This week, as the first step of your Course Project, you select and analyze a social issue. The main goals of your analysis are to develop a problem statement, address the "heart" or "root" of the issue, describe the situation as it looks today, and explain why this social issue is important to investigate.

There are numerous social issues that prompt attention today and that directly or indirectly impact both small and large populations. These include issues as diverse as animal rights, euthanasia, the gender wage gap, intimate partner violence, access to health care, disability rights, detention of unaccompanied migrant children, and veterans rights, to name but a few.

As you consider a social issue on which to focus, keep in mind that you will be researching and writing about the social issue throughout the remainder of the course. An objective of this project is to build a well-researched foundation on which you might pursue further involvement. For that reason, you are encouraged to select an issue about which you have genuine concern and interest. Is there a social issue that has impacted you or a family member personally? Are there inequities that impact your life or the lives of others in your community? Are there global concerns that resonate strongly with you? Personal passion and connection to an issue often fuels the kind of committed action that attracts participants and achieves objectives. For this project, select an issue that you genuinely care about.
Gather 2-4 articles
In a 2- to 3-page paper (not including the cover page and references), address the following:

The problem statement you have developed (e.g., "The problem I will address in this study is...")

What are the "symptoms" of the social issue? What does it "look like"?

What are the conflicts that exist regarding this issue? What are the interests, rights, and values of all parties involved with the social issue?

What are some potential ethical dilemmas involved with the social issue?

How has the social issue developed? What are some possible causes?

Why is the social issue important to investigate?