Social problems are not the product of an inherent society dysfunction, but rather a characterization process in which a specific state is designated as a social problem. When a society is unaware of a social problem, it does not perceive it, addresses it, discusses it, or handle it. History is littered with examples of terrible social circumstances that went unrecognized and unaddressed (Blumer 306). The process by which certain social conditions or arrangements emerge to be recognized as social problems would inevitably sense the necessity to investigate it. Thus, if a social concern is taken seriously and progressed, it must first get social acceptance. Only a tiny number of societal circumstances or arrangements are acknowledged as damaging and gain legitimacy.
Other contributing aspects lead to the elusive quality being linked to societal issues. After successful navigation of acknowledgment and legitimization steps, it then advances to the next stage in its development. Compromises, concessions, trade-offs, respect for influence, authority, and judgments of what might work all play a role in the ultimate formulation. Thus, this process must be respected in sociological theory and research (Blumer 306). The reason is that it decides whether societal problems will exist, if they will be legitimized, how they will be discussed, how they will be addressed in official policy, and how they will be reconstituted in the implementation of planned action.
In reflection on the article Social Problem as a Collective Behavior, I have learned that social problems have existed for eternity. Therefore, for issues to be noticed by sociologists, their impact must be felt by most people in society. Thus, the community is responsible for identifying problems that the members are facing (Blumer 306). To determine the societal problem with ease, the sociologist should directly associate with the community members to identify the issues before escalating.
Despite identifying the social problems in the article, the sociologist does not solve the issues appropriately because a problem must be adequately recognized by society. Without legitimate acceptance of a problem, it can’t be solved (Blumer 306). However, when changes are being made to solve a problem, individuals who resist may safeguard their interests. Thus, such people need to be educated on why a change is required. Therefore, a good plan needs to be developed to solve the existing societal problems.
The formation of official actions is critical, and the actions should not be based on the key object but instead on the real problem identified by the society (Blumer 306). Sociological issues should not be based on specific theories because there could be huge differences between the assumptions in theory and the actual situation on the ground. A sociologist should know that not all problems are addressed in the same way, and therefore, they should be actively looking for solutions to the issues that society is facing.
In conclusion, social problems should be addressed without hesitation because they might escalate into big problems if they are not. In addition, the community members should be trained to identify problems early enough and report to the necessary authority for immediate action. Furthermore, a solution to the sociological problem should be a continuous process because a solution to one problem leads to the rise of another problem. Thus, sociologists should face such issues since they are part and parcel of the environment.
Social problems dominate in different parts of the world, and they will never stop existing. Thus, good policies should be devised to make it possible for the local people to pronounce dominant sociological problems whenever they live. However, sociologists should get closer to society because it will help them gather better facts about the existing societal problem and develop the most appropriate solutions to curb them using long-term strategies.
Works Cited
Blumer, Herbert. “Social Problems as Collective Behavior.” Social Problems, vol. 18, no. 3, 1971, pp. 298–306, 10.2307/799797.