Understanding Social Problems,
12th Edition

Linda A. Mooney, Molly Clever, Crosby Hipes

Understanding Social Problems
ISBN-13: 9798214147628
Copyright 2026 | Published
736 pages | List Price: USD $259.95

Mooney/Clever/Hipes’ “Understanding Social Problems” 12th Edition, asks you to think through the dynamics of social problems from many viewpoints and arrive at your own understanding informed by data, policy, theory and critical thinking. This up-to-date edition provides empirically-based discussions on important social issues in the world today. Chapters will ask you what you think about social problems related to healthcare, drugs and alcohol, families, crime and violence, racial, ethnic and gender inequality, LGBTQ+ status and more macro issues of poverty and economic inequality, population growth and aging, the environment, science and technology and world conflict. Chapter-opening vignettes “Music and Meaning” and “Self and Society” features encourage you to think about how social problems affect individuals and to apply your understanding of social problems to your own life.

Purchase Enquiry INSTRUCTOR’S eREVIEW COPY

Part I: SOCIOLOGY AND THE STUDY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
1. Thinking about Social Problems.
Part II: PROBLEMS OF WELL-BEING.
2. Physical and Mental Health and Health Care.
3. Alcohol and Other Drugs.
4. Crime and Social Control.
5. Family Problems.
Part III: PROBLEMS OF INEQUALITY.
6. Economic Inequality, Wealth, and Poverty.
7. Work and Unemployment.
8. Problems in Education.
9. Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration.
10. Gender Inequality.
11. Sexual Orientation and the Struggle for Equality.
Part IV: PROBLEMS OF GLOBALIZATION.
12. Population Growth and Aging.
13. Environmental Problems.
14. Science and Technology.
15. Conflict, War, and Terrorism.

  • Linda A. Mooney

    Linda A. Mooney, Ph.D., is an emeritus faculty member at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. In addition to social problems, her specialties include sociology of law, criminology and juvenile delinquency. Dr. Mooney has served as senior author for eleven editions of this prominent text. She has also published more than 30 professional articles in such journals as Social Forces, Sociological Inquiry, Sex Roles, Sociological Quarterly and Teaching Sociology. Dr. Mooney has won numerous teaching awards, including the University of North Carolina, Board of Governor's Distinguished Professor for Teaching Award.

  • Molly Clever

    Molly Clever, Ph.D., is an associate professor of sociology and social justice at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV. She teaches on social conflict, war, social movements, community engagement and issues related to political and economic inequality. She has recently published in Teaching Sociology and has authored numerous articles and book chapters focused on community engagement teaching and learning practices as well as the changing nature of war and military organizations.

  • Crosby Hipes

    Crosby Hipes, Ph.D., is an associate professor of criminal justice and sociology at WVU Tech in Beckley, WV. His expertise and research background are on stigmatized populations and inequality, specifically related to mental illness labels and criminal records. Dr. Hipes has earned two competitive WVU-wide fellowships: the IDEA Teaching Fellowship and the Bridge Faculty Research Fellowship. His work has appeared in such journals as Social Science Research, Sociological Forum, Society & Mental Health, Armed Forces & Society, and the book Unequals: The Power of Status and Expectations in Our Social Lives (Oxford University Press).

  • This edition includes coverage of pressing social issues such as political polarization, debates over immigration policy, public health crises and the changing role of the US in global diplomacy.

  • This edition provides current, data-rich coverage of important social problems facing the world today, using new data, tables, figures, photos and the most up-to-date research.

  • All new Music and Meaning feature boxes allow students to explore how a wide range of social problems are artistically represented in popular music from a variety of genres.

  • This edition examines social issues related to race, class, gender and sexual orientation, and has expanded coverage of the ways political decisions impact social policies.

  • Chapter-opening vignettes have been updated with many new contemporary examples of how social problems are experienced by real people.

  • The Human Side boxed features in each chapter describe personal experiences and views of individuals who have been directly affected by social problems.

  • Social Problems Research Up Close features show examples of social science research in action, summarizing the methods and presenting findings and conclusions of studies.

  • What Do You Think? and Self and Society features foster critical thinking and classroom discussion, helping students assess their own attitudes and beliefs.

Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

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