Contemporary
American Problems
Course Description: An introduction to the basic concepts of sociology, the inquiry process used to examine social problems, and a look at specific social issues facing American Society. The class will provide a forum for students to engage in thoughtful discussion on social issues, gain insight into their personal views and views of other students, and research a particular social issue of a particular interest to the student as a cumulating project.
Topics:
Introduction of the
basic concepts of sociology:
-History of Sociology as a science
-Define Social Problems
Objective reality of social problems
Subjective nature of social problems
Paradox of bias of social problems
-Different approaches to understand social problems
Person blame approach
System blame approach
Combined approach (Person and System)
-Difference between quantitative and qualitative research
-Research Methodology Terms
Bias
Reliability
Validity
Demographics
Sampling
Data Collection
-Likely topics might include but are not limited to the following:
Abortion
Affirmative Action
Homosexuality in American Society
Capital Punishment
Stem cell research/cloning
Teen Issues
Gender Issues
Abuse Issues (i.e. child, substance, spousal)
Environmental
Poverty Issues
Content Standards and
Benchmarks:
CS 1.1 Analyze and adapt an
inquiry process (i.e. Identify question or problem, locate and evaluate
potential resources, gather and synthesize information, create a new product
and evaluate product and process)
CS 1.2 Apply criteria to evaluate information
(e.g. Origin, authority, accuracy, bias, and distortion of information and
ideas)
CS 1.3 Synthesize and apply
information to formulate and support reasoned personal convictions within
groups and participate in negotiations to arrive at solutions to differences
CS 2.6 Analyze and evaluate
conditions, actions and motivations that contribute to conflict and cooperation
within and among groups
CS 2.7 Analyze laws and policies
governing technology and evaluate the ethical issues and the impacts of
technology on society
CS 3.4 Analyze how human
settlement patterns create cooperation and conflict which influence the
division and control of domestic policy
CS 3.7 Describe and compare how
people create places that reflect culture, human needs, government policy, and
current values and ideas as they design and build
CS 4.3 Apply ideas, theories, and
methods of inquiry to analyze historical and contemporary developments, and to
formulate and defend reasoned decisions on public policy issues
CS 4.6 Investigate, interpret, and
analyze the impact of multiple historical and contemporary view points
concerning events across the
CS 5.3 Assess the costs and
benefits to society of allocating goods and services in different economic
systems
CS 5.6 Explain and evaluate the
effects of new technology, global economic interdependence and competition on
the development of national policies (e.g. social security, medicare
and other entitlement programs) and on the lives of the individuals and
families in Montana, the United States, and the World.
CS 6.1 Analyze and evaluate the
ways various groups (e.g. social, political, cultural) meet human needs and
concerns (e.g. individual needs, common good) and contribute to personal
identity
CS. 6.3 Analyze the impact of
ethnic, national, and global influences of specific situations or events
CS 6.6 Analyze the interactions of
individuals, groups and institution in society (e.g. social mobility, class
conflict, globalization)