Chapter 1: How sociologists view social problems: the
abortion dilemma
The sociological imagination
The sociological imagination (or sociological perspective) refers to looking at people’s
actions and attitudes in the context of the social forces that shape them. Another way of
saying this is that we want to understand how our personal troubles are connected to the
broader conditions of our society. People tend to see events in their life from a close-up
perspective, the social context can help broaden this. The social context has three levels:
the BROAD social context, includes historical events and economics. The NARROW social
context, includes gender, race, social class etc. The PERSONAL social context, includes
close personal relationships.
Social location
The term social location refers to where you are located in society, both physical and
personal characteristics. We often aren’t aware how much our social location impacts us (ex.
Abortion). Our social location does not determine our actions: sociologists can’t predict the
actions of an individual but it can predict the actions of a group. Particular locations expose
us to particular influences that help shape our actions, but they don’t determine our actions.
What is a social problem?
Social problems -aspects of society that a large number of people are concerned about and
would like changed- are socially constructed, people decide if some condition of society is a
social problem or not. Social problems have two essential components: there’s an objective
condition and a subjective concern. An objective condition can be measured, a subjective
concern is a concern that a lot of people have about the objective condition. Social problems
are dynamic: as society changes, so do social problems. They take shape as one group
reacts to one another. Also, social problems are relative: what some view as a social
problem, others see as a solution. What people consider to be a social problem depends on
their values. In our pluralistic society there are a lot of competing views, the group that ‘wins’
the social problem is the group with the most power.
The natural history of social problems
Social problems go through four stages called the natural history of social problems.
1. The first stage: Defining the problem… For a social problem to come into being,
people have to become upset about some objective condition in society. This change in
perspective often comes about when values change, making an old, established pattern
no longer look the same. The emergence of leaders… Leaders will usually emerge who
will help crystallize the issues. Organizing around the issue… Leaders will arouse the
public for support.
2. The second stage: Crafting an official response. It’s important to stress that the
stages of social problems don’t have neat boundaries, the edges are blurry and the
stages overlap. The second stage will start when an official will speak out about the
matter.
, 3. The third stage: Reacting to the official response. An official response to a social
problem often does not mean the end of the social problem, it can even bring more fuel
to the fire.
4. The fourth stage: Developing alternative strategies. There are different types of
supporters to a social problem. Moderates use mild strategies, such as forwarding
emails to their friends or posting blogs about their opinion. Strategies of radicals are
more extreme, in the abortion-problem they’ve been known for bothering woman who’ve
had an abortion and kidnapping physicians. Proabortion groups have developed
alternative strategies: campaigning, lobbying lawmakers and publicizing their position.
During the fourth stage both sides will make mutual accusations and paint the other as
uncaring and evil.
In 1973 abortion was made legal in 1973 in the US in a ruling case known as Roe v.
Wade. Since 1973 there have been four important decisions made that changes the way
this law works. The first is Webster vs. Reproductive Services (1998) where the Court
concluded that states have no obligation to finance abortion. The second is Casey v.
Planned Parenthood (1992) that decided children under 18 years old can’t get an
abortion without at least one parent’s consent. The third occurred in 1994 that decided
demonstrators are to stay 300 feet away from the entrance of abortion clinics when
demonstrating. The fourth is Gonzales v. Carhart (2007) banned a certain way of
aborting where the head of the fetus is cut off.
The controversy of abortion in the US continues as both sides have developed strategies
and getting laws in their favour. In this controversy there is no middle ground, sides are
only satisfied with total victory. On each side of the debate are people who view their
own view as the only ‘right’ one, they view the other as unreasonable.
The role of sociology in social problems
A basic human characteristic is believing your own values are the only ‘right’ values.
Sociology, the systematic and objective study of human groups, can help us see past the
emotions that surround social problems. There are five contributions that sociologists can
help make:
1. Sociologists can measure objective conditions. Sociologists can gather information
on the number of abortions performed in clinics and hospitals and determine how woman
make their decisions to have or to not have an abortion.
2. Sociologists can measure subjective concerns. Sociologists can determine people’s
attitude and view on social problems, such information is useful in evaluating potential
social policies.
3. Sociologists can apply the sociological imagination. They can place social problems
into their broad social context.
4. Sociologists can identify possible social policies. To address a social problem
sociologists can suggest potential courses of action.
, 5. Sociologists can evaluate likely consequences of social policies. Sociologists can
estimate the social effects of a proposed social policy.
Sociologists can suggest which consequences are likely to result from a social policy, but
they have no expertise for determining which social policy should be followed. Sociology
cannot dictate that one set of values is superior to another, it provides no basis for making
value decisions.
Sociology and common sense
Common sense are the ideas common to our society (or groups within our society). It’s easy
for common sense to be wrong, that’s why we need solid, objective research like sociologists
can do.
Methods for studying social problems
When sociologists study social problems they choose from several methods. Which method
they choose depends on three factors:
- Which question do they want to investigate?
- The matter of practicality
- Ethics
Most research falls into one of the four most common research designs:
1. Case studies. Is used to gather in-depth information on a specific situation. You’ll
focus on one case and try to create a deep depth of understanding. This gives rich
details but you cannot generalize.
2. Surveys. In a survey you can focus on a sample of their target group, also called
population. Samples are intended to represent the entire group that you are studying.
Surveys allow you to generalize what you find. The best sample is a random sample as
everyone has an equal chance of being included.
3. Experiments. Experiments are rare in the study of social problems due to ethics.
During an experiment you’ll create two groups of people with certain characteristics, one
will be the experimental group and the other will be the control group.
4. Field studies. In field studies or participant observation researchers go into the field
to learn more about the setting.
After selecting a research design sociologists decide on a method of gathering information,
there are four basic techniques to gather information:
1. Interviews. During an interview you can ask people questions on topics you want to
explore. In a structured interview you ask everyone the same questions, in an
unstructured interview you let people talk in depth about what they want but you try to
cover certain topics.
2. Questionnaires. Here you ask people to answer written questions, questions should
be open ended or closed ended. Closed ended questions are easier to compare, but
open ended questions tap a richer world.
, 3. Documents. Written sources or records are called documents and can provide
valuable data about social problems
4. Observation. You observe what is occurring in some setting. If you use overt
observation people know you’re a researcher, but If you use covert observation people
aren’t aware you’re studying them.
Often methods are being combined, this is called triangulation and meant to increase the
validation. When doing research it’s important to remain objective and not make your
questions biased.
Should sociologists take sides?
Sociologists can do objective research but sociology does not provide a basis for making
value judgements. The four research methods allow us to gather objective information on
social problems, but do not reveal which social policy is ‘correct.’ Sociology can study
people’s ideas about topics but it has no basis to judge whether they’re right or wrong.
Many sociologists are convinced that they have a moral obligation to take a stand on social
issues. They say that sociologists have the obligation to do their research objectively but that
they should side with the oppressed side. Sociologists are humans with their own opinion
and values, but it’s a debate whether they should promote their point of view. Sociologists
take sides as individuals but should refrain from taking sides as professionals.
