Definiton of Social Problems

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Definition OF Social Problems. The concept of "social problem" is a claim that some condition, set of events, or group of persons constitutes a troublesome situation that needs to be changed or ameliorated. Having defined a condition as a social problem there then is a legitimate basis for bringing public resources to bear upon it. Defining a condition as a social problem, gaining acceptance of that definition among a significant proportion of the population, and garnering public resources to address the problem in a certain manner usually are not easy tasks to accomplish. A condition is not a social problem unless it is seen as violating certain fundamental values and beliefs about how society should operate. Achieving widespread consensus about whether a condition contradicts these values and beliefs can be difficult to obtain. All human problems do not become public ones. A social problem is a socially constructed way of seeing certain conditions that provides a claim to change through public actions. Thus, a social problem is not separate from everyday interactions of citizens in a society. Nor is it separate from the operations, goals, and objectives of social institutions. The process of constructing the idea of a "social problem" also defines and reinforces what is considered to be a standard for behaviour or social conditions. That is, defining a condition as a social problem also defines what society considers to be the "right" way to do things. To give a name to a problem is to suggest a structure developed to deal with it or the need for the creation of new laws and public entities. New professions and new rights are continuously emerging. The Social Problem Culture and the Welfare State Both as a feature of contemporary culture and as a matter of social structure, the conceptualization of situations as social problems is embedded in the
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