SOC 120 - Current Social Problems [SUN# SOC 2250]

1. Apply the sociological imagination and its relevance to the study of social problems.
2. Describe the interconnectedness of societal social problems and the way we view social problems and peoples’ relation to society.
3. Discuss in a historical context the relevance of local, national, and global social problems and their interconnectedness, with problems including, among others human rights, neo-liberalism, racism, patriarchy, hate crimes, and gender issues.
4. Assess social problems both at the national and international levels, and discuss social problems affecting culturally diverse groups within a global context.
5. Develop solutions to address local, national, and global social problems.
6. Demonstrate outcomes listed above through the completion of critical thinking and writing assignments that will satisfy the requirements of the Intensive Writing and Critical Inquiry designation.

1. Intensive Writing and Critical Inquiry
   1. Producing written discourse in more than one assignment through papers, reports, quizzes, tests, etc., which includes a minimum word standard of 3000 words.
   2. Written assignments emphasize critical inquiry which includes the gathering, interpreting, and evaluating evidence.
   3. Includes a formal out of class paper of at least 1,500 words which requires critical inquiry and where the writer develops and supports a main idea. 
   4. Explicit writing instruction with timely feedback to help students improve their writing            and critical inquiry skills is part of the course’s content.
   5. The evaluation of written assignments must include the overall quality of written work and critical inquiry, as measured by a rubric.                 
   6. At least 50% of the student’s grade must be based on the written work and critical Inquiry assignments.
2. Causes and Effects of Social Problems
   1. Social problems and the relevance of the sociological imagination, and world interconnectedness
   2. Sociological approaches to social problems
   3. Sociological research methods and approaches
      1. Cross cultural problems
      2. Global approaches
   4. Critical global approach to national and global social problems
3. Social Power and Local, National, and Global Structures
   1. Environmental and ecological social problems: local, national, and international impacts on people
   2. Economic inequality and poverty, health, and education
   3. Economic inequality and class, race, ethnicity, gender, age and sexuality
   4. Women, children, and families: empowering the blocs of society
   5. Public policy and private action
4. Quality of Life and Local, National and Global Structures
   1. Problems of behavioral variance
   2. Problems of inequality
   3. Problems of social institutions
   4. Global social problems
5. Complexity of Solutions
   1. Population and underdevelopment
   2. Globalization, victimization, and empowerment
   3. Concentration of political and economic power
   4. Militarism and war
   5. Terrorism, crime, repression, warfare, and violence in a global society
   6. Changing institutions