Full Description
California. The mere mention of the name conjures up thoughts and images as diverse as the state itself. With the geographic size, population, and economy to be a thriving country, California is unique. But are its social problems unique or do they represent issues shared, today and in the future, with the other forty nine states and the global community? The editors and authors of California's Social Problems shed light on these questions and others in their fascinating analyses of a variety of social situations, policies, and trends in the Golden State.This highly readable book is organized into four sections, each focusing on major challenges to California's communities, to its residents' sexuality and health, to its institutions, and to population growth and the resultant environmental impacts. Each section has a comprehensive introduction that sets the stage and summarizes the chapters to come. The chapter essays are consistently organized to provide a thorough overview of the social problems, along with a historical perspective for each. Incisive chapters on topics such as homelessness, the gay and lesbian movement for equal rights, race and ethnic relations, family problems, welfare reform, and natural disasters will not only inform students in California's colleges and universities, but will be of interest to others near and far.If, as some feel, a great many fads, trends, and problems originate in California, to later surface in other parts of the U.S., then this book will be of great use in helping readers to think critically about social phenomena in California that will likely have national and even global importance in coming years.
Contents
Foreword - Earl BabbieAcknowledgmentsProloguePart I - Challenges to California CommunitiesChapter 1 - Homlessness - Ronald W. FaganHomelessness in the United States and CaliforniaAlternative Explanations for Homelessness in CaliforniaFuture Prospects for Homelessness in CaliforniaSolutions to the Problem of HomelessnessConclusionChapter 2 - Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Gangs - Anne HendershottCalifornia's Historical Roots of Juvenile Crime and JusticeCalifornia's Urban Youth Gangs: Social Problem or Moral Panic?Theories on the Causes of California Gang DelinquencyEthnicity and Juvenile Crime in CaliforniaIncreased Minority Confinement Rates in California and the NationSolutions to the Problem of Juvenile Delinquency and GangsChapter 3 - Race and Ethnic Relations - Phylis Cancilla MartinelliThe History of Race Relations in CaliforniaRace Relations in California TodayRace Relations in California as Compared to Those in the United StatesCalifornia's Problem in Global ContextAlternative Explanations for Race Relations in CaliforniaFuture Prospects for Race Relations in CaliforniaSolutions to the Problem of Race RelationsPart II - Challenges to Sexuality and HealthChapter 4 - Resisting Heterosexism and Homophobia: The Gay and Lesbian Movement for Equal Rights - Peter M. NardiA History of Lesbian and Gay Oppression and ResistanceLesbian and Gay Oppression and Resistance in California TodayLesbian and Gay Oppression and Resistance in California as Compared With the United StatesLesbian and Gay Issues in a Global ContextAlternative Explanations for Lesbian and Gay Oppression and Resistance in CaliforniaFuture Prospects for Lesbian and Gay Oppression and Resistance in CaliforniaSolutions to the Problem of Lesbian and Gay Oppression and ResistanceChapter 5 - HIV/AIDS - Kevin D. KelleyThe Basic ScienceHistory of HIV/AIDS in CaliforniaCourse of HIV Infection in CaliforniaThe Problem of HIV/AIDS in California TodayComparison of California's Situation to the United StatesCalifornia's Problem in a Global ContextAlternative Explanations for the Spread of HIV and AIDSFuture Prospects: AIDS Projections in CaliforniaPossible Solutions to AIDS in CaliforniaPart III - Challenges to California InstitutionsChapter 6 - Problems of Families - Robin Wolf, Robin Franck, and James GlynnThe History of Family Trends in CaliforniaFamily Trends in California TodayFamily Trends in California as Compared to the United StatesAlternative Explanations for Family TrendsThe Family in Global ContextFuture ProspectsSuggestions for the FutureChapter 7 - Inequality and Poverty - Robert Enoch BuckHow Unequal Is It?Social Classes and InequalityThe Causes of PovertyConclusionsChapter 8 - Poverty and Welfare Reform - Robert Enoch BuckThe Welfare StateThe Outcomes of Welfare ReformOutcomes for Program ParticipantsContinuing Problems and Policy IssuesConclusionsChapter 9 - The Continuing Crisis in Higher Education: Threats to California's Master Plan - James L. Wood and Lorena T. ValenzuelaThe Problem in California TodayDistance Learning as a Strategic PlanRelated Strategic PlansOrigin of the Plans: California and the United StatesCalifornia's Problem in Global ContextAlternative Explanations for the ProblemFuture Prospects: What To Do?Solutions and Suggestions: Strategies for Distressed CampusesSummary and ConclustionsPart IV - Challenges to Growth and the EnvironmentChapter 10 - Population Growth and Environmental Degradation - James A. Glynn and Charles F. HohmHistory of Population Growth and Enviornmental DegradationThe Problem in California TodayCalifornia's Population Compared to the United StatesCalifornia's Problem in Global ContextAlternate Explanations for the ProblemFuture ProspectsSolutions to the ProblemsChapter 11 - Propositions 187 and 227: A Nativist Response to Mexicans - Adalberto Aguirre, Jr. History of the Problem in CaliforniaNativism in California and the United StatesMexican Immigrants and NativismCalifornia's Immigrant PopulationImmigrants and WorkSegmentation of Mexican Immigrant WorkersThe Nativistic ContextConcluding RemarksChapter 12 - Disasters - Harvey E. Rich and Loretta I. WintersDefining DisasterHistory of Disaster ResearchThe California ExperienceCalifornia Disasters Compared to the United StatesCalifornia, the Developed World, and the Developing WorldSociological Perspectives for Examining DisasterNatural Disasters in California TodayPlanningCommunicationThe MediaEmergent Roles and GroupsDisasters and the FutureCoping With DisastersConclusionEpilogue: Deregulating Energy in California - James A. GlynnThe History of the ProblemThe Problem in California TodayCalifornia's Problem Compared With the United StatesCalifornia's Problem in Global ContextAlternative Explanations for the ProblemFuture ProspectsSolutions/SuggestionsGlossary and IndexAbout the EditorsAbout the Contributors
