AN ANALYSIS OF ‘SOCIAL PROBLEM TOPICS’ PERTAINING TO THE ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN SOCIAL PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE YEARS 1976-2012

Abstract

Social Problems, the flagship journal of the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) established in 1951, continues to make invaluable contributions to current sociology. A prominent reference source for researchers from all around the world, this journal enables scholars to follow the academic discussions, topics, trends, and policies in the field. The main objective of SSSP’s journal is to provide an open space for discussion of social problems as well as to contribute to the formulation of social policies regarding these issues. Henslin and Roesti (1976) conducted a content analysis covering all the articles published in Social Problems between the years 1952 and 1975 with the aim of designating what social problem topics were included, their comparative frequency in various time periods, and their related trends. In this study, Henslin and Roesti (1976) also presented an analysis of the articles in terms and trends of the policy suggestions as well as the target audience to whom the policies were directed. Deriving inspiration from Henslin and Roesti’s study, and as a follow-up, this current research analyzes the articles published between the years 1976 and 2012 in Social Problems, acknowledging the journal’s worldwide appeal for researchers particularly involved in the sociology of social problems. In other words, to complement the analysis of published articles between 1952 and 1975, the authors aimed at making a content analysis in a new context, now dealing with the articles published during 1976 and 2012. However, the content analysis in this current study was particularly conducted on the sociological studies published in the journal. The researchers utilized MAXQDA software to analyze the content of articles published in sociology, and in other related disciplines in conjunction with sociology. The main purpose of this content analysis was to create an outline of the articles published in the journal, constructing a general profile of Social Problems between 1976 and 2012. It was this study’s objective to determine, in this time period, which social problem topics were included in these articles, the trends of the topics, distribution by country regarding research on social problem topics, the methods and techniques used in the studies, and the theoretical explanations utilized in the studies, as well as the interpretation of the study’s findings.

Key Words: Social problems, ‘Journal of Social Problems’ , MAXQDA

Keywords

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1976-2012 YILLARINDA ‘SOCIAL PROBLEMS’ DERGİSİNDE YAYINLANAN MAKALERDE ELE ALINAN SOSYAL PROBLEMLER ÜZERİNE BİR İNCELEME

Abstract

Social Problems dergisi önemli sosyal problemleri tartışmak ve bunlara ilişkin sosyal politikaların formülasyonuna katkıda bulunmak hedefi ile 1951 yılında kurulan Sosyal Problemleri Çalışma Topluluğu (The Society for the Study of Social Problems) (SSSP)’nun resmi dergisidir. Henslin ve Roesti (1976) Social Problems’de 1952-1975 yılları arasında yayımlanan tüm makalelerde, hangi sosyal problemlerin konu başlıkları olarak dahil edildiklerini, çeşitli zaman periyodlarındaki karşılaştırılmalı sıklıklarını ve yönelimlerini belirlemek için bir içerik analizi yapmışlardır. Ayrıca Henslin ve Roesti (1976) 1952-1975 yıllarında dergide yayımlanan makaleleri, makalede önerilen politikaları, önerilen politikanın yöneltildiği kitleyi ve politika önerilerindeki yönelimleri açısından da incelemişlerdir. Bu çalışmada, Henslin ve Roesti (1976)’nin çalışmasından esinlenerek, dünyanın hangi ülkesinden olursa olsun özellikle sosyal problemler sosyolojisi ile ilgilenen araştırmacılar için önemli bir başvuru kaynağı olan ve ayrıca sosyal problemlere ilişkin akademik tartışmaları (konuları, yönelimleri, politikaları, ilgili kitleleri) takip etme olanağı veren Social Problems dergisinde 1976-2012 yıllarında yayımlanan makaleler incelenmek istenmiştir. Böylece Social Problems’deki makalelerin 1952-1975 yılları arasındaki içerik analizine ilave olarak, daha farklı bir bağlamda dergide 1976-2012 yılları arasında yayımlanan makalelerin içerik analizi gerçekleştirilmek istenmiştir. Ancak bizim çalışmamızda bu içerik analizi özellikle dergideki sosyoloji çalışmaları için yapılmıştır. İçerik analizinde MAXQDA software programı yardımıyla, belirtilen yıllar içinde sosyoloji ve sosyoloji ile birlikte diğer alanlarda yazılmış makaleler üzerinde durulmuştur. Bu içerik analizinin en önemli amacı dergideki yayınlanan yazılar hakkında genel bir bilgi vererek Social Problems dergisinin 1976-2012 yıllarındaki genel profilini vermektir. Çalışmada sosyoloji alanında yayımlanmış çalışmaların hangi sosyal problemler üzerinde odaklandığının zaman içindeki karşılaştırmalı dağılımları ile ana konulara ilişkin eğilimleri, bu makalelerde hangi metod ve tekniklerin sıklıkla kullanıldığı ve yine bu makalelerde kullanılan kuramsal açıklamanın hangilerinde yoğunlaştığı belirtilmiştir.

Anahtar Sözcükler: Sosyal problemler, ‘Sosyal Problemler’ Dergisi, MAXQDA

 

AN ANALYSIS OF ‘SOCIAL PROBLEM TOPICS’ PERTAINING TO THE ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN SOCIAL PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE YEARS 1976-2012

Abstract

Social Problems, the flagship journal of the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) established in 1951, continues to make invaluable contributions to current sociology. A prominent reference source for researchers from all around the world, this journal enables scholars to follow the academic discussions, topics, trends, and policies in the field. The main objective of SSSP’s journal is to provide an open space for discussion of social problems as well as to contribute to the formulation of social policies regarding these issues. Henslin and Roesti (1976) conducted a content analysis covering all the articles published in Social Problems between the years 1952 and 1975 with the aim of designating what social problem topics were included, their comparative frequency in various time periods, and their related trends. In this study, Henslin and Roesti (1976) also presented an analysis of the articles in terms and trends of the policy suggestions as well as the target audience to whom the policies were directed. Deriving inspiration from Henslin and Roesti’s study, and as a follow-up, this current research analyzes the articles published between the years 1976 and 2012 in Social Problems, acknowledging the journal’s worldwide appeal for researchers particularly involved in the sociology of social problems. In other words, to complement the analysis of published articles between 1952 and 1975, the authors aimed at making a content analysis in a new context, now dealing with the articles published during 1976 and 2012. However, the content analysis in this current study was particularly conducted on the sociological studies published in the journal. The researchers utilized MAXQDA software to analyze the content of articles published in sociology, and in other related disciplines in conjunction with sociology. The main purpose of this content analysis was to create an outline of the articles published in the journal, constructing a general profile of Social Problems between 1976 and 2012. It was this study’s objective to determine, in this time period, which social problem topics were included in these articles, the trends of the topics, distribution by country regarding research on social problem topics, the methods and techniques used in the studies, and the theoretical explanations utilized in the studies, as well as the interpretation of the study’s findings.

Key Words: Social problems, ‘Journal of Social Problems’ , MAXQDA

Keywords

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