Social Problems

Joel Best is a professor of sociology and criminal justice at the University of Delaware. Best’s research focuses on understanding how and why we become concerned with particular issues at particular moments in time. He’s written about the ways bad statistics creep into public debates and about dubious fears, such as the mistaken belief that poisoned Halloween candy poses a serious threat to our kids. His books include Damned Lies and Statistics, Kids Gone Wild, The Student Loan Mess and Flavor of the Month. Brian Monahan is a professor of sociology at Baldwin Wallace University, where he teaches social problems, crime and the media, deviance, and criminology. Monahan’s research examines how the press and popular culture guide public understanding of crime and other social problems. He is the author of Social Problems and Popular Culture and The Shock of the News: Media Coverage and the Making of 9/11.