Debunking Common Sense and the Taken for Granted

Abstract

In this article, the authors argue that one approach to teaching Introduction to Social Problems is to structure the course content around taken-for-granted beliefs that many students have about the social world. In doing so, the authors discuss the social construction of social problems, how sociology differs from common sense, and the importance of critical sociological thinking. By way of example, the authors focus on the social problem of divorce.