Library: Social Issues: Books & Ebooks

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Circulating Books

The library contains literally hundreds of books dealing specifically with social issues. These titles listed below are good starting points for finding topic ideas and brief information on several different social issues. To find additional information on a specific social issue, try browsing one of the listed book series, perform a keyword search in the catalog, or ask a librarian for help!

Connecting Social Problems and Popular Culture
Call Number: 302.23 S839c
Publication Date: 2010
Tackling the essential social problems in America through a popular culture lens, this original book debunks the notion that the media is to blame for society’s ills.
Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America by Eugene Robinson
Call Number: 305.896 R659d
Publication Date: 2010
Explains how years of desegregation and affirmative action have led to the revelation of four distinct African American groups who reflect unique political views and circumstances.

Reference Books

Encyclopedia of Modern American Social Issues by Michael Kronenwetter, ed.
Call Number: Ref 306.0973 K89e
Publication Date: 1997
Provides brief introductions and different viewpoints on topics such as abortion, child abuse, drug testing, gun control, Head Start, Roe v. Wade, same-sex marriages, secondhand smoke, sexual-predator laws, and more.
Global Social Issues: An Encyclopedia by James Ciment; Christopher G. Bates, eds.
Call Number: Ref 361.G 5625
Publication Date: 2012
This encyclopedia is a comprehensive, one-stop, interdisciplinary resource that examines current, critical social issues in historical and global contexts.
Available at Delaware Campus Only.
World at Risk: A Global Issues Sourcebook by CQ Press Staff
Call Number: Ref. 300 W9271
Publication Date: 2002
Offers introductory analysis and reference material on 30 key issues facing the world, including AIDS, deforestation, ethnic and regional conflict, global warming, income inequality, peacemaking and peacebuilding, terrorism, and women.

E-Books

The eBook Collection contains ebooks, including several on social issues. Look especially in the Social Sciences category and the Self-Help & Family category.

Recommended Series

Below are examples of book series that specifically deal with social problems. Very helpful if you're topic hunting!

Education from Opposing Viewpoints

Suggested E-Books

Encyclopedia of Social Problems by Parrillo, Vincent N., ed.
Publication Date: 2008
Since social problems are so complex and interconnected, this single reference work uses social theory as a lens through which the reader can more easily gain a complete insight and understanding of the issue being researched.
Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Social Issues by Michael Shally-Jensen, ed.
Publication Date: 2010
Covers the most critical issues facing American society today. Topics range from biotechnology to identity theft, from racial profiling to corporate governance, from school choice to food safety. Describes the nature of each issue or problem, the historical context in which it arose, the different points of view used to discuss or debate it, and the various means employed in efforts to resolve it.