An important alternative to traditional texts in its field, Social Problems explains how and why particular conditions come to be constructed as social problems. By evaluating the construction process, Joel Best, author of the best-selling Damned Lies and Statistics, equips students with the tools they need to analyze any social problem they encounter in the media. The Fourth Edition has been updated with new examples and case studies on timely topics such as campus sexual assault, the opioid epidemic, and fake news, helping students connect sociological theory to everyday life.