Project Guidelines

Overview

The second part (Part II) of the final project for this course is the creation of a letter of intent.

The field of sociology presents a unique perspective to viewing the world's social problems. Social problems tend to be viewed solely as individual constructs and responsibilities, but sociologists take a deeper dive into the complex set of variables driving the development of these problems using various theoretical perspectives. As these problems surface in individual lives, the workplace, and communities, a sociological perspective is valuable for providing a framework for deeper investigation of variables and limiting personal biases when analyzing problems.

In this project, you will play the part of a sociologist who has been requested by your national community to craft a letter of intent to the potential funder, the Department of Health and Human Services. The project will be divided into two parts. In the first part, you will prepare to write the letter of intent by conducting research on the social problem and thinking about how to limit your personal biases when later analyzing the social issue. In the second part of the project, the letter of intent, you will analyze the problem from a sociological perspective, outlining the influential variables and the local and global impacts of the problem, and finally suggest a potential solution.

The final submission for Part II will occur in Module Seven.

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

- Analyze contemporary social problems on local and global scales by applying key theoretical perspectives

- Analyze social variables and determinants for their influence in the development of contemporary social problems on a local and global scale

- Suggest potential solutions that are aligned with best practices for addressing the negative impacts of social issues

- Illustrate how the use of sociological theory limits personal and societal biases in analyzing social problems

You have completed your background research and thought about how you will limit your biases in the analysis of the social issue. Now you are ready to write your letter of intent. The potential funder will want to know the local and global impact of the social problem, the variables causing the problem to occur, and your potential solution with justification for why the solution will be successful.

Specifically the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Introduction: In this section, you will set the stage for the rest of your letter. Explain the contemporary social problem that you selected and discuss the relevance for today's society on a local scale. How does the issue present itself in the United States or in your local community?

II. Problem Description: Based on the variables and determinants you previously identified when preparing for this letter, determine the most influential social variables and determinants leading to the social problem and justify your selections with research you previously conducted in preparing to write this letter.

III. Global Impact: So that the funder can understand the significance of the social problem, you will explain the local and global impacts using a sociological perspective.

A. Provide an example of how the social problem manifests itself on a global scale. In what other country or countries does this problem present itself and how?

B. Compare and contrast the existence of the problem locally versus globally. How is the way the problem exists locally similar to or different from the way it exists globally?

C. Based on your comparison of the local and global manifestations of the social issue, what conclusions can you draw about the influence of globalization on this specific social issue? How similar or different are the social issues and their repercussions, and what does that mean in relation to the impact of globalization?

D. Select a key sociological theoretical perspective that best explains why there are similarities and differences in how the social issue presents on a local and global scale, justifying your selection.

E. Apply your selected theoretical perspective to explain why there are similarities and differences in how the social issue presents on a local and global scale.

IV. Potential Solution

A. Based on your previous research, what suggestion do you have for responding to the identified social issue? Specifically what do you suggest as an action in responding to the social issue?

B. Explain why your suggestion is likely to be successful, substantiating with research. Explain how the suggestion takes into account your previous research of attempted solutions and identified best practices.