Discuss the following:
This project for this course is the creation of a magazine article on Elder Abuse…. There’s no word count or page number requirements. Just everything needs to be addressed,
From policy to culture to economics, the family structure in America and across the globe is consistently in the middle of debate and discourse. Questions are routinely asked around what family means, why the definition keeps changing, and who defines “family.” Sociologists use sociological theories and perspectives to study these questions and inform their future studies, policies, and social strategies. Studying the construct and the data picture of families can also be beneficial to both personal and professional lives, aiding individuals in group and interpersonal relationships.
In this final project, you will write an article for a parenting magazine about a familial trend affecting a population. You will base your article on the analysis of the specific trend and its influences, impacts, and presence in diverse cultures using key sociological perspectives. You will then discuss the value of sociological theories and perspectives in approaching social problems. In concluding the article, you will propose an evidence-based response for minimizing the potential negative impacts of the trend.
A. Explain the familial trend you selected and provide an overview of its specific influences on the family dynamics.
B. Provide historical context for your familial trend. How has this trend progressed historically in the United States? What used to be the norm?
II. Comparative Perspectives: In this section you will begin by looking at the familial trend on a global scale. You will then narrow your focus to the United
States, examining the influences on the trend, the impact of the trend on society, and how the trend manifests itself within diverse cultures in the
United States.
A. Select a country outside the United States and describe the norm in this country around your previously selected familial trend.
B. Compare the presence of your selected familial trend in the United States to the presence in the other country. Is this specific trend present in the other country? Substantiate your determinations with research.
1. If the trend is present, how is the presence similar to or different from how it manifests itself in the United States, and why do you think these similarities and differences exist?
2. If the trend is not present in the other country, why do you think it is not?
C. Looking at the issue inside the United States, identify the relevant social variables and disparities influencing this familial trend and explain how they influence this trend.
D. Explain how the familial trend negatively impacts modern families, providing specific examples and substantiating your response with resources.
E. Explain the influence of the familial trend on other social institutions, providing specific examples and substantiating your response with resources. For example, specifically how does the trend influence education, employment, or healthcare?
F. Compare the presence of this familial trend between cultures in the United States. Substantiate your determinations with research. How does the trend manifest itself similarly or differently in different cultures? Is the trend as present in some cultures as it is in others?
III. Sociological Analysis: You will now analyze your chosen familial trend, using the three relevant sociological perspectives: conflict perspective, functionalism perspective, and symbolic interactionism perspective.
A. Apply the conflict perspective to explain why the familial trend affects families differently. Apply this perspective specifically to your previous comparisons to explain any differences in how the trend affects cultures. If there were not any differences, use the perspective to explain generally why different families have different experiences.
B. Apply the functionalist perspective to explain the benefit of the familial trend on society. How does the familial trend influence the family dynamic and therefore positively influence other social institutions and society as a whole?
C. Apply the symbolic interactionist perspective to analyze how families define their meaning and how this definition changes. How does symbolic interactionist theory explain the ways that families define themselves and how this definition evolves?
IV. Value of Sociology
A. Identify personal and societal biases and assumptions around the familial trend. What are your personal biases and preconceived notions based on your life experiences? What are some societal biases and assumptions that the audience might have around the trend?
B. Explain to the audience how using sociological theories and perspectives to analyze the familial trend can help limit biases and challenge assumptions. Provide a specific example related to your analysis of the trend.
C. Explain to the audience the value of sociological theories and perspectives when addressing real-world familial problems. How can the use of these theories and perspectives help address familial problems faced in personal and professional lives?
V. Evidence-Based Response
A. Describe attempted responses that have been successful in addressing negative impact(s) of the specific familial trend and identify some best practices based on the successes.
B. Based on your research, propose a response to address negative impact(s) of the familial trend.
C. Explain why your proposed response is likely to be successful, substantiating your explanation with research. In other words, explain how the response takes into account your previous research of attempted responses, identified best practices, and influences and impacts of the trend.