Assignment: Investigate a Social Issue
Consider a social issue in which you are interested. It could be human freedom, sexuality, deviance, crime, social mobility, poverty, education, aging, and similar issues. Select a specific social issue to investigate in this assignment.
Write a 700 to 1000 word (2.5 to 3.5 page) report in which you:
1. Describe the social issue in which you are interested. Be specific.
2. Describe how your issue fits into the field of sociology. Which sociological theories and terminology from the text apply to your social issue?
3. Discuss what is known and unknown about your particular issue.
4. Discuss the value of sociological research into your issue. Are there (or would there be) practical implications of sociological inquiry?
5. Use three credible sources and APA citations where appropriate. Use the checklist below to verify you meet all of the specifications of this criterion. Identifies at least 3 credible sources: For our purposes, credible sources are your Sociology manual and those credible sources that have been fact-checked and may be found in sociological sources of more popular materials like the New York Times, Times, Newsweek, Society, Psychology Today and the like. If you are unsure, check with your professor if the source you are considering may be used.
Note: Do not use the online encyclopedia "WIKIPEDIA" as a source for any work you do in this class. Sources are given in the Reference section in correct APA format. Use correct APA reference format. Partial credit will be given if references are close. üü All sources in the Reference section are cited somewhere in the body of the paper using correct APA format. Use correct APA citations for all references.
Partial credit will be given if citations are close within one or two errors. No credit will be given if the citation has more than three errors and is not cited within the body of the paper. üü For all citations, there is a clear link between text, citation and reference. Sources provide relevancy to your topic. Relevancy means there is a clear and direct link of the article or source to the report text, citations and references. üü Integrate all sources into your paper using proper techniques of quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing, along with your in-text citations.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the professor's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
• Evaluate the various methodologies for sociological research.
• Apply the sociological perspective to a variety of socioeconomic and political problems.
• Critically examine how society shapes individuals and how individuals shape society.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in sociology.
• Write clearly and concisely about sociology using proper writing mechanics
Family is the oldest known social institution in the history of man's evolution family has been the reasons why communities developed and thus societies expanded to form nations and countries. Family has also been considered to be the force of unity in all activities hence family as a social institution has a very important role to play in society.
Sociological theories propose a covenant and a relationship between two or more concepts. Family is the best social institution where conflicts, hence family studies suggest that there are different theoretical aspects that govern the way families interact exist and change within an accepted framework. Sociological theories speak about them in great detail and how the family as the most potent of social institutions is able to survive over long periods though values and family systems are undergoing tremendous changes.
The sociology of the family encompasses a wide range of issues, including teenage childbearing, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse, the experiences of mothering, domestic violence, child and elder abuse, and divorce. Family emotions are the most vulnerable study of family and hence sociologists try to look at families from the way they interact, the way they tackle conflicts and most importantly how families are a must in a social set up.
Thesis sentence:
The family is the strongest unit of a society and is influenced by sociological theories.
Applicability of sociological theories to the social institution of the family:
Families are sources of intense private relationships as well as public social institution. Social inequalities have a telling impact on the family life. Family set up, relationships are clouded with historic lineages and reflect political cultural and social factors.
The functionalism theory states that social institutions and families especially exist to fill a particular need in the society. The main bond of the society lies in the families hence families have a particular function to perform in the society. And hence they exist to discharge certain very important functions. (Giddens, 1997)
The conflict theory states that conflict is due to many social inequalities which are inherent in the society itself. Social inequalities are present in the form of race, ethnicity, gender and race. Power is a very important source of conflict as it is seen that families which are powerful have always taunted the poor families and this has led to rebellions, power struggles and the rise of the class inequalities. Social changes have also led conflicts among families and have led to new emerging order of families based on some adaptations. ( Engels 1884)
The symbolic interaction theory is a micro theory which states that there is always an interaction between family members and others in the society which is basically concerned with the meanings and interpretations people have. this theory shows how individuals relate to each other within a realm of family and make it a reality.( Berger and Luckmann 1967), a family can come into existence only through the social premise of the individuals who come together to form a family .human beings communicate with each other through symbols and how these symbols are interested to make concerted actions .the social structures determine the actions performed by individuals in the family and in society . (Blumer 1969).
The family is media for social change. The concept of family has undergone a characterized change from the family definition historically to what it is today. As social changes took place, family changes and structure also simultaneously took place. The role played by the male breadwinner is no longer the pivotal role and women have come to occupy a major role in the family experience. The functionalist theory says that family as a medium of social change has allowed for functions to vary and change the family structure and people come in and move out of the family changing its functions all the time (Coontz 1992).
A central theme across all the disciplines is the centrality of the family as a core unit of society. While definitions of the family vary, its core seems to be a blood relationship. People tend to favor kin over non-kin -"blood is thicker than water"-and will take the interests of other family members into account in their decisions. Policy measures that seek to influence behavior need to consider not just individuals, but how families, make decisions" (.Bilton et al,1996)
References:
Berger, Peter L and Thomas Luckmann (1967) The social construction of reality" A treatise in the Sociology of knowledge. (London: Penguin Publishers).
Blumer, Herbert (1969) Symbolic interactionism: Perspective and method. (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall).
Bilton, Tony, Kevin Bonnett, Pip Jones, Tony Lawson, David Skinner, Michelle Stanworth and Andrew Webster eds (1996) Introductory Sociology. (London: Macmillan).
Coontz, Stephanie (1992) The way we never were: American families and the nostalgia trap. (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc).
Engels, Frederick (1884) The origin of the family, private property and the state. (Hottingen-Zurich).
Giddens, Anthony (1997) Sociology. (Cambridge: Polity Press).
McLanahan, Sara S (1997) "Parent absence or poverty: Which matters more?" in Jeanne Brooks-Gunn ed Consequences of growing up poor (New York: Russell Sage Foundation): 35-48.
Wallerstein, Judith and Sandra Blakeslee (1989) Second chances: Men, women, and children a decade after divorce. (New York: Ticknor & Fields).