Social Problems and Social Justice

Neil Thompson

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781137603616
• eBook ISBN: 9781350313491
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Social Work
• Index: Social Sciences

Modern society is beset by a vast range of problems – such as poverty, homelessness and terrorism – that cause immense suffering for a significant number of people. These social problems both reflect and contribute to wider inequalities; consequently, in order to develop a true understanding of them, we must consider the social injustices with which they are inextricably linked. In this ground-breaking text, Neil Thompson turns his attention to the range of complex issues relating to social problems and social justice, and the relationship between them. With the help of engaging features that have become synonymous with his books, Thompson provides a clear exploration of some key social problems currently challenging us, analysis of the connection between social problems and social justice, and a review of how social policy initiatives to tackle these issues have fared to date. Innovative and absorbing, Social Problems and Social Justice is essential reading for students and practitioners across a wide range of social science disciplines and the social professions.

1

Introduction

This book reflects a set of interests that I have had for over forty years. It is rooted in not only extensive study of the phenomena involved, but also vast experience in responding to social problems in a professional capacity (as a practitioner, manager and educator). Throughout all that time I have had a strong interest in, and commitment to, social justice (as is reflected in my publications to date). So, this book provides me with the opportunity to combine my interests in social problems on the one hand, and social justice on the other. However, it is not simply a matter of my personal interests. Both social problems and social justice are areas of major challenge in the contemporary world. They deserve our close and considered attention.

Why social problems?

The vast range of social problems that currently exist bring about immense suffering for a significant number of people, with many lives being ruined by the consequences of one or more of these problems. Although much of the literature on the subject of social problems, with its emphasis on facts and figures, does not reflect or capture the human costs of this suffering and the wasting of human potential, this (often unnecessary) human degradation is clearly in evidence if we know where to look.

In terms of one of the problems covered in this book (destruction of habitat), the human problems are already of significant proportions, but if appropriate robust steps are not taken to address the problem, the longer-terms consequences are likely to be disastrous for everyone on the planet.

All in all, then, the study of social problems is not just a fascinating intellectual inquiry into significant aspects of social life, but also a pragmatic challenge to take steps to do whatever we reasonably can to eliminate social problems where we can or at least reduce their impact as far as possible.

Another important reason for focusing on social problems is the recognition that some efforts to address social problems, historically and culturally, have actually made those problems worse; they have had a knock-on effect on other problems or created new ones. There is therefore much to be gained, in both intellectual and pragmatic terms, by studying social problems, their causes and consequences.

Practice focus 1.1

Irene was delighted to get the job when she applied for a post as a support worker in a neighbourhood support project. She approached the job with considerable enthusiasm, but what she found difficult at first was just the sheer range and depth of difficulties faced by the families she was being paid to support. In her first week, she saw terrible poverty, drugs problems, the consequences of crime, poor-quality housing, various conflicts and a strong sense of insecurity. She had expected to meet people facing difficulties and challenges – she knew that was what the job was all about – but she had not anticipated just how many difficulties there were and how deeply ingrained they were. It took quite a while for her to get used to the circumstances she was dealing with on a daily basis.

Why these social problems?

It would take a very large book indeed even to begin to approach a comprehensive account of social problems, so I have had to be selective. My choice of problems to explore is partly as a result of my own preferences and interests, but also partly because of what I see as the most important, those that I see as worthy of attention. Inevitably, other people will have their own views of what should or should not have been included, but that is not my concern, as I make no claim to be providing a definitive textbook or final word on the subject.

The specific social problems I have selected all inter-relate in some way, some more so than others. In that way, my selection reflects both similarities and differences across the areas covered. This should help to illustrate the common themes I outline below, while also indicating the diversity and range of issues involved.

Why social justice?

It is fair to say that the social problems literature has relatively little to say about social justice and the social justice literature has relatively little to say about social problems. This is a great pity, as the two sets of issues have much in common and influence each other in powerful and significant ways.

Justice is, by definition, about fairness. Social justice is about the social context of fairness and the fairness of the social context. That is, it is not just about individual issues in specific contexts, but, rather, how those individual issues reflect wider patterns of injustice, discrimination and oppression. As Jansen puts it: ‘Our emphasis on the qualifier social in social justice is intended to signal solidarity with primary struggles for the creation of social institutions that promote human equality, dignity and fairness’ (2012, p. 8).

We will explore these issues in more detail in Chapter 2, but for now I want to emphasize that social injustices are strongly implicated in social problems. As we shall see, there are various ways in which social problems both reflect and contribute to wider inequalities.

Consequently, a fundamental argument of this book is that, if we are to develop an adequate understanding of social problems (for intellectual and/or pragmatic reasons), we need to have at least a basic understanding of the role of social injustices as a set of key factors that intertwine in various ways with aspects of social problems.

There are important links between the two areas of study and practice, not least that they both involve the extensive suffering, waste of potential and human degradation I mentioned earlier. Of course, in just one book there will not be scope to explore all those connections, but what we do examine should be sufficient to clarify why we need to consider social justice issues in our efforts to tackle and understand social problems and to consider social problems in any efforts to promote equality and social justice.

Voice of experience 1.1

Some people at university moaned a lot about the course, but I felt it prepared me well for my role. One thing the tutors talked about a lot was how social problems are inter-connected, but the significance of that didn’t really strike me until I was out here in the field. I see it every day, just how so many different social problems link together. It’s like a web really. It makes you realize just how daunting a task it can be to help young people from deprived backgrounds when you realise how many challenges they face.

Kim, a youth and community worker

Why now?

Social problems have been with us since time immemorial, as have social injustices. So, why produce this book now? What is new and different about the subject area? Primarily, the key change factor is the growing inequality associated with the dominance of neoliberalism as a political ideology. We shall explore what this means in Chapter 2, but for present purposes I simply want to highlight that the wider sociopolitical sphere is characterized by increasing inequality (Dorling, 2014; Stiglitz, 2016; Wilkinson and Pickett, 2009). This places social problems and social justice in even sharper focus.

A key part of neoliberalism is the belief that market forces should be allowed free reign and that government restrictions and involvement should be kept to a minimum. We shall explore later how this is a deeply flawed political ideology and a dangerous approach to social policy. The pursuit of maximum profit becomes the prime, if not sole, consideration. As Witcher comments:

No longer is the litmus test for policy what the voters will think of it, but how the markets will respond. Evidence suggests that they [the markets] respond well to privatisation, cuts to welfare benefits and services, the removal of protection for employees / consumers / citizens / the environment, and anything else that enables the rich to get richer.

(2015, p. ix)

The significance of this ideology, and its impact, will be one of seven recurring themes that will run throughout the book.

The seven themes

These seven themes are captured in the acronym of CHOICES. I am presenting them in this way to emphasize the significance of choice – that is, to make the point that the current situation in terms of social problems and social injustices does not have to be the way it is. As Dorling puts it:

What is certain is that there is no shortage of evidence, ideas and choices for us to consider if we wish to. There are many policies we could adopt if we really want to be collectively happier and healthier. We could have a government that makes our lives happier, if we win the argument for it.

(2016, p. xvi)

The current circumstances have arisen largely as a result of choices made, individually and collectively, particularly at a political level. We shall return to this idea in Chapter 13. But first, let us be clear about what the seven themes are and how they can cast light on our areas of interest.

Practice focus 1.2

Mark was the manager of an advice bureau. One day he was involved in interviews for potential new volunteers. He was pleased that the overall calibre was very high and he felt they would strengthen the team nicely. However, there was one applicant they had to turn down. This was because she had a strongly judgemental attitude. She saw the role of an adviser as one of providing guidance on how people could ‘better themselves’. What came across strongly was her assumption that people brought their problems on themselves. As another interview panel member put it, she seemed to see herself as some sort of Lady Bountiful committed to rescuing people from their own inadequacies. To her social problems were just a matter of individual failing.

Constructing pathology

A common, but not universal, characteristic of the way social problems are conceived is for people who are on the receiving end of social problems to be portrayed as being responsible for their own difficulties. For example, poverty is often presented as the fault of poor people who are assumed to be lazy and not willing to work hard. It is as if the problem is not a social problem at all, but just the consequences of certain individuals having ‘something wrong with them’ (hence the idea of ‘constructing pathology’).

The work of Ryan (1973) discusses this approach and captures it in the phrase ‘blaming the victim’. Much of this comes from media (mis) representations, but it is not simply a case of how such matters are presented. There are also structural power issues to consider (see the discussion below of PCS analysis). That is, presenting the problem in individual terms distracts attention from wider sources of problems (inequality, for example).

This ideological tendency to ‘blame the victim’ by presenting social phenomena as individual failings is known, in technical terms as ‘atomism’. This is a philosophical term that refers to the tendency to focus narrowly on individual aspects of situations and neglect wider contextual factors that can often be critical. We shall see at various points how significant atomism is in distorting our understanding of social problems.

Owen Jones, in his study of class prejudice, also highlights the tendency to individualize social issues and, in so doing, to ‘pathologize’ the people so affected – to hold them responsible for situations that are complex, multilevel and containing many elements beyond their control:

Social...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• About the author
• Foreword
• Preface
• 1. Introduction
• Part 1: Understanding Social Problems and Social Justice
• Part 2: Analysing Social Problems and Social Justice
• Part 3: Addressing Social Problems and Social Justice
• Guide to further learning
• References
• Index