Abstract
Reviewed by: Fran Wiles, The Open University, England
DOI: 10.1177_1468017318754696
In his new book, Professor Neil Thompson argues that social problems are both a product of, and a contributing factor in, wider social inequalities. Aimed at students and practitioners, the book adopts a three-part structure. Part 1 discusses the constructed nature of ‘social problems’ and unpicks the concept of ‘social justice’. The second part analyses a range of social problems through the lens of social justice. Part 3 reviews the effectiveness of neoliberal social policy responses, and offers food for thought about potential alternatives. Social justice being a key social work value (BASW, 2012), I welcomed the book’s detailed exploration of this contested concept. Avoiding an all-encompassing and simplistic definition, Thompson suggests that social justice is to do with achieving equality, respecting rights and responsibilities, and valuing people’s merit.
The first part of the book shows how dominant interest groups construct particular circumstances as social problems. Thompson’s (2016) well-established PCS framework (based on the principle that discrimination operates at three interacting levels: personal, cultural, and social) is used to good effect. I initially found it harder to engage with the author’s CHOICES framework. The acronym represents seven cross-cutting themes (constructing pathology; hegemony and universalized interest; over-reliance on the market; interconnectedness; counterfinality; existentialism/spiritual implications; social construction) through which Thompson conveys his argument that neoliberal policies – individualistic, reflecting dominant interests, and frequently counterproductive – are not the only way to tackle social problems. Furthermore, as he argues in Part 3, these approaches do not resolve the problems but instead preserve inequalities. The first part of the book is supported by a wealth of theoretical arguments, although at times I felt frustrated that the analysis – of the roles played by the media and by religion, for example – could not be fully developed due to the constraints of space.
Part 2 examines nine specific social problem areas, exploring how each one relates to social inequality and injustice, and the policy responses adopted to date. Some chapters, for example discussing mental ill health, abuse, and the problematic use of drugs, are familiar ground for social work. Other chapters highlight issues which are often neglected: poverty, deprivation, and debt; housing problems and homelessness; unemployment; crime and anti-social behaviour. It was in these chapters that I grasped the potential of the CHOICES framework for interrogating the interaction between social problems and their disproportionate impact on the lives of disadvantaged, less powerful people. I was particularly interested in Thompson’s analysis of emotional and psychological insecurity as a factor in social exclusion. A stark example, discussed in chapter 4, is that debt – which occurs across all income groups – impacts more severely on poor people who lack social capital because they are forced to rely on very high interest borrowing and ‘pay day lenders’. This in turn exacerbates their feelings of powerlessness and self-esteem, and results in both material and psychological insecurity. Unusually, the book includes chapters on ‘terrorism’ and ‘destruction of habitat’, expanding our understanding of what makes a problem ‘social’. Here again we read that poorer, less powerful people are disproportionately affected by environmental health problems; by the consequences of diverting government expenditure away from public services to support anti-terrorist measures; and by increased racism against immigrant communities.
A feature of the book’s design is the inclusion of text boxes presenting a practice focus, voices of practitioners, and visual reminders of the cross-cutting themes. These make the theoretical ideas more accessible, and I am probably in the minority in finding this approach a little disjointed and distracting. At the end of each chapter, short exercises and ‘points to ponder’ provide a springboard for further enquiry. Usefully, a list of study resources is provided at the end of the book (although I would have liked to see this section signposted in the introduction).
In conclusion, although the first part of the book requires some persistence, this is rewarded in the engaging critical and practical focus of the second part. The book achieves Thompson’s aim to offer an introductory understanding of the two-way relationship between social problems and social justice. I am sure that both social work practitioners and educators will find this approach refreshing and thought-provoking.