Although a huge amount of papers were written on social problem, there is no universal definition of social problem. However, in academic literature, many of the authors have already agreed, to some extent, on the nature of social problems. In one these papers, one of those authors shows that in fact, in twenty-four definitions of social problems found in thirty-four widely referred texts, twenty one included the requirement that the public or some segment of the public must perceive the condition as problem before we can justly say that a social problem exists (Lauer, 1976: p. 125). That is, social problems exist when there is certain objective condition and people/public define it problematic. In other words, social problems exist when people think they are. If there is no perception of a particular social problem as problematic, then it does not exist. Nevertheless, the issue of social problems is not problematic itself. The most controversial issue here is what is meant by the term of public/people. Is it a significant part of people or a group of people who have concerns about a particular issue? This question lies at the heart of the problem of the methodology for identifying social problems. If it is not clear what is meant by the term ‘public’, then another question arises: How to identify social problems? Is it valid to simply conduct a survey and thus, to leave it only in the responsibility of people? Or should it be defined by experts?
Although a huge amount of papers were written on social problem, there is no universal definition of social problem. However, in academic literature, many of the authors have already agreed, to some extent, on the nature of social problems. In one these papers, one of those authors shows that in fact, in twenty-four definitions of social problems found in thirty-four widely referred texts, twenty one included the requirement that the public or some segment of the public must perceive the condition as problem before we can justly say that a social problem exists (Lauer, 1976: p. 125). That is, social problems exist when there is certain objective condition and people/public define it problematic. In other words, social problems exist when people think they are. If there is no perception of a particular social problem as problematic, then it does not exist. Nevertheless, the issue of social problems is not problematic itself. The most controversial issue here is what is meant by the term of public/people. Is it a significant part of people or a group of people who have concerns about a particular issue? This question lies at the heart of the problem of the methodology for identifying social problems. If it is not clear what is meant by the term ‘public’, then another question arises: How to identify social problems? Is it valid to simply conduct a survey and thus, to leave it only in the responsibility of people? Or should it be defined by experts?
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