What is a Social Problem?

Abstract

An inductive study of the topics covered in leading books and articles discussing social problems suggests their classification under the four heads: economic, health, political, and educational problems. Further analysis leads to a definition covering all the problems listed. None of them can be solved without the aid of highly specialized technique, but none of them, on the other hand, can be satisfactorily isolated from the others and solved by itself. The investigation of any of the problems, moreover, can be greatly facilitate by the use of statistical technique. Out of the need for better informed public sentiment, out of the necessity for correlating the various problems, and out of the use of the common thechnique, arises the necessity of recognizing social problems as a definite subject for teaching and for research, distinct from any of the specialties associated with it. Its general objective is to discover how to minimize undesirable social conditions and how to maximize desirable social conditions. Sociology, as distinguished from the stydy of social problems, is concerned with the investigation of social origins, social structure and social processes. Social case work, as distinguished from social problems, is concerned with the treatment of the individual case rather than the solution of group problmes.