CONCEALED SOCIAL PROBLEMS – THEIR CAUSES AND SPECIFIC FEATURES IN POLAND
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24919/2413-2039.9/41.175698Keywords:
social problem; causes of the concealed problem, factors that help to conceal the problem; Poland.Abstract
The article provides examples of concealed social problems and their causes, which indicate that researchers still have much to do. Understanding the causes, the course and the consequences of officially unnoticed problems is not only an important cognitive task, it has an inconspicuous utilitarian significance. Identifying the difficulties concealed by the specifics of the place of residence or institution is undoubtedly an important task for social researchers, regardless of the paradigm on which they are based. It can be argued that families who are combatting problems, and above all the need to cope with stigmatization in the home environment, do not have the strength and courage to fight in order to reveal the conditions in which they live. Concealing hardships and fears, as well as feelings of loneliness, in some social categories, is a particularly important strategy to avoid being condemned, rejected, and other forms of marginalization. The reflections presented in the first part of this article indicate that it is much more difficult for concealed social problems to offer a single holistic definition, as they are more often experienced by individuals and groups that cannot overcome them, reluctantly sharing their difficulties, as well as those who only partially compensated by aid and support. This can significantly affect the lack of interest of researchers in the much broader basis of the problem, which is hidden from them as well as from professional assistants. In conclusion, it is important to emphasize that the essence of concealed problems is that they are generated by available and partially diagnosed social problems, and their secrecy and invisibility are caused by the fact that people and groups experiencing them do not have sufficient strength, determination and courage to reveal them.
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