Discuss the dangers of relying solely on the person-blame approach in explaining social problems
What will be an ideal response?
Ideal Answer: The ideal answer should include the following:
1. Define the person-blame approach to studying social problems.
2. Outline how the person-blame approach protects the established order against criticism.
3. Describe what is troublesome about the social control function of the person-blame approach. Give specific examples.
4. Describe how the person-blame approach defines the degree of control individuals have over their fate. Give examples of how this may be problematic.
5. Conclude with an argument against using the person-blame approach. Give specific examples of how the approach has failed in the past.
You might also like to view...
A recent study by the Harvard Project on School Desegregation revealed that __________
a. resegregation of the races is decreasing b. the vast majority of white students attend schools that enroll an equal number of white and of minority group members c. enrollment of Hispanic students has decreased by almost 200 percent d. All of the above e. None of the above
Which of the following is NOT one of the basic functions of the state?
a. establishing laws and norms b. protecting against outside threats c. ensuring economic stability d. socializing the young e. providing social control
Which perspective would suggest that downsizing in the mid-1990s reflects the continuing importance of social class in the United States?
A. ethnocentric perspective B. interactionist perspective C. conflict perspective D. functionalist perspective
Cycling was welcome by feminists in the early 20th Century
a. It allowed mobility previously only accessible to the wealthy b. It required them to wear pants c. It provided a degree of freedom d. All of the above