Title: On the Origin of the Phrase "Social Problems"
Abstract: An analysis of the historical contexts of the phrase “social problems” reveals that the phrase expanded upon the singular “social problem” of early nineteenth-century Europe: the equitable distribution of wealth. As continental, English, and North American reformers and social scientists laid claim to the problematics of social change, they also split the thorny “social problem” into many “problems,” each of which could be adopted — and perhaps solved — by a different interest group or academic specialty. By the end of the century, American sociology had embraced all “social problems” and the singular “social problem” had become, instead of the problem of equity or social justice, the problem of doing sociology itself.
Publication Year: 1997
Publication Date: 1997-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 18
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