1st Edition
Contemporary Social Problems in the UK A Comprehensive Overview
Social problems are endemic to all societies. The UK is no exception and is grappling with a plethora of issues including poverty, family breakdown, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, child abuse and neglect, youth offending, alcohol and drug misuse, mental health issues, homelessness, and ethnic and religious discrimination. These problems have huge implications for the individual, the family unit and society at large and take their toll on health, wellbeing, and community resources. They place an enormous amount of strain on government finances and the welfare state, and add to the burden on social institutions, such as the National Health Service and the social work and criminal justice systems.
Contemporary Social Problems in the UK explores a wide range of social problems in the UK. Each social problem has been explored using a range of psychosocial theories to generate an understanding of various causal factors and to examine the linkages between different social problems. Government policy and legislation, remedial measures, preventive approaches, and strategies of intervention are also considered for each social problem that has been dealt with. Each chapter deals with a particular social problem and has been penned by an expert in that topic. The endeavour has been to provide a multi-dimensional overview of the social problem in a manner that is engaging and easy to read. The end-of-chapter content includes supplementary reading, useful topic related websites besides a quiz and individual / group activities to generate discussion and stimulate learning.
This informative yet accessible textbook will be an invaluable resource for instructors and students in the social sciences as well as professionals who work with people who experience some of these problems.
- Social problems: exploring the landscape
- Understanding and making sense of social problems
- Poverty: the social problem of all time?
- Fractured families: causes and consequences of family breakdown
- A domestic violence pandemic: outlining victim and perpetrator perspectives
- Teenage pregnancy – a social problem or public health issue?
- Child abuse, child neglect and safeguarding children: an overview
- Youth offending: nature, causes and implications
- Alcohol misuse: one too many?
- A bitter pill to swallow: exploring and understanding drug misuse in the UK
- Constructing and conceptualising suicide and self-harm
- Exploring homelessness
- Multicultural societies: diversity, discrimination and social inclusion
Selwyn Stanley
Will Hay
Elizabeth Richards
Oluseye Ayomide and Aaron F. Mvula
Helen Holmes
Rajeeb Kumar Sah and Ritu Mahendru
Penelope Welbourne
Sally-Ann Ashton and Anna Bussu
Selwyn Stanley
Darren Hill and Petra Salisbury
Steven Jones and Rajan ‘Taj’ Nathan
Will Hay and Mike Taylor
Berkeley Wilde
Biography
Selwyn Stanley is Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Edge Hill University, UK. He has published extensively in the areas of mental health, alcohol misuse, informal caregiving in chronic illness and family life dynamics. He is the editor of Social Problems in India: Perspectives for Intervention (Allied Publishers, 2004) and Social Work Education in Countries of the East: Issues & Challenges (Nova Science, 2011). His research orientation is in quantitative methods and areas of research interest include stress, resilience, coping, wellbeing, and quality of life issues in different populations. His recent publications have explored occupational stress and its correlates in social work practitioners and students in India. He is currently involved in studies that look at family caregiving issues for people with cancer and children with learning disabilities.
"It is essential that as the World moves through the various phases of the COVID-19 pandemic that we do not lose sight of the intransigent problems that plague modern society. Contemporary Social Problems in the UK returns our attention to many of the issues that intersect communities with traumatic consequences. In this exciting new book, Dr Stanley has brought together several respected academics and practitioners who draw our attention to the theories, models and research that underpin debates concerning social problems. It also highlights the way these issues transcend political and administrative boundaries across health, social care, social security, housing, employment, and criminal justice. Contemporary Social Problems in the UK provides essential reading for students and practitioners involved in social care, health, and criminal justice. As well as providing examples of ‘real world’ applications for students of Sociology, Psychology, and behavioural sciences."
Tony Gilbert, Associate Professor in the School of Health Professions, University of Plymouth, UK
"This text approaches a range of contemporary social issues and considers these within a number of frameworks where their differing manifestations are articulated, debated and contextualised against the backdrop of extant theoretical approaches and practice-based interventions. The text will be of value to both students and professionals across a range of disciplines."
Steve J. Hothersall,
Head of Social Work, Mental Health and Learning Disability Education and Practice, Edge Hill University, UK"Social Problems in the UK are of growing concern not only for academics, policy makers and social practitioners but also the general population. This new edited book from Selwyn Stanley takes the reader through contemporary social issues and illustrates a range of debates and theoretical concepts. For the social sciences this is a must read for students of all levels, academics, and researchers."
Martin Partridge, Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead for BA Social Care and Health, University of Wolverhampton, UK
"This book provides a comprehensive overview of contemporary social problems in areas that can often be overlooked in compact curricula, for example, substance misuse and homelessness. As such, this book is useful for modules in undergraduate and post graduate studies that explore sociology, criminology, applied social work practice and contemporary society. A useful text for the student on a range of important topics."
Karen D. Roscoe, Assistant Professor in Social Work, Coventry University, UK
"A vital new text outlining a broad range of overlapping social problems in contemporary UK society. This will be an incredibly useful text across the wide range of social policy professions, in education, health, social work and youth work; for social science students, as well as the general reader"
Richard Twine, Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences, Edge Hill University, UK
