Contemporary Social Problems - need ideas

In My Humble Opinion
1

Okay, so I’m taking a sociology class this semester called Contemporary Social Problems. Basically some stuff on various social problems these days, theories about social problems, how a condition becomes defined as a problem, etc. Our first project is a poster. Kind of a propaganda-ish thing, a poster that one would put on display if one was attempting to call attention to a social problem. One difficulty: I don’t have a clue what problem to make my poster about. I’ve considered religious intolerance, racial issues, animal shelters, and a couple others… I just cannot decide.

So here’s the question. What social problems are there today that people are really concerned about. I don’t think is excessive “homework-helping”, as I’m not asking for any specific poster concepts or anything, basically I just would like to see what you guys think are important social problems that deserve to be poster-ficated, and then I’ll do research and stuff and come up with a fabulous poster-worthy idea. Plus I’m also just kinda curious. So here we go.

What do you consider social problems in today’s society that need more attention?

2

growing number of seniors (aging baby boomersss)
safety of meat
chemically inhanced foods
safe sex
privacy vs security

3

I second all of Mith’s and add this:

the sad state of education and child welfare (DSS/foster system)

4

Ignorance. It’s why we’re here.

5

electronic communities replacing traditional ones (loss of human touch/ personal contact)

proliferation of vanity and emphasis on image rather than substance (witness the popularity of rogaine, wrinkle-cures, teeth-whiteners, etc.)

6

The digital divide - the separation between the haves and have-nots in a society where information is becoming a commodity.
(ok, so I’m writing a paper on it now.)

7

In Minneapolis, there seems to be a great deal of concern as to who should be providing Gas Masks for the homeless.

http://www.mnforum.org/pipermail/mpls/2003-February/021309.html
foreign correspondent

8

Our whole screwed up medical system.

We need a single payer system. When I had to take my son to an ER in Italy, we asked how to pay. They just rolled their eyes. “Americans!” We’re barbarians compared to the rest of the developed world

9

These are some good ideas… I’ll have to look into them a little more.

I’ve thought about doing safe sex, but I’m afraid it will be a little overdone (hey, we’re college students). And I’ve decided that I should stay away from anything with animals, since I made a spectacle of myself on Tuesday when we discussed animal rights and watched videos made by the Farm Sanctuary about the process of commercial egg-laying and chicken slaughtering, and I ended up bawling hysterically and running out of the room because it was so awful. The prof now seems overly concerned about me. :o

So yes, ideas are good, keep 'em up. I basically want a bunch of choices so I can look at various problems and then somehow put a strong message about one onto something a little bigger than an 8.5x11" sheet of paper… oy. But yes, thanks so much, guys, keep 'em coming. :slight_smile:

10

Unemployment.
Homelessness.
Youth suicide.
Gang culture/graffiti.
Disintegration of the traditional family.
Oh, the list goes on and on and…

Last year I did an essay on how work in the ‘new economy’, (characterised by a lack of continuity/permanence) is impacting on how people conduct their personal relationships.(friendships replaced by ‘networking’, marriage breakdowns etc) Most interesting area of study!

11

High cost of health care
Environmental degradation
Breakdown of faith in the electoral process (For many people, especially young people, the 2002 election convinced them that it would be just as effective to flush their votes down the toilet.)
Growing divide between the haves and have-nots
Impending war

Damn, I’m going to go hide under the bed and suck my thumb for the rest of the night. Thanks, Antares. :wink: