Handbook of social problems : a comparative, international perspective / edited by George Ritzer.

The Handbook of Social Problems provides a unique, broadly comparative perspective on the current state of social problems and deviance in a variety of societies around the world. George Ritzer, gathers a number of leading international sociologists and social theorists to examine the relationship between social problems and a society's level of development and affluence. The essays in this volume focus on four interrelated issues involved in the relationship between social problems and the level of development and affluence: * Less developed and less affluent societies are more likely to experience a range of social problems than developed and affluent societies. * Affluence causes or at least brings with it a series of social problems that do not exist in less affluent societies. * It is only with affluence that certain things can come to be imagined as social problems, such as excessive consumption. * The very affluence of a society makes it vulnerable to problems that would not be social problems in poorer societies. The Handbook explores the theory of the weakness of the strong-in other words, strong or wealthy nations may have greater vulnerability to some social problems than less developed or affluent societies. This theory is clearly illustrated in this volume by the aftermath of September 11, 2001depicting the vulnerability of the U.S. to social problems in far-removed corners of the world. In addition, the international and comparative essays in this volume cover other important issues such as the impact of modern technologies on social problems, ecological problems, global inequality, health as a social problem, and much more.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction. Social problems : a comparative international perspective / George Ritzer -- Theoretical issues in the study of social problems and deviance / Joel Best -- Methodological issues in the study of social problems / Norman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln -- Social problems and public policy / Tim Blackman, Teeside and Roberta Woods -- Social Problems. Population change / Sonalde Desai -- Ecological problems / Steven Yearley -- Global inequality / Salvatore J. Babones and Jonathan H. Turner -- Racism in comparative perspective / Joe R. Feagin and Pinar Batura -- Ethnic conflict as a global social problem / Thomas D. Hall and Lester M. Jones -- Gender inequality / Amy S. Wharton -- Urban problems in global perspective / Chigon Kim and Mark Gottdiener -- Work-related social problems / Teresa A. Sullivan -- The media and social problems / Douglas Kellner -- Consumption as a social problem / Douglas J. Goodman -- Family problems in global perspective / Felix M. Berardo and Constance L. Shehan -- Racial and ethnic educational inequality in global perspective / Caroline Hodges Persell, Richard Arum, and Kathryn Seufert -- Health as a social problem / William C. Cockerham -- How medical care systems become social problems / Andrew Twaddle -- Aids as a social problem : the creation of social pariahs in the management of an epidemic / Bronwen Lichtenstein -- War, militarism and national security / Ian Roxborough -- Sea change : the modern terrorist environment in perspective / Gus Martin -- The geopolitics of mass destruction : how genocide became a global social problem / David Norman Smith -- Globalization / John Boli -- Technology and social problems / Frank Webster and Mark Erickson, Aston -- The internet as a global social problem / Gili S. Drori -- Risk / John Tulloch -- Deviance. Crime / Michael Tonry -- Juvenile delinquency / Mark C. Stafford -- Drug use as a global social problem / Erich Goode -- The sexual spectacle : making a public culture of sexual problems / Ken Plummer -- Modern day folk devils and the problem of children's presence in the global sex trade / Julia O'Connell Davidson -- Mental illness as a social problem / Howard B. Kaplan -- Disability as a global issue / Gary L. Albrecht -- Corruption as a global social problem / Gary LaFree and Nancy Morris.