Answer to Question #316156 in Sociology for mel

Question

In 200 words, use the four elements of a social to motivate why unemployment can be viewed as a social problem.

Answer 1

Unemployment is an undesirable state that increases economic insecurity and when prolonged, has negative effects on a wide variety of life opportunities and living conditions. Yet, the risk of unemployment is not equal; it is more pronounced among those in lower socioeconomic groups. Social class, based on an individual’s occupation and, therefore, intimately connected to economic activity and the labor market position of an individual, can act as a natural stratifying element in the risk of becoming unemployed. The personal and social costs of unemployment include severe financial hardship and poverty, debt, homelessness and housing stress, family tensions and breakdown, boredom, alienation, shame and stigma, increased social isolation, crime, erosion of confidence and self-esteem, the atrophying of work skills and ill-health.

The four key elements of unemployment as a social problem;

• serious health problems of young children;

• serious problems for themselves;

• serious disagreements with the partner; and

• serious financial problems and serious problems with housing

Unemployed people experience hardship and a decline in their standard of housing, diet,

clothing, and health care. Unemployment has been shown to cause certain forms of mental illness, such as depression. Family stress arising from poverty and unemployment has been found to be associated with children’s behavioral problems and with their adjustment over time.

Unemployment is also contributing to the substantial alienation of a large number of teenagers and young adults. There is an increasing division between those families with children with both parents in the paid workforce and those with no parents with paid work. The wives of unemployed men have much higher rates of joblessness than wives of employed men. Female sole parents also have high rates of joblessness. High levels of long-term unemployment alongside lower declining levels of labor force participation of older men may prevent the possibility for important asset accumulation.