SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND SOCIAL WELFARE A social problem or a social ill is an issue that relates to society’s perception of people’s personal lives. Different societies have different perceptions and what may be “normal” behaviour in one society may be a significant social issue in another society. Social issues are distinguished from economic issues. Some issues have both social and economic aspects, such as immigration. There are also issues that don’t fall into either category, such as wars. Thomas Paine, in Rights of Man and Common Sense, addresses man’s duty to “allow the same rights to others as we allow ourselves”. The failure to do so causes the birth of a social issue. Personal issues are those that individuals deal with themselves and within a small range of their peers and relationships. On the other hand, social issues threaten values cherished by widespread society. For example, the unemployment rate of 7.8 percent in the U.S. as of October 2012 is a social issue. The line between a personal issue and a public issue may be subjective, however, when a large enough sector of society is affected by an issue, it becomes a social issue. Although one person fired is not a social issue, the repercussions of 13 million people being fired are likely to generate social issues. Welfare is the provision of a minimal level of well-being and social support for all citizens, sometimes referred to as public aid. In most developed countries, welfare is largely provided by the government, in addition to charities, informal social groups, religious groups, and inter-governmental organizations. This book will be found useful by all those administrators, social workers, policymakers etc., who are committed to ameliorating the social, cultural, economic and political conditions prevailing in Indian society. Contents: • Population Rise • Urbanization • Unemployment • Industrialisation • Social Welfare Management • Volunteer Management • Public-Private Partnerships • Voluntary Organization for the Care of Aged • Social Work with Delinquent and Criminals • Improving Monitoring and Evaluation of Social Work