SOCIOLOGY AND THE REAL WORLD
You will be required to write a 3-4 page, typed, double spaced (no larger than 12 point font, one inch margins), social issue paper about something that you have experienced. You must choose one topic from the list below. Topic 1: Your socialization experiences as a child focusing on learned gender roles Topic 2: Your experience with stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination (based on race, gender, culture, sexual orientation, mental health, disability — including learning disability, and/or physical characteristics) Topic 3: Your experiences with health/health care (think about access to health care/health care costs, or health and stigma) Topic 4: Your experiences with social stratification/social inequity and access to educational opportunities 1) Clearly identify your topic and discuss how the issue has affected your life. 2) What have you done to overcome or deal with the issues covered? 3) How has it impacted others in our society? How have others responded to such issues? (Please note: You must use three sources when answering question 3 above. One reference may be your textbook. The other sources should be scholarly articles. When in doubt, ask a librarian or me. Please be sure to cite – in ASA format (Links to an external site.) – on a separate ″references″ page). 4) Which sociological theory could you apply to your experiences? (Structural Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Symbolic Interactionism) Use your book for guidance. For example, how did the chapter on gender socialization tie in theory? Choose one of the three theories and relate it in some way to your experiences. Use examples to further illustrate your understanding of the theory. Please sure to cite your textbook on the references page. 5) Research various websites of non-profits, political, or educational organizations that address your topic with the idea/goal of reducing the problem on a societal level (for example, an organization created to promote gender equity/reducing the pay gap, or organizations to improve health and/or education access based on income inequality, or organizations that promote racial equality/tolerance). Choose one website to research in-depth. Carefully explore the organization′s website. For the paper, describe what the organization does. What are its goals? Then come up with one way the organization could improve. What additional resources could they offer, or what new goals should they address? Be specific. Pretend you′ve been hired by the organization to improve upon what they do. (Include the link to the website in your paper.) FORMAT a) The first part of your paper should be an introduction to the topic or issue that you will be discussing. b) The main portions or the body of the paper should focus on explaining those main points and on answering the questions on which I have asked you to elaborate (questions 1 – 5). c) The last part of your paper should be the conclusion. This is the time to wrap up your ideas, thoughts or ways of preventing/dealing with an issue. Go back and read your paper and make sure any point you might have brought up has been resolved, discussed and dealt with in a clear manner. d) The last page will be your references page. Don’t forget to use check your spelling and grammar. Note: Read over the attached rubric to get a clear understanding of what I′d like to see in your paper.