Investigating a Social Problem

Purpose: To investigate the dynamics of a social issue in-depth by exploring one of three topics: education, poverty, or globalization.

Instructions

1) Select one of the following three topics, and read/listen to the associated resource given with the topic.

Note: Each topic will require between 30 minutes to one hour of either reading or audio.

a) Education/Private Colleges: Interview with Tressie Cottom, Sociologist (2017)

Alternative: Leveling the Field" by Christopher Beha of Harpers magazine (2011)

b) Poverty/Welfare Policy: "Personal Responsibility" by On the Media of wNYC (2016)

c) Globalization/T-shirts: "Planet Money's T-shirt Project" by NPR/Planet Money (2013)

a. Note: there are 7 ~10 minute episodes in this series. Listen to at least episodes 1-3 and 6-7.

2) Summarize, in depth, the issue chosen as a form of social problem: What is happening? What social problems/negative consequences are occurring to individuals/society/the environment? Why is this a problem at more than the individual level? Etc.

3) Identify issues of social problems related to your chosen topic (e.g. class, race, gender, education, work, and/or health), and describe how they either exist as part of the social issue or how it is connected to the social issue chosen.

4) Identify a theoretical perspective (Conflict, Interactionism, or Functionalism), briefly summarize the perspective's primary argument in general, and explain how it would view issues and/or provide solutions for the areas you discussed.

5) Suggested, not required: Look for a second source to provide either additional context or possible proposed solutions to the problems presented. The following are suggested other sources, but any other from a legitimate source may also be included.

a. Education/Student Loans: "What Matters in Student Loan Default: A Review of the Research Literature" (2009)

b. Welfare and Disability: "Unfit for Work: The Startling Rise of Disability in America" (2013)

c. Globalization/T-shirts: "I Tried to See Where My T-Shirt Was Made, and the Factory Sent Thugs After Me" (2013).

Answer these questions in a double spaced 3-5 page paper with 12pt Times New Roman font. A works cited/reference page (any style: e.g. ASA or APA) is required due to the need for at least one source, but does not count towards the page limit.