Society for the Study of Social Problems

The Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP), founded in 1951 by Elizabeth Briant Lee and Alfred McClung Lee, is a non-profit interdisciplinary community of scholars, practitioners, advocates, and students interested in the application of critical, scientific, and humanistic perspectives to the study of vital social problems.

Additional information about the SSSP can be found in .

Purpose

The SSSP’s stated purpose is to promote and protect sociological research and teaching on significant problems of social life and, particularly, to encourage the work of young sociologists; to stimulate the application of scientific method and theory to the study of vital social problems; to encourage problem-centered social research; to foster cooperative relations among persons and organizations engaged in the application of scientific sociological findings to the formulation of social policies; to foster higher quality of life, social welfare, and positive social relations in society and the global community and to undertake any activity related thereto or necessary or desirable for the accomplishment of the foregoing purposes.

Activities

The SSSP promotes dialogue through presentations at the annual meeting, and through listservs and newsletters throughout the year; publishes research in the journal Social Problems; presents awards to community groups; supports graduate students, young scholars and activists with professional support, leadership opportunities, and scholarships; passes and acts upon public resolutions; and fosters the generation of new ideas.

Membership

Most members are from the United States, but the Society enjoys the significant participation of international scholars, practitioners, students, and advocates as well. Membership is open to individuals and university and college departments who support the SSSP's goals. Since many of the Society’s members are sociologists, the SSSP holds annual meetings in the same location and time as the American Sociological Association.

Special Problems Divisions

The SSSP has twenty-two special problems divisions, each with its own newsletter, that provide members with common interests the opportunity to interact more intimately with one another. Division activity shapes the annual meeting of the Society by organizing paper sessions and panels. Divisions provide an opportunity for young scholars to present their work to a critical audience of scholar advocates interested in good research and social action to move toward solutions for social problems. Division chairs form the nominating committee for the major officers of the Society and for the Board of Directors. Members interested in emerging areas of social problems can form new divisions. For a list of and information on divisions, visit http://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/m/21.

Scholarships and Awards

The SSSP grants scholarships and awards in recognition of meritorious work by outstanding scholars, practitioners, advocates, and students who demonstrate active pursuit in the application of critical, scientific, and humanistic perspectives to the study of vital social problems. One of these awards is the prestigious C. Wright Mills Award, awarded to the previous year’s most outstanding book in the tradition of the individual for whom the award is named. For a list and description of these awards and scholarships, visit http://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/m/24.

Social Problems and other Publications

The Society publishes Social Problems, one of the leading referred and most widely read social science journals in the United States, a newsletter Social Problems Forum, and a number of other miscellaneous publications. For more information on the Society’s publications, visit http://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/m/322.

SSSP Presidents

The following is a list of presidents of the Society from its founding in 1951 to 2011.

Presidents of SSSP, 1952-2011 Ernest W. Burgess, 1952-53, University of Chicago Alfred McClung Lee, 1953-54, Brooklyn College Herbert Blumer, 1954-55, ** Arnold M. Rose, 1955-56, University of Minnesota Mabel Elliott, 1956-57, Chatham College Byron Fox, 1957-58, Syracuse University Richard Schermerhorn, 1958-59, Western Reserve University Alfred R. Lindesmith, 1959-60, Indiana University Alvin W. Gouldner, 1960-61, Washington University Marshall B. Clinard, 1961-62, University of Wisconsin Marvin B. Sussman, 1962-63, Western Reserve University Jessie Bernard, 1963-64, Pennsylvania State University Irwin Deutscher, 1964-65, Syracuse University Howard S. Becker, 1965-66, Northwestern University Melvin Tumin, 1966-67, Princeton University Lewis Coser, 1967-68, Brandeis University Albert J. Reiss, Jr., 1968-69, University of Michigan Raymond W. Mack, 1969-70, Northwestern University Kai Erikson, 1970-71, Yale University Albert K. Cohen, 1971-72, University of Connecticut Edwin M. Lemert, 1972-73, University of California-Davis Rose Coser, 1973-74, SUNY-Stony Brook Stanton Wheeler, 1974-75, Yale University-Law School S.M. Miller, 1975-76, Boston University Bernard Beck, 1976-77, Northwestern University Jacqueline Wiseman, 1977-78, University of California-San Diego John I. Kitsuse, 1978-79, University of California-Santa Cruz Frances Fox Piven, 1979-80, Boston University James E. Blackwell, 1980-81, University of Massachusetts-Boston Egon Bittner, 1981-82, Brandeis University Helena Z. Lopata, 1982-83, Loyola University-Chicago Louis Kriesberg, 1983-84, Syracuse University Joan W. Moore, 1984-85, University of Wisconsin Rodolfo Alvarez, 1985-86, University of California-Los Angeles Arlene Kaplan Daniels, 1986-87, Northwestern University Doris Y. Wilkinson, 1987-88, University of Kentucky Joseph R. Gusfield, 1988-89, University of California-San Diego Murray Straus, 1989-90, University of New Hampshire James A. Geschwender, 1990-91, SUNY-Binghamton Stephen J. Pfohl, 1991-92, Boston College William Chambliss, 1992-93, George Washington University Barbara Katz Rothman, 1993-94, CUNY-Baruch College James D. Orcutt, 1994-95, Florida State University Peter Conrad, 1995-96, Brandeis University Pamela A. Roby, 1996-97, University of California-Santa Cruz Beth B. Hess, 1997-98, County College of Morris Evelyn Nakano Glenn, 1998-99, University of California-Berkeley Robert Perrucci, 1999-00, Purdue University John F. Galliher, 2000-01, Missouri University-Columbia Joel Best, 2001-02, University of Delaware Nancy C. Jurik, 2002-03, Arizona State University Kathleen J. Ferraro, 2003-04, Northern Arizona University Gary Alan Fine, 2004-05, Northwestern University Claire M. Renzetti, 2005-06, University of Dayton Valerie Jenness, 2006-07, University of California - Irvine Nancy A. Naples, 2007-08, University of Connecticut Steven E. Barkan, 2008-09, University of Maine JoAnn L. Miller, 2009-10, Purdue University A. Javier Treviño, 2010-11, Wheaton College Wendy Simonds, 2011-12, Georgia State University

External links

• The Society for the Study of Social Problems