. DEFINITION OF SOCIAL PROBLEM In regard to the first aspect they say, “A social problem exists when organized society’s ability to order relationship among people seems to be failing ; when its institutions are faltering ( losing strength or not stable) , its laws are being flouted, the transmission of its values from one generation to the next is breaking down, the framework of expectations is being shaken”.

6. DEFINITION OF SOCIAL PROBLEM A social problem is a condition that undermines the well-being of some or all members of a society and is usually a matter of public controversy” ( Macionis , 2013, p. 5). In other words, some conditions have the characteristic of “undermining well-being” that makes them social problems . A  social problem  is any condition or behaviour that has negative consequences for large numbers of people and that is generally recognized as a condition or behaviour that needs to be addressed.

7. NATURE OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS Social problem is connected to majority of the members of society. According to Bernard, the repressive and tense condition consequent of social problems may be involving in three types of elements: ( i ) Tension factors which challenge some values of society, ( ii) Social values which are being challenged and ( iii) intense reaction of individuals and groups to challenge.

8. CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS The following characteristics exhibit the nature of social problems : Disintegrative : Social problems , directly or indirectly disintegrate social system. Social problem causes dissatisfaction, suffering and misery. It seriously affects the values of the society. It is always disintegrating and disorganizing. It is pathological. It is harmful for the society. Multiple Causes : S ocial problems have no single or simple cause. Each problem has a complex history and is usually not due to one but to many causes. War, poverty, unemployment or crimes do not offer single or simple explanation of their occurrence. Sometimes one problem is so interwoven with other problems that it cannot be solved apart from them. Inter-Connected : Social problems are inter connected due to which these become serious. For example, unemployment, poverty and crime are inter connected .

9. CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS The following characteristics exhibit the nature of social problems Relative Concept : Social problem is relative in nature. What we call a social problem in our society may not be a problem in other society. Similarly, a social problem today may not be a problem tomorrow. Functional Value : Social problem, though disintegrative, has functional value since its cure leads to social problem and social development . Social problem is unique and dynamic in nature. What is a social problem in Nigeria might not be a problem in India, USA, Zambia or Canada

10. TYPES OF SOCIAL PROBLEM The following are the various types of social problem: Poverty Political Instability Terrorism Climate change Epidemic outbreak (Ebola, Covid-19, etc ) Population increase Caste system etc.

11. CAUSES OF SOCIAL PROBLEM The main causes of social problems in any society are: Social change leads to social problems: All social changes do not cause problems. Those social changes which are ordinary in nature and do not cause any problems of adjustments for the people to carry on with their day-to-day activities rarely trigger social problems. But when problems of adjustment are created by social change, social problems may creep in . For examples , attempts by the government to introduce educational change through a new educational policy which is basically defective, may lead to problems such as student unrest and educated unemployment. A sudden military revolt may push a nation towards political instability and social insecurity .

12. CAUSES OF SOCIAL PROBLEM The main causes of social problems in any society are: Cultu ral lag causing social problems: W. F. Ogburn who introduced the concept of ‘cultural lag’ states that changes are quick to take place in the material culture. These, in turn, stimulate changes in the non-material culture. But the non-material culture may be slow to respond giving rise to a gap or a lag between the material and non-material cultures. This lag is called the ‘cultural lag’. This lag or cultural lag may lead to problems of adjustment and also to social problems . For example, the process of deforestation is taking place faster to cater to the needs of the growing paper industry, house construction,, making furniture, etc. (material culture). But the art of conservation of forest (non-material culture) does not keep pace with these industrial developments. The result is the problem of the environmental population.

13. CAUSES OF SOCIAL PROBLEM Natural disasters: Nature has been bountiful to man no doubt. But man often becomes a victim of its wrath. Floods, famines, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunami, outburst of contagious diseases, etc. represent the furious faces of nature. Almost every year, lakhs of people in the world become the victims of these extremes of nature. Man’s attempts to control nature and its forces have not been complete and can never become so. Somewhere at some time some people or the other will have to pay a great price in the form of facing the wrath of nature . For example, Bhuj of Gujarat in 2000, and a terrific cyclone that proved to be disastrous in Orissa in 1999, the gigantic “Tsunami” waves of 26-12-2004 causing the death of more than 2.5 lakh people and damaging the property worth thousands of crores of rupees in India, Srilanka , Maldives, Indonesia, Africa. The flood havocs at Uttarakhand in 2013, and Jammu and Kashmir in 2014, etc. Natural calamities like these not only disturb the normal course of social life of the people but also create serious social problems.

14. CAUSES OF SOCIAL PROBLEM Political and social dangers: Nature is not the only source causing danger to man’s life; man himself creates conditions that often prove to be not only harmful but even dangerous. Like political revolution, revolts, communal riots, racial conflicts, terrorism, ethnic clashes, mass movements, military rebellion, arson and loots, bomb explosions, etc., disturb even the society which has a well-established organization . For example , the Godra incident at Gujarat that triggered after the burning alive of 58 persons (Ram Sevakas ) in a railway compartment in the year 2002 . Biological causes: Serious ups-and-downs in populations, population explosion, great imbalance in the composition of the population, the spread of diseases, lack of supply of nutritious food and such other biological factors disturb the social balance in the society .

15. CAUSES OF SOCIAL PROBLEM Technological inventions: Technology has its own limitations. It has brought both good and bad results for man. As Ogburn stated, technology widens the gap between the material and non-material parts of culture. Men are becoming more materialistic and less traditional. Men are devoted more to quantity than to quality, to measurement than to appreciation. Human beings by the use of machines have become less human, more passive and more mechanical. There has been a movement towards individualism and hedonism (pleasure – seekers) which has its own adverse effects on society.

16. GOD BLESS YOU