Critical Thinking and Social Problems

Social problems make up a large part of everyday conversation, public discourse, and policy debates in American society and around the world. Whether talking about a homeless person alongside the road or the high rates of teenage pregnancy, crime, and drug use, almost everyone has an opinion on what should or should not be done to solve these problems. Yet, for many people, they end up missing the larger picture that helps them fully understand what makes a problem a social problem and thus develop better solutions to the problems.

This anthology encourages readers to become more informed and effective participants within their society by helping them develop a sociological imagination and critical thinking skills about the causes of social problems. These skills are essential to understanding how society works, our role within a society, and how we can take action to effectively combat or solve the social problems that concern us. The essays within, which include works from prominent scholars and advocates in the field, look beyond the individual and what is happening on the individual level. Rather, they situate that individual within a social context and examine their connections to other individuals, events, and actions that occur within a particular society.

Connie Robinson currently teaches in the Department of Sociology at Central Washington University. Her research interests focus on nationalism, globalization and democratization. Her teaching interests focus on social problems, urban sociology, and social conflict.

Judith Hennessy currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Central Washington University. Her research interests focus on gender and poverty, specifically low-income women, work and family and welfare reform. Her teaching interests are welfare policy, gender, intersection of work and family life.