Question:
In this assignment, you will identify and summarize a contemporary social issue of your choice. This social issue will become the main topic of your final project, and you will revisit the issue throughout the course as you work on your final project. You can choose a social issue from the topic list below, or you can select a social issue of your choice. After selecting your topic, explain what is happening with the social issue-what is its impact? Who is affected? What do people think about it? Are there any debates surrounding the issue? Also, provide a brief history of how the issue began.
For this assessment, you will examine a contemporary social issue using your sociological lens. You will begin by selecting your own contemporary social issue to use as the base of your project. You may use an issue from the list provided below or choose an issue of interest to you that you find in the news or media, or perhaps one you encounter in your daily life.
Bullying
Crime and violence
Drug and alcohol abuse
Income inequality and wealth distribution
After selecting your topic, explain what is happening with the social issue-what is its impact? Who is affected? What do people think about it? Are there any debates surrounding the issue? Also, provide a brief history of how the issue began.Think about the following behaviors you might observe:
- Eye contact: Do people avoid making eye contact with you?
- Body language: Do people change their posture near you? Do they move away from you? Do they stop to see what you are doing?
- Facial expressions: Do people give you a strange look? Do they appear to be confused by your behavior? Suspicious? Amused? Indifferent? What does their facial expression look like and what does it suggest?
- Ignoring you: Do people seem to simply ignore you? What about their behavior suggests that they are ignoring you?
Then, answer the following questionsin complete sentences (1-3 sentences per question). Your responses will be graded using the
Module One Worksheet Rubric.
Provide at least one reference to support your observation.
1. Where did you conduct your observation?
2. At what time of day did you conduct your observation?
3. How did your appearance as an individual affect your observation? For example, gender, race/ethnicity, age, dress, hairstyle, and so on.
4. Did anyone react to you? What did they look like, and what was their reaction?
5. How did you feel while you were conducting the observation? Was it difficult for you to be the observer? How did this observation differ from your life as an everyday actor?