Six-page Sociology essay

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Social Problems course paper topics Note: This list is not exhaustive. You are welcome to choose a topic that is not listed.

Animals Animal abuse / cruelty, laws

Animal rights Factory farming

Aging Ageism / age discrimination “Graying” of the population Social Security

Bullying / cyberbulling, hazing Capitalism / corporations Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) decision, implications

Connection to political realm Corporate greed Ideal vs. real (monopolistic)

Perpetuation of poverty Tax evasion, loopholes Wealthfare Cities / communities / neighborhoods

City planning (implications for poor, racial minorities) Contemporary racial segregation Efforts to integrate

Patterns Gentrification Neighborhood segregation by race

Blockbusting Eminent domain Federal Housing Association (FHA) Racial steering Redlining Restricted covenants “White flight”

Urban economics Disability Ableism

Legal changes / rights Economy Corporate ties to politicians Education Charter schools

Community tax base linked to educational resources Educational inequality (by race, gender, etc.)

Fraternity / sorority culture Higher education

Costs Unequal outcomes by group (difficult finding employment, unequal pay, etc.)

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Private vs. Public education Tracking

Environment Disaster relief, racial inequality Example: Response to Hurricane Katrina

Environmental racism Global warming, climate change Genetically modified organisms (GMO)

Pollution, destruction Protection, destruction

Sustainability Family Adoption and race

Divorce Same-sex parent adoption Stratification Violence

Gender Affirmative action

Comparable worth Divorce Educational inequality Informal (hidden) curriculum Equality / women’s rights Feminist movement HeforShe

NOW organization Genital cutting / mutilation Income/wealth disparities Institutional sexism Legal reforms, public policy changes, consequences

1963 Equal Pay Act Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act 1972 Educational Amendment Act

Media representations, consequences Politics Barriers to women’s participation Status of women in politics Pornography Abuses in the industry

Child pornography Misogyny/sexism in pornography Racism in pornography Sexual expression vs. harm

Prostitution Abuses, forced service Legalization

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Rape culture Reproductive rights

access to birth control, abortion services, etc. Pro-choice vs. pro-life (issues and critiques of both)

Sex / human trafficking Sexual harassment Sports Lack of funding Title IX (1972), implications, current conditions

Underrepresentation in media Violence (emotional, physical, sexual)

Government Censorship, surveillance

Democracy vs. plutocracy vs. oligarchy Health Epidemics

Healthcare, universal healthcare Health conditions by sub-group (gender, race, etc.) Unequal access by gender, income/wealth, race, etc. Medicare, Medicaid Neighborhoods and health Obesity epidemic vs. Health at every size movement Suicide, assisted suicide (euthanasia)

Homelessness Social conditions Human rights Immigration Border control

Dream Act Policies, laws Undocumented workers, corporate profit

Income/Wealth inequality Comparable worth Historical accumulation of wealth during slavery and beyond

implications today Inequality by race, gender Minimum wage Movements to raise

Role in poverty Occupy movement

Redlining Tax breaks / Tax reform

The 1% Unequal pay for specific groups Justice system Ban the Box movement Discrimination in job hiring against people formerly convicted for felony

Biases in the system (specific areas)

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Capital punishment / death penalty DNA testing, exoneration

Racial inequality Crime

Gender Disproportionately male offenders Types of crime by gender Women’s increase in crime

Media representation of crime Representations across race Race

Racial profiling Street crimes and race

Specific types of crime (street, moral-order, white-collar, corporate, organized, political) Costs

Punishments (or lack thereof) Representation by race

Drugs Abuse and treatment Alcohol vs. marijuana (human and economic costs, laws) Differential prosecution by race (crack vs. cocaine) Marijuana legalization (medical, recreational) Recreational use Social construction of drug use, implications for law War on Drugs

Felony disenfranchisement (laws that prohibit voting for people with felony convictions) Jury reform Juvenile justice

Laws Biased formation of laws Biased enforcement of laws Consequences of specific legal changes Hate crimes Proposed legal changes and associated debates Social construction of laws / changes Unequal application by race

Mandatory sentencing (e.g., 3-strikes laws) Police

Abuse/corruption Black Lives Matter movement

Police brutality / militarized police Racial profiling

Prison industrial complex / mass incarceration Cradle to prison pipeline

Prisons for profit Racial implications

Rehabilitation vs. restitution Media

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Biases Body image

Portrayals of specific groups, implications Racism in media

Military National security

Sexual violence/abuses Socialization Minimum wage Occupations / work Affirmative action (gender, race)

Discriminatory practices (gender, race) Firing

Hiring Job autonomy

Job levels Pay scales

Promotion, advancement Recruitment

Glass ceiling Health and safety (practices, regulations) Job market Occupational segregation by gender, race

Outsourcing jobs Unions Organizations Hate group Politics Connection to capitalism / corporations

Rhetoric regarding specific groups, implications Voting restrictions, implications for racial minorities

Population Growth/control Shift in racial composition and racial relations

Poverty Children in poverty

Feminization of poverty Geographic concentrations of poverty

Hunger Minimum wage and poverty Race and poverty Welfare Current system (TANF), outcomes, shortcomings

Myths vs. reality Race Affirmative action

Contemporary racism vs. historical racism Colorism

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Institutional racism Racial discrimination In specific settings (e.g., workplaces, schools) Social construction of race, historical changes, implications White privilege

Religion Discrimination against religious groups Discrimination within religious groups Religious warfare Sexuality Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights / legal protections Slavery Child labor

Modern day slavery (U.S. or global) Sex trafficking Sweatshops Technology

Censorship, surveillance Chemical warfare Cloning Genetic engineering Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) Energy

Alternative sources Renewable and non-renewable sources

Stem cell research Unemployment Violence Domestic / intimate partner Gang violence

Gun control / rights / violence / mass shootings Terrorism Violence against specific groups (racial-ethnic, religious, LGBT, women, men, etc.) War

Conscription / drafting by social class and race, implications Chemical warfare Media coverage Political rhetoric

Wealth Corporate wealth / greed

Wealth inequality (by race, gender)