Assignment: SOCIAL PROBLEMS
INSTRUCTIONS
Professor Jacqueline Johnson
INSTRUCTIONS: Identify one of the social problems discussed in this Kids Gone Wild * or
On the Run. Write a research paper that uses a constructivist sociological approach to understand this social problem. Your paper must include an analysis of each stage in this social problems process, as discussed by Best in Social Problems.
*If you choose to write about Kids Gone Wild:
Because Kids Gone Wild is specifically about concerns about organized teen sexual behavior in the form of rainbow parties, sex bracelets, and sexting, you much choose a different problem to discuss for your paper. For example, Best and Bogle also mention some related concerns, such as commercial products as sources of sexual contamination (i.e. pop icons, music, cell phones, etc. on pages 12-13); the playground as arenas for toubling behavior; concerns over child rearing practices; and other issues or problems that provide the context for understanding why concerns over rainbow parties, sex bracelets, and sexting gained local and international attention.
Use the outline on the following page to write this paper. Note my heavy reliance on media sources for support in my claims. This is in line with Best's argument about how issues become social problems.
To illustrate how you will write this paper, I filled in the outline with my research on another book, Gang Leader for a Day, by Sudhir Venkatesh. I would use this outline to write the paper. I suggest that you also provide an outline for your paper to make sure that your paper examaines each stage of the social problems process.
SOCIAL PROBLEMS PAPER
OUTLINE
1. Begin with a brief synopsis of the book. (Limited to one paragraph).
2. Identify a social problem that is discussed in the book. (Describe this in one or two clear sentences.)
3. Idenity the claimsmakers. Include THE AUTHOR(s) and FOUR other sources of information
A. Two should be "experts." They can be from academic journals or thinktanks that have based their assertions on research.
B. The other two should be from the media. They can be from local or national news stories.
4. Discuss the public reactions. Find at least FOUR blogs, discussion boards, replies to printed news stories, twitter discussions, etc. where this social problem is discussed.
A. Read the conversations to understand the extent to which the public understands this issue as a social problem. Briefly discuss each.
B. You do not have to focus on what they say about the problem. Rather, focus on whether or not they identify the issue as problematic.
5. Policy making. What institutional or organizational policies have been put into practice in order to solve this problem?
A. Find and discuss at least ONE. Such instutions can be schools, laws, etc.
6. Social problems work. Exactly how has this policy been implemented? By whom?
7. Policy outcomes. Has this policy been effective? What is the public reaction?
8. Your view. Conclusion: Discuss your view of this social problem by briefly considering each stage of the process.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also Include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.