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Chapter Resources
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Chapter 1. Sociology and the Study of Social Problems
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 1.1
The Sociological Imagination and Social Responsibility Robert R. Hironimus Wendt and Lora Ebert Wallace. Teaching Sociology, Vol. 37, No. 1, 76-88 (2009)
- Journal Article Link 1.2
Influences of Work-Family Conflict on Job Satisfaction, Life Satisfaction and Quitting Intentions Among Business Owners: The Case of Family-Operated Businesses. James S. Boles. Family Business Review 1996 9: 61
- Journal Article Link 1.3
The Status of Women in Modern Patterns of Culture. Jessie Bernard. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Jan 1968; vol. 375: pp. 3 – 14.
- Journal Article Link 1.4
Rhetoric, Service, and Social Justice. Susan Swan. Written Communication 2002; 19; 76.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Review copies of your local newspaper from the past 90 days. Based on the front page or local section, what issues are important for your community (e.g., crime, job layoffs, transportation, pollution)? Examine how the issue is defined and by whom. Is input from community leaders and neighborhood groups being included? Why or why not? Do these include the three elements of a social problem?
- Social actions or responses are also linked to how we define the problem. If we believe the problem is structural, we’ll find ways to change the structure. If the problem is defined at the individual level, a solution will attempt to change the person. Investigate the programs and resources that are available for the homeless in your community or state. Select three local programs and assess how each defines and responds to the homeless problem in your community.
- What do you think is the most important social problem? Investigate what federal and state policies govern or regulate this problem and those it affects. What is the position of the main political parties—Democrats and Republicans—on this problem?
www.democrats.org/
www.rnc.org/
- What do you think is the most important global social problem? Investigate how the governments of the United States and other nations have responded to this problem. How have citizens responded?
- Investigate whether there are community groups or organizations that serve the HIV/ AIDS population in your city. What activities or programs do they sponsor? How do they provide assistance to those living with HIV/AIDS in your area?
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/
Learning Tools
Web Resources
Academic Info.net is a website designed to improve access to online educational resources by developing an easy to use subject directory covering a variety of academic disciplines including sociology.
http://www.academicinfo.net/soc.html
Established in 1895 as the first U.S. scholarly journal in its field, the American Journal of Sociology remains a leading voice for analysis and research in the social sciences, presenting work on the theory, methods, practice, and history of sociology. The Journal also seeks the application of perspectives from other social sciences and publishes papers by psychologists, anthropologists, statisticians, economists, educators, historians, and political scientists.
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/AJS/home.html
The American Sociological Association, founded in 1905, is a nonprofit membership association dedicated to advancing sociology as a scientific discipline and profession serving the public good. The ASA encompasses sociologists who are faculty members at colleges and universities, researchers, practitioners, and students.
http://www.asanet.org
The American Sociological Review is the flagship journal of the American Sociological Association. The ASA founded this journal in 1936 with the mission to publish original works of interest to the sociology discipline in general, new theoretical developments, results of research that advance our understanding of fundamental social processes, and important methodological innovations.
http://www.asanet.org/journals/asr/american_sociological_review.cfm
The Electronic Journal of Sociology is an online journal which allows the user to read articles of interest in all areas of sociology.
http://www.sociology.org/
Emile Durkheim. This website covers the life of Emile Durkheim and also includes a complete online version of his, “Division of Labor in Society.” A complete bibliography of his works, a list of online resources, and a selection of his quotes are also available.
http://www.emiledurkheim.com/
The International Sociological Association was founded in 1949 under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The goal of the ISA is to represent sociologists everywhere regardless of their school of thought, scientific approaches or ideological opinion, and to advance sociological knowledge throughout the world.
http://www.isa-sociology.org/
Karl Marx. This website entitled, “Introduction to Marxists Internet Archives” is maintained by a nonprofit organization with the purpose of educating people around the world about Marxism.
http://www.marxists.org/admin/intro/main.htm
The Society for the Study of Social Problems was founded in 1951. SSSP members are an interdisciplinary community of scholars, practitioners, advocates, and students interested in the application of critical, scientific, and humanistic perspectives to the study of vital social problems. SSSP promotes research on and serious examination of problems of social life. The SSSP works to solve these problems and to develop informed social policy.
http://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm
Sociology Central is a British maintained website that is a good place to start for those who are just beginning to discover what sociology is all about.
http://www.sociology.org.uk/
Chapter 2. Social Class and Poverty
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 2.1
Overcoming "Doom and Gloom": Empowering Students in Courses on Social Problems, Injustice, and Inequality. Brett Johnson. Teaching Sociology 2005; 33; 44.
- Journal Article Link 2.2
Paternal Investment Prospects and Cross-National Differences in Single Parenthood. Nigel Barber. Cross-Cultural Research 2003; 37; 163
- Journal Article Link 2.3
Typology of American Poverty. David J. Peters. International Regional Science Review 2009; 32; 19
- Journal Article Link 2.4
The Two Faces of Government Spending. Paul Goren. Political Research Quarterly 2008; 61; 147.
- Journal Article Link 2.5
The Health of Women in Transition from Welfare to Employment. Catherine M. Waters, et. al. West J Nurs Res 2000; 22; 656
- Journal Article Link 2.6
Success Stories: Welfare Reform, Policy Discourse, and the Politics of Research. Sanford F. Schram and Joe Soss. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 2001; 577; 49
- Journal Article Link 2.7
Rethinking Welfare Reform. Isaac Martin. Contemporary Sociology: a Journal of Reviews 2008; 37; 105.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Investigate the welfare assistance or TANF program in your state. First, determine the name and administrative agency for the program in your state. Most TANF programs are administered by the Department of Health and Social Services or Department of Human Services. Determine what time limits and work requirement provisions have been legislated in your state. What educational activities can count toward work requirements? Are family support services (parent skill training, housing assistance) provided? What is your state’s record on welfare reform? Has welfare reform made a difference for the poor in your state?
- What is the median income for your state? The median income is the exact point where 50% of all incomes are above and 50% of all incomes are below.
U.S. Census Bureau
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The Center for Law and Social Policy is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1968, that conducts research, policy analysis, technical assistance, and advocacy on issues related to economic security for low-income families with children. In addition, CLASP is a leader in the national effort to establish equal justice for all.
http://www.clasp.org/
The Center for Working-Class Studies at Youngstown State University was the first center of its kind in the United States devoted to the study of working-class life and culture. The CWCS creates social spaces for civic and academic conversations on working-class life and culture and its intersections with race, gender, and sexuality and serves as a clearinghouse for information on working-class culture, issues, and pedagogy.
http://www.as.ysu.edu/~cwcs/
The Economic Opportunity Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, public policy institute that focuses on concerns shared by middle-class families and low-income workers.
http://www.econop.org
The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, at the University of Michigan, sponsors multidisciplinary research and evaluation of poverty, welfare, and anti-poverty initiatives at the federal, state, and local levels.
http://fordschool.umich.edu/topic/poverty-and-social-policy
The Institute of Research on Poverty is a nonprofit and nonpartisan university-based center for research into the causes and consequences of poverty and social inequality in the United States.
http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp
The National Coalition for the Homeless has as its mission to end homelessness.
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/
Working Group on Extreme Inequality is a nonprofit organization that illuminates the causes and multidimensional consequences of the growing inequality of wealth, income, power, and opportunity in America.
http://extremeinequality.org/
Chapter 3. Race and Ethnicity
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 3.1
Race, Poverty, and Welfare: Du Bois Legacy for Policy. Michael B Katz. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 2000; 568; 111
- Journal Article Link 3.2
Teaching Race as a Social Construction: Two Interactive Class Exercises. Nikki Khanna and Cherise A. Harris. Teaching Sociology 2009; 37; 369.
- Journal Article Link 3.3
The Contributions of School Desegregation to Housing Integration: Case Studies in Two Large Urban Areas. Douglas E. Mitchell, Michael Batie, and Ross E. Mitchell. Urban Education, Mar 2010; vol 45: pp 166-193.
- Journal Article Link 3.4
The Impact of Desegregation on Cognition among Older African Americans. Keith E. Whitfield and Sebrina A. Wiggins. Journal of Black Psychology 2003; 29; 275.
- Journal Article Link 3.5
Regulating Immigration in a Global Age: a New Policy Landscape. Sasia Sassen. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Jan 2000; vol. 570: pp. 65 - 77.
- Journal Article Link 3.6
Reducing Prejudice: Combating Intergroup Biases. John F. Dovidio and Samuel L. Gaertner. Current Directions in Psychological Science, Aug 1999; vol. 8: pp. 101 - 105.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- In what ways does your college encourage or celebrate racial and ethnic diversity (among its students, faculty, and staff)? Consider specific college-sponsored clubs, activities, or events that highlight diversity on your campus.
- To learn more about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, visit the websites for the Manzanar War Relocation Center and internment camps located in Tule Lake, California, and Topaz, Utah. These websites feature virtual tours, photographs, and testimony from those interned.
Manzanar War Relocation Center
- Identify the largest private employer in your city or state. Investigate through the Internet or direct contact whether a diversity program or development office is in place. What are the diversity goals of this business, and how does it implement these goals (what specific program practices are in place)?
- The International Organization for Migration, established in 1951, is an intergovernmental organization working with 127 nations to promote and support humane and effective migration management. The organization also conducts immigration research worldwide. Its website includes a global map, noting migration problems affecting a selected nation.
The International Organization for Migration
- Interview a student who is an immigrant. Ask the student about his or her migration experience and educational path to your college or university. Does the student’s experience confirm a pattern of assimilation, pluralism, or transnationalism?
- Does your college have a diversity requirement? If you have completed the course, do you believe the learning experience changed your diversity beliefs and values? Why or why not?
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The Affirmative Action and Diversity Project website presents diverse opinions regarding affirmative action topics. This site is an academic resource that provides scholars, students, and the interested public with on-site articles and theoretical analyses, policy documents, current legislative updates, and an annotated bibliography of research and teaching materials.
http://vos.ucsb.edu/browse.asp?id=143
The Center for World Indigenous Studies is an independent, nonprofit research and education organization dedicated to a wider understanding and appreciation of the ideas and knowledge of indigenous peoples and the social, economic, and political realities of indigenous nations.
http://www.cwis.org/
The National Urban League is the nation’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African-Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. The mission of the Urban League movement is to enable African-Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power, and civil rights.
http://www.nul.org
Founded in 1995, Race and ethnicity online is a subfield in the American Political Science Association. This is a good website to obtain research conducted in the area of racial and ethnic politics.
http://www.apsanet.org/~rep/
What you need to know about Race Relations is an extensive website offering access to articles and resources on everything from interracial dating to affirmative action.
http://racerelations.about.com/
Migration Policy Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to the study of the movement of people across the globe. This website offers research and reports on issues and policies related to immigration and immigrants. In addition, the MPI "data hub" provides data about historical and contemporary migration flows and trends.
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/
Chapter 4. Gender
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 4.1
Traditional and Nontraditional Gender Roles and Work—Family Interface for Men and Women. Kristin M. Perrone, Sephen L. Wright, and Z. Vance Jackson. Journal of Career Development, Sep 2009; vol. 36: pp. 8 - 24.
- Journal Article Link 4.2
Benevolent Sexism at Work: Gender Differences in the Distribution of Challenging Developmental Experiences. Journal of Management, Apr 2010; vol. 0: pp. 0149206310365902v1.
- Journal Article Link 4.3
Lady, Girl, Female, or Woman: Sexism and Cognitive Busyness Predict Use of Gender-Biased Nouns. Elizabeth L. Cralley and Janet B. Ruscher. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Vol. 24, No 3, 300-314 (2005).
- Journal Article Link 4.4
Young Women, Feminism and the Future: Dialogues and Discoveries. Hanna Frith. Feminism Psychology 2001; 11; 147
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Several policy and advocacy organizations focus on the earnings gap between men and women. The National Committee on Pay Equity (established in 1979) provides a state ranking of pay equity on its website. The committee also provides information on what you can do to promote pay equity in your state. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research supports research on women’s economic status. Its 2008 Status of Women in States is posted on its website.
The National Committee on Pay Equity
The Institute for Women's Policy Research
- The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University was founded in 1971. CAWP provides informational materials on women in federal and state political offices, convenes national forums for women public officials, and organizes educational programs to prepare young women for public leadership. To find out the history of female public officials in your state, go to the center’s website. The site also provides current fact sheets about women in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The site also provides links to other political women’s groups such as Emily’s List (“Early Money Is Like Yeast”), a political organization for pro-choice Democratic women, and the National Federation of Republican Women, a political organization for women in the Republican Party.
Center for American Women and Politics
Emily's List
National Federation of Republican Women
- The UN Development Program created a gender empowerment measure, an index of women’s participation in a nation’s economic and political structures. Review the scores on the UN website and identify the top five and bottom five nations on the list.
The United Nations Development Program
Learning Tools
Web Resources
Feminist.com is an activist community and consciousness-raising portal of resources and information that supports women’s equality, justice, wellness, and safety.
http://www.feminist.com
The National Organization for Women is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States and holds as it ultimate goal to take action to bring about equality for all women.
http://www.now.org
The National Women’s Law Center aspires to protect and advance the progress of women and girls at work, in school, and in virtually every aspect of their lives.
http://www.nwlc.org
Chapter 5. Sexual Orientation
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 5.1
LGBT and Queer Research in Higher Education: The State and Status of the Field. Kristen A. Renn. Educational Researcher, mar 2010; vol. 39: pp. 132 - 141.
- Journal Article Link 5.2
Naming Our Reality: Low-income LGBT People Documenting Violence, Discrimination and Assertions of Justice. Michelle Billies, et. al. Feminism & Psychology, Aug 2009; vol. 19: pp. 375 - 380.
- Journal Article Link 5.3
LGBT Career Development. Julie Gedro. Advances in Developing Human Resources. Feb 2009; vol. 11: pp. 54 - 66.
- Journal Article Link 5.4
The Right to Fight: A Conceptual Framework for the Analysis of Recruitment Policy toward Gays and Lesbians. Yagil Levy. Armed Forces & Society, Jan 2007; vol. 33: pp. 186 - 202.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- The Human Rights Campaign, founded in 1980, is the largest national gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender advocacy organization in the United States. On its website, the organization posts information on specific LGBT laws and legislation.
Go to http://www.hrc.org to learn about LGBT legislation in your state.
- Does your campus have an LGBT organization? If it does, interview an administrator or student member to learn more about the organization. In what ways do the organization and your school’s administration support LGBT students? If your campus does not have an LGBT organization, why doesn’t it?
- GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. The network focuses on educating teachers, students, and parents about how to reduce anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying, and harassment. GLSEN published the 2007 National School Climate Survey, an analysis of experiences of LGBT students and the benefits of safe school laws and policies. Go to this chapter’s Study Site—Community and Policy Guide to access information on your state’s safe school policies.
Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network
Learning Tools
Web Resources
Human Rights Campaign envisions an America where gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of the American family at home, work, and in every community.
http://www.hrc.org/index.htm
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is working towards eliminating prejudice, violence, and injustice against gay, bisexual and transgender people.
http://www.thetaskforce.org
PFLAG, Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays, is a national nonprofit organization that promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights.
http://www.pflag.org
GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for ALL students.
http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/home/index.html
Chapter 6. Age and Aging
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 6.1
Neuroscience, power and culture: an introduction. Scott Vrecko. History of the Human Sciences, Feb. 2010; vol. 23: pp. 1 - 10.
- Journal Article Link 6.2
Rethinking Retirement in the Context of an Aging Workforce. Gerald A. Collins. Journal of Career Development, Jan 2003; vol. 30: pp. 145 - 157.
- Journal Article Link 6.3
Population Aging, Intracohort Aging, and Sociopolitical Attitudes. Nicholas L. Danigeils, et. al. American Sociological Review, Oct 2007; vol. 72: pp. 812 - 830.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- The Gray Panthers is a national advocacy organization for older and retired adults. Organized in 1970 by Maggie Kuhn and five of her friends, the Gray Panthers’ first goal was to combat ageism. The Gray Panthers have also taken a stand on other important social issues: economic justice, medical care, education, and peace. Recent efforts have been directed toward policies ensuring affordable prescription drugs for seniors, children, cancer patients, and HIV patients. The Gray Panthers have more than 50 local chapters. Contact the chapter for information about what activities are supported in your area.
Gray Panthers
- The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, leads the country’s scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life for Americans. Formed in 1974, the NIA provides leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people. Its website includes resource materials on healthy aging, care giving, medications, dietary supplements, and diseases.
National Institute on Aging
- The private, not-for-profit Alliance for Aging Research is the nation’s leading citizen advocacy organization for improving the health and independence of older Americans. Founded in 1986, the goal of the Alliance for Aging Research is to promote medical and behavioral research into the aging process. The organization also serves as an advocate of consumer health education and public policy. On its website, Alliance for Aging Research includes surveys and quizzes pertaining to healthy aging, such as heart disease, general aging, and cognition. Click on the link below test your knowledge in these areas.
Alliance for Aging Research
- Gay seniors are more likely to live alone, are 4 times less likely to have adult children to care for them, and remain fearful of discrimination from health care and social service workers (Crary 2008). Service and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders (SAGE) is a nonprofit organization based in New York City. The program focuses on the specific needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) elders, including establishing a network of caregiving services, support groups for seniors with HIV, and home visiting programs. Click on the link below to see SAGE’s services and programs. Are similar programs available in your community?
SAGE
- The percentage of the population 65 years of age or older is reported in the UN Human Development Report for the United States, along with other countries. The percentage is also projected for 2015. Determine where the United States is ranked among the top-20 listed countries.
Human Development Report
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The American Association of Retired Persons is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people age 50 and over. AARP is dedicated to enhancing quality of life for all as we age.
http://www.aarp.org
National Council on Aging serves to improve the lives of older Americans.
http://www.ncoa.org/
The U.S. Administration on Aging is the federal focal point and advocate agency for older persons and their concerns. In this role, the AOA works to heighten awareness among other federal agencies, organizations, groups, and the public about the valuable contributions that older Americans make to the nation and alerts them to the needs of vulnerable older people.
http://www.aoa.gov/
OWL, The Voice of Midlife and Older Women, is a national grassroots organization, focusing on the needs of women as they age. The organization provides education and advocacy about health, economic security and quality of life.
http://www.owl-national.org/Welcome.html
The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations is a coalition of national nonprofit organizations concerned with the well-being of America's older population and committed to representing their interests in the policy-making arena.
http://www.lcao.org/
Chapter 7. Families
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 7.1
Reframing the Dialogue on Female-Headed Single-Parent Families. Cathryne L. Schmitz. Affilia, Dec 1995; vol. 10: pp. 426 - 441.
- Journal Article Link 7.2
Single Mothers, Social Capital, and Work–Family Conflict. Teresa Ciabattari. Journal of Family Issues 2007; 28; 34.
- Journal Article Link 7.3
Union Quality Comparisons Between Long-Term Heterosexual Cohabitation and Legal Marriage. Marion C. Willetts. Journal of Family Issues, Jan 2006; vol. 27: pp. 110 - 127.
- Journal Article Link 7.4
Responding to the Needs of Older Women Experiencing Domestic Violence. Silvia M. Straka and Lyse Montminy. Violence Against Women, Mar 2006; vol. 12: pp. 251 - 267.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Interview a student who is also a parent. The student can be from your social problems class or any of your other classes. What challenges do student-parents face? How are their challenges different from those of students who are not parents? Does your school support programs or services for parents? Check with your professor about campus policies regarding research involving human subjects.
- Contact two domestic violence shelters in your community. What is the mission of each organization? Do different shelters serve different groups? If so, how are services tailored to various groups? Does each program promote violence prevention? Domestic shelters often support student internships for a quarter or semester. If you’re interested in learning more about a shelter, ask about its internship program.
- Identify your school’s family-friendly policies. Does your school provide child care on-site? Has your school provided leaves under the Family and Medical Leave Act? You may have to contact the human resources department in your school for more information.
- Investigate your state’s safe-haven law for abandoned babies. Have there been any recent cases of abandonment?
Learning Tools
Web Resources
CRIN, The Child Rights Information Network, is a global network, based in London, UK that disseminates information about the Convention of the Rights of the Child and child rights among non-governmental organizations.
http://www.crin.org/
The Family Violence Prevention Fund works to prevent violence within the home, and in the community, to help those whose lives are devastated by violence because everyone has the right to live free of violence.
http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/
Grandparenting.org is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise grandparent consciousness, and promote the importance of grandparenting as a role and function that both gives important meaning and empowerment to later life, and benefits all family members.
http://www.grandparenting.org/
The National Center for Children in Poverty is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and policy organization at Columbia University that identifies and promotes strategies that prevent child poverty in the United States and that improve the lives of low-income children and families.
http://www.nccp.org/
Teenpregnancy.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan national organization to help prevent teen pregnancy
http://www.teenpregnancy.org/
Chapter 8. Education
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 8.1
Children's Perspectives on their Education. Cleopatra Montandon and Francoise Osiek. Childhood, Aug 1998; vol. 5: pp. 247 - 263.
- Journal Article Link 8.2
Who's at Risk in School and What's Race Got to Do With it? Carla O'Connor, et. al., Review of Research in Education, Mar 2009; vol. 33: pp. 1 - 34.
- Journal Article Link 8.3
The Family Structure Trajectory and Adolescent School Performance: Differential Effects by Race and Ethnicity. Holly E. Heard. Journal of Family Issues, Mar 2007; vol. 28: pp. 319 - 354.
- Journal Article Link 8.4
No Child Left Behind: Sociology Ignored! David Karen. Sociology of Education, Apr 2005; vol. 78: pp. 165 - 169.
- Journal Article Link 8.5
Teaching or Service?: The Site-Based Realities of Teach for America Teachers in Poor, Urban Schools. Barbara Toree Veltri. Education and Urban Society, Jul 2008; vol. 40: pp. 511 - 542.
- Journal Article Link 8.6
Is There a "Consensus" on School Choice and Achievement?: Advocacy Research and the Emerging Political Economy of Knowledge Production. Christopher Lubienski, Peter Weitzel, and Sara Theule Lubienski. Educational Policy, Jan 2009; vol. 23: pp. 161 - 193.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Contact your local ProLiteracy Worldwide volunteer program or search their national website. Click on “find a program” and select your state. If a program does not exist in your community, find the one nearest you (your local library may have information on literacy programs). What services or activities do they provide students? Does the program have data regarding the number and types of students they have served? On the effectiveness of their program? What skills are necessary to become a literacy tutor? ProLiteracy Worldwide Program
- Interview a student who is a first-generation college student. The student can be from your social problems class or any of your other classes. What challenges do first-generation college students face? Do you believe their challenges are different from those of students who are second- or third-generation college students? Does your college provide programs for first-generation students? If not, what type of services or support might be valuable for this group of students?
- Investigate whether your local school district supports educational outreach programs for girls or minority students. Select one program and answer the following: What group does the program serve? What educational “gaps” does the program address and how? How effective is the program? Contact the local school district, the YWCA, or the American Association of University Women for more information.
YWCA
American Association of University Women
- In addition to public school choice, homeschooling has become an option for many families. It was estimated that 1.5 million children were homeschooled in 2005, about 2.9% of all students age 5 to 17 years (Planty et al. 2009). This figure includes students who were homeschooled only and students who were homeschooled and enrolled in school for 25 hours or less per week. Parents offered a variety of reasons for homeschooling their children: belief that they can give their child a better education at home, to provide religious or moral instruction, the poor learning environment at school, and family reasons. Homeschoolers are more likely to be located in rural and suburban areas of the Western United States (Bauman 2001). Home School World provides a listing of all U.S. national and state homeschool organizations, including a listing of international organizations (under “Homeschool Organizations”). Homeschool World
- Log on the United Nations Human Development Report website and compare global literacy rates for males and females (ages 15 years and older). In general, is the literacy rate higher for men or women? Identify the countries with the lowest literacy rates for each group.
Human Development Report
- Investigate how many female and male students are declared majors in math, engineering, English, nursing, and sociology at your university. Is there a difference in the number of female majors in engineering versus English? Math majors versus nursing majors? What sociological perspective(s) might best explain the gender gap in majors?
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The American Federation of Teachers holds as part of its mission statement to promote democracy, human rights and freedom in our nation and throughout the world.
http://www.aft.org/
The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education advocates for the involvement of parents and families with their children’s education, and to foster relationships between home, school, and community to enhance the education for all our nation’s young people.
http://www.ncpie.org/
The National Education Association was founded in 1857 to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States by advancing the cause of public education.
http://www.nea.org/
The National Parent Teacher Association, a nonprofit association of parents, educators, students, and other citizens active in their schools and communities, is the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the United States.
http://www.pta.org/
The United States Department of Education’s website provides a variety of information from the No Child Left Behind Act to annual reports on performance and accountability.
http://www.ed.gov
Chapter 9. Work and the Economy
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 9.1
The Next Generation of Career Success: Implications for HRD. Kimberly S. McDonald and Linda M. Hite. Advances in Developing Human Resources, Feb 2008; vol. 10: pp. 86 - 103.
- Journal Article Link 9.2
Job Satisfaction and/or Job Stress: The Psychological Consequences of Working in ‘High Performance Work Organizations. Max Kashefi. Current Sociology, Nov 2009; vol. 57: pp. 809 - 828.
- Journal Article Link 9.3
Ethics Blind Spots in Organizations: how Systematic Errors in Person Perception Undermine Moral Agency. Dennis J. Moberg. Organization Studies, Mar 2006; vol. 27: pp. 413 - 428.
- Journal Article Link 9.4
The Spread of Contingent Work in the Knowledge-Based Economy. Katalin Szabo and Aron Negyesi. Human Resource Development Review, Mar 2005; vol. 4: pp. 63 - 85.
- Journal Article Link 9.5
Workers' Rights in Open Economies: Global Production and Domestic Institutions in the Developing World. Layna Mosley. Comparative Political Studies, Apr 2008; vol. 41: pp. 674 - 714.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Explore the Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The online handbook provides career descriptions, earning information, and job prospects for a range of occupational groups. For information about what sociologists and other social scientists do, click on “Professional and related occupations” on the handbook’s main page, then find and click on “Social Scientists, other.” Research other occupations that might be of interest to you.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Do you know what the fourth Thursday in April is? It is “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.” The program is sponsored by the Ms. Foundation for Women, which first created the “Take Our Daughters to Work Day” in 1993. “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work” is a program that explores career opportunities and work/life issues with girls and boys. Click the link below to find out more about the national program and related activities. Does your school or workplace support this program? Why or why not? Do you believe that these or similar activities are effective in changing girls’ and boys’ definitions of work and family life? Why or why not?
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work
- The Kneel Center at the Cornell University Library presents an on-site historical exhibit of the Triangle Factory Fire. On March 25, 1911, a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City killed 146 immigrant workers. In 2003, the site was recognized as an official landmark by New York’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. This tragedy led to the creation of local and federal policies prohibiting sweatshop conditions and ensuring worker health and safety. The website provides a history of early industrial sweatshops, along with a detailed narrative of how the community, workers, and unions responded to the tragedy. The website includes photographs, interviews, and documents from the period.
Cornell Triangle Factory Fire
- The United Nations’ Human Development Report 2009 tracks unemployment rates for more than 20 nations. Click the link below to compare the U.S. rate with rates in the other listed countries. How does our unemployment rate compare with those of other developed countries? Which countries have lower rates of unemployment?
Human Development Report
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is a union that strives to find the opportunity to combine strength and to work together to improve the lives of American’s working families, bring fairness and dignity to the workplace and secure social and economic equity in our nation.
http://www.aflcio.org/
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, and other government entities.
http://www.bls.gov/
Labor Net was founded in 1991 to build a democratic communication network for the labor movement.
http://www.labornet.org/
The United States Department of Labor provides a variety of information about work and labor issues.
http://www.dol.gov/
The Human Trafficking.org website brings governments and NGOs (non-government organizations) in East Asia and Pacific together to "cooperate and learn from each other's experiences in their efforts to combat human trafficking". The site provides country-specific information, such as national laws and action plans on human trafficking and contact information for governmental agencies. Information from the United States is also available from the site.
http://www.humantrafficking.org/
Chapter 10. Health and Medicine
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 10.1
Physicians of the Future. B.F. Piko and W. E. Stempsey. The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, Dec 2002; vol. 122: pp. 233 - 237.
- Journal Article Link 10.2
Superwoman Schema: African American Women’s Views on Stress, Strength, and Health. Cheryl L. Woods-Giscombe. Qualitative Health Research, May 2010; vol. 20: pp. 668 - 683.
- Journal Article Link 10.3
Embodying social class: The link between poverty, income inequality and health. Stephen M. Rose and Stephanie Hatzenbuehler. International Social Work, Jul 2009; vol. 52: pp. 459 - 471.
- Journal Article Link 10.4
The Effects of SCHIP on Children’s Health Insurance Coverage: Early Evidence from the Community Tracking Study. Peter J. Cunningham, Jack Hadley, and James Reschovsky. Medical Care Research and Review, Dec 2002; vol. 59: pp. 359 - 383.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Based on the AMA website, review the organization’s mission statement, history, and legislative initiatives.Is there evidence to demonstrate how the AMA maintains its power and influence on the medical profession? American Medical Association
- Select a specific disease or illness that you believe affects college-age men and women. Identify several Internet websites and support groups related to the disease or illness. How is the disease defined? Are there objective and subjective aspects of the disease? Does it vary by gender? By ethnicity/race?
- Select one local hospital or health care system in your area or state. Through the Internet (or by visiting the hospital), identify the organization’s mission statement, its patient bill of rights, and community-based programs. How does this organization define care? Does its definition appear to be consistent with the community’s population and needs? Why or why not?
- The United Nations’ Human Development Report tracks several health indicators: life expectancy at birth, infant mortality rates, and health expenditure per capita. Log on to the UN link and compare the United States with Canada, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Human Development Reports
- In an effort to improve the quality of food served at local schools, some parent, health, and medical advocacy groups have rejected the National School Lunch program, promoting instead a healthier and local school lunch program. Legislation introduced in 2010 by the Obama administration would ban candy and sugary beverages from schools, replacing them with healthier options. Select one local elementary or high school in your area. Investigate their school lunch program. Does its menu feature healthy options? Does it rely on food products from local or regional farmers?
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The American Hospital Association is a national organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, and their patients and communities. The AHA ensures that members’ perspectives and needs are heard and addressed in national health policy development, legislative and regulatory debates, and judicial matters.
http://www.aha.org/
The American Medical Association is comprised of physician delegates representing every state that speaks out on issues important to patients and the nation’s health.
http://www.ama-assn.org/
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a division of the U.S. Federal Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC’s mission is to promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability.
http://www.cdc.gov/
The National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides a complete source for statistics dealing with every aspect of health.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes attainment, by all peoples, the highest possible level of health and healthcare treatment.
http://www.who.int/
Chapter 11. The Media
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 11.1
Putting the Gay in Games: Cultural Production and GLBT Content in Video Games. Adrienne Shaw. Games and Culture, Jul 2009; vol. 4: pp. 228 - 253.
- Journal Article Link 11.2
Constructions of Gender in Sport: An Analysis of Intercollegiate Media Guide Cover Photographs. Jo Ann M. Buysse and Melissa Sheridan Embser-Herbert. Gender & Society, Feb 2004; vol. 18: pp. 66 - 81.
- Journal Article Link 11.3
Media-Hype: Self-Reinforcing News Waves, Journalistic Standards and the Construction of Social Problems. Peter L.M. Vasterman. European Journal of Communication, Dec 2005; vol. 20: pp. 508 - 530.
- Journal Article Link 11.4
Advertising Influences on Majority and Minority Youth: Images of Inclusion and Exclusion. Barbara M. Brown. Journal of Communication Inquiry, Jan 1990; vol. 14: pp. 17 - 30.
- Journal Article Link 11.5
"Video Malaise" Revisited: Public Trust in the Media and Government. Stephen Earl Bennett, Staci L. Rhine, Richard S. Flickinger, and Linda L.M. Bennett. International Journal of Press/Politics, Jan 1999; vol. 4: pp. 8 - 23.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Interview the editorial staff of your school newspaper. Ask the editor how decisions are made regarding the leading stories in the paper. What qualifies as news? Who makes decisions about the content of the paper and what appears as the lead story on the front page? Is it done by the entire news staff or by a small group?
- Media watchdog groups such as Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) and Accuracy in the Media (AIM) track major news stories, checking reporters’ facts or exposing their biases. Select a current news story and observe how these groups examine it. Do they reveal any different or new information about the story?
Fairness and Media in Reporting
Accuracy in the Media
- Investigate whether there are any youth media literacy organizations in your city or state. The Listen Up! Network (http://listenup.org) identifies current projects by state and region. You may also contact local television or radio stations for additional community contacts. Who is the target audience (at-risk youth, ethnic youth, or youth with creative talent) for these programs? What services or programs are provided?
Listen Up! Network
- Project Censored is a media research group based at Sonoma State University. The group of faculty, students, and community members publishes an annual list of 25 news stories of social significance that have been overlooked, underreported, or self-censored by the major national news media. Go to the Project Censored website to review the most recent list of news stories. What social problems are identified by these stories? What might be done to promote these stories in mainstream media? Project Censored
- Research suggests that women’s magazines also promote a traditional gender ideology. Review four women’s magazines, Ms., More, New Woman, and Essence, and identify the images of women presented. Through the articles and advertisements, how do these magazines promote feminism, independence, beauty, or social class?
- File sharing is restricted by U.S. copyright law. Under this law, copyright owners have the right to control copies and distribution of their original material. Throughout the United States, colleges and universities have implemented policies for P2P (person-to-person) file sharing including documents, software, music, and movies. What is your university’s policy regarding file sharing? How is it enforced? Do you believe it is an effective policy? Why or why not?
Learning Tools
Web Resources
Fairness in Accuracy and Reporting is a national media watch group that works to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority, and dissenting viewpoints.
http://www.fair.org/
National Association of Broadcasters exists to proactively and vigilantly advance the rights and interests of free, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters.
http://www.nab.org/
The Public Broadcasting System aims to increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, treat complex social issues completely, and provide forums for deliberation.
http://www.pbs.org/
Truth in Media is a nonprofit organization concerned about the fact that the wealth of information concerning domestic and foreign affairs never makes it to the attention of the American public.
http://www.truthinmedia.org/
Chapter 12. Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 12.1
Drug Abuse as a Problem of Impaired Control: Current Approaches and Findings. Mark T. Fillmore. Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews, Sep 2003; vol. 2: pp. 179 - 197.
- Journal Article Link 12.2
Commentary: New Collaborations With Native Americans in the Conduct of Community Research. Patricia D. Mail, Joe Conner, and Carol Nice Conner. Health Education & Behavior, Apr 2006; vol. 33: pp. 148 - 153.
- Journal Article Link 12.3
I’m Mad and I’m Bad: Links Between Self-Identification as a Gangster, Symptoms of Anger, and Alcohol Use Among Minority Juvenile Offenders. Michele Mouttapa, et. al. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, Jan 2010; vol. 8: pp. 71 - 82.
- Journal Article Link 12.4
Jocks, Gender, Binge Drinking, and Adolescent Violence. Jocks, Gender, Binge Drinking, and Adolescent Violence. Kathleen E. Miller, et. al. J Interpers Violence 2006; 21; 10.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Several advocacy groups are committed to promoting alternative solutions to the drug problem in the United States. Two groups are Students for a Sensible Drug Policy and Stop the Drug War (DCRNet). Examine how both organizations define the drug problem. Are there any differences in their definitions? What solutions does each group support?
Two groups are Students for a Sensible Drug Policy and Stop the DrugWar
- According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the illegal drug market in the United States is one of the most profitable in the world. The trafficking of illegal drugs has benefited from globalization, linking producers, dealers, and users more easily. The DEA posts state fact sheets on its website, identifying the drug trafficking situation in each state, along with a list and description of the illicit drugs that are smuggled into the state. For information about drug trafficking in your state, click the link below. To what extent does drug trafficking occur in your state?
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
- According to Maria Alaniz, “Alcohol outlet density is an important determinant of the amount of alcohol advertising in a community. Merchants use storefronts and the interiors of alcohol outlets to advertise alcohol products. Therefore, areas with a high density of outlets have a greater number of advertisements” (1998:286). Alaniz cites a study showing that a student walking home from school in a predominately Latino neighborhood in northern California may be exposed to between 10 and 60 storefront alcohol advertisements. The same study found that there are 5 times more alcohol advertisements in Latino neighborhoods than in predominately White neighborhoods. Count the number of alcohol outlets around your college or university, along with billboard advertising within a 5-mile radius. Do these ads target college students? Do you think exposure to alcohol advertising increases alcohol consumption? Why or why not?
- The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is a national campaign effort to protect children from tobacco addiction and exposure to secondhand smoke. The campaign’s website includes information on state initiatives, as well as statistics on tobacco use.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
- The World Health Organization supports a global alcohol database. It reports trends in alcohol use and related mortality for selected countries since 1961, allowing you to compare international data. The World Health Organization
Learning Tools
Web Resources
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org
The Drug Enforcement Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, was established to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the U.S.
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/
Narcotics Anonymous is an international, community-based association of recovering drug addicts that sprang from the Alcoholics Anonymous program in the late 1940s.
http://www.na.org/
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism coordinates and collaborates with other international, national, state, and local institutions and federal programs on alcohol-related issues.
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
The National Institute on Drug Abuse was established in 1974 and is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Because of the hope imbedded in recent scientific advances, NIDA has as its mission to lead the nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction.
http://www.nida.nih.gov/
The Office for National Drug Control Policy, a component of the Executive Office of President, was founded to establish policies, priorities, and objectives for the nation’s drug control problem.
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) vision as an agency of the Federal Government is "A Life in the Community for Everyone." Focusing at the state and community level, SAMHSA provides education and support for Americans experiencing substance abuse or mental illness.
http://www.samhsa.gov/
Chapter 13. Crime and Criminal Justice
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 13.1
The Intersection of Drug Use and Criminal Behavior: Results from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. Lana Harrison and Joseph Gfroerer. Crime & Delinquency, Oct 1992; vol. 38: pp. 422 - 443.
- Journal Article Link 13.2
Criminology and the Study of Deviance. James F. Short, Jr and Robert F. Meier. American Behavioral Scientist 1981; 24; 462.
- Journal Article Link 13.3
Official Labeling, Criminal Embeddedness, and Subsequent Delinquency: A Longitudinal Test of Labeling Theory. Jón Gunnar Bernburg, Marvin D. Krohn and Craig J. Rivera. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 2006; 43; 67.
- Journal Article Link 13.4
Willingness to Report Crimes: The Role of Ethnic Group Membership and Community Efficacy. Robert C. Davis and Nicole J. Henderson. Crime Delinquency 2003; 49; 564.
- Journal Article Link 13.5
Research Note: Assessing the Perceived Seriousness of White-Collar and Street Crimes. Nicole Leeper Piquero, Stephanie Carmichael and Alex R. Piquero. Crime Delinquency 2008; 54; 291 originally published online Oct 4, 2007.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Investigate the two official sources of U.S. crime data: the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics and the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports. On both sites, search and compare information for one type of crime (e.g., homicide, property crime, rape).
The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports (www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm).
You can locate selected UCR data for your state, by clicking on to the most recent Crime in the United States report, and finding the "Index of Crime" or "Persons Arrested". There are links under each heading for state data.
- The debate about gun control has two vocal sides: those advocating for gun control and those supporting the right to own guns. Investigate local or national organizations on both sides of this issue. You can start by visiting the following sites: Women Against Gun Control, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and the National Rifle Association. How do these organizations define the problem of handgun violence? How does each side identify the pros and cons of gun control? What solutions does each side offer?
Women Against Gun Control
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
The National Rifle Association
- Do your local police support the National Night Out program? Contact the local police station to learn more about the program and other community policing efforts in your city. What community programs are implemented? What residents or social groups are police attempting to reach? To learn more about the program, visit the National Association of Town Watch, the sponsor of the program. The website includes links to selected city and state programs.
National Night Out Program
- The International Crime Victims Survey (ICVS) is administered approximately every 4 years. The ICVS uses the same questions, definitions of crime, and data collection methods for more than 78 different countries.
The International Crime Victims Survey
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The Bureau of Justice Statistics provides a variety of reports and statistics on all aspects of crime throughout the United States.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
The Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice investigates and provides information about computer theft and hacking.
http://www.cybercrime.gov
The Federal Bureau of Investigation holds as its mission statement to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners.
http://www.fbi.gov/
The National Organization of Police Organizations was established to provide a powerful, effective and respected voice for its member organizations and to educate the public with regard to achieving improved public safety and crime reduction.
http://www.napo.org/
The United States Department of Justice was established to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; to administer and enforce the nation’s immigration laws fairly and effectively; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all-Americans.
http://www.usdoj.gov/
The National White Collar Crime Center is a federally-funded, nonprofit corporation that provides a nationwide support system for agencies involved in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of economic and high-tech crimes.
http://www.nw3c.org/
Chapter 14. Cities and Suburbs
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 14.1
Political geography: bringing the context back. John O'Loughlin. Prog Hum Geogr 1988; 12; 121.
- Journal Article Link 14.2
Race, Culture, Politics, and Urban Renewal: An Introduction. Eric Avila and Mark H. Rose. Journal of Urban History 2009; 35; 335.
- Journal Article Link 14.3
Demobilization of the Individualistic Bias: Housing Market Discrimination as a Contributor to Labor Market and Economic Inequality. Gregory D. Squires. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 2007; 609; 200.
- Journal Article Link 14.4
Sprawl, Spatial Location, and Politics: How Ideological Identification Tracks the Built Environment. Thad Williamson. American Politics Research 2008; 36; 903 originally published online Jun 5, 2008.
- Journal Article Link 14.5
The Sustainable Communities Experiment in the United States: Insights from Three Federal-Level Initiatives. Carla Chifos. Journal of Planning Education and Research 2007; 26; 435.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Use U.S. Census or local data to determine the population growth or decline for your community. What areas of your community are thriving? What areas are declining? Overall, how would you characterize the state of your community?
U.S. Census Bureau
- Investigate the Center for Neighborhood Technology, the Civic Practices Network, and U.S. Conference of Mayors websites. These organizations attempt to address various urban living, quality-of-life, and urbanization issues. What solutions, policies, and programs are promoted by each? How does this affect your community?
Center for Neighborhood Technology
Civic Practices Network
U.S. Conference of Mayors
- If you can’t live without a car, perhaps you might consider sharing one. Car-sharing programs began in the 1980s in Switzerland and Germany, with Canadian and U.S. programs established in the 1990s and early 2000s. By 2008, there were 24 car-sharing programs in the United States and Canada. Zipcar, the largest national car-sharing service, provides access to a vehicle for a monthly user fee. Subscribers prepay for hours per month and are able to pick up and drop off a vehicle in a designated location. Zipcar also has a campus-based program. Investigate whether a car-sharing program exists serving your city, state, or campus. What advantages and disadvantages can you identify with sharing a car?
FlexCar
- Community interest developments are private subdivisions where residents own their homes and pay an annual or monthly home association fee. For their nominal or sometimes large fee, residents ensure that their “neighborhood” is strictly managed by a residential board backed by a series of covenants, codes, and restrictions dictating the color of one’s home, how many cars can be parked in the driveway, or where fences or a garden shed can be built. These communities have also been referred to as “gated communities,” reinforcing the notion that their residents are separating themselves physically and psychically from the general population in their city or town. Although the exact number of community interest developments is not known, industry estimates suggest that by 2000, some 48 million Americans were living under such agreements (Drew 1998). Determine if there are any community interest developments in your community. If available, interview a member or officer of a development’s board. What does the development’s codes statement cover? How does the board member describe the quality of life in the development? Would you want to live in this development? Why or why not?
- Log on the United Nations Human Development Report website and review data for the total population and the percentage (rate) of urban population. Identify the five countries with the highest rates and the five countries with the lowest for 1990 and 2010. How would you characterize the five countries with the highest rates? What do these countries have in common?
Human Development Report
- What is the extent of homelessness in your community? Contact a housing agency or homeless shelter to determine the estimated number of homeless. How are the experiences of the homeless invisible to mainstream society? To students on your campus?
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now sets as its priorities to secure better housing for first time homebuyers and tenants, living wages for low-wage workers, more investment in our communities from banks and governments, and better public schools.
http://www.acorn.org
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
http://www.habitat.org/
HUD User, a responsibility of the Office of Policy Development and Research at HUD, is responsible for maintaining current information on housing needs, market conditions, and existing programs, as well as conducting research on priority housing and community development issues.
http://socds.huduser.org
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was established to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination.
http://www.hud.gov
Chapter 15. The Environment
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 15.1
Minority Empowerment and Environmental Justice. Stefanie Chambers. Urban Affairs Review 2007; 43; 28.
- Journal Article Link 15.2
Strange Weather, Again: Climate Science as Political Art. Brian Wynne. Theory Culture Society 2010; 27; 289.
- Journal Article Link 15.3
Brownfields, Toads, and the Struggle for Neighborhood Redevelopment: A Case Study of the State of New Jersey. Michael Greenberg, et. al. Urban Affairs Review 2000; 35; 717.
- Journal Article Link 15.4
With and beyond the state co-production as a route to political influence, power and transformation for grassroots organizations. Diana Mitlin. Environment and Urbanization 2008; 20; 339.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Access “Envirofacts,” a one-stop source for environmental information about your community sponsored by the EPA. You can use the “Quick Start” on the page and type your area’s zip code, city, county, or state. Or you can select a topic—water, waste, toxics, air, or radiation—to find out if the EPA is monitoring any local emissions, sites, violations, or companies. Based on the information provided, how would you rate the environmental quality of your community or of your state?
Envirofacts
- The Edible Schoolyard, located at the Martin Luther King Middle School in Berkeley, California was established in 1995. Founded by Chef Alice Waters, the nonprofit organization embraces a “Seed to Table” philosophy, allowing students to experience firsthand the cycle of food production from garden to table via gardening and cooking classes. The organization promotes the establishment of garden-kitchens in schools, with a listing of school gardens throughout the United States. Explore whether a school garden exists in your university or in an elementary or secondary school in your area.
The Edible Schoolyard
- Invite a faculty member from the biology, ecology, or natural sciences department to talk about the ecosystem of your college campus. How do your faculty and student populations affect the environmental habitat? How much waste is produced on campus? What environmentally friendly practices are supported on campus?
- What sustainability programs does your university have in place for faculty, students, and the campus? Is your school part of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment?
- Whether we look at individuals, cities, or nations, everyone and everything has an impact on the Earth because we consume the finite products and services of nature. As a result, we each leave an ecological footprint, some environmental impact on the amount of natural resources we use and waste output we create. Footprints are calculated for countries by measuring the amount of resources (e.g., fossil fuel, acreage and land, housing, and transportation) consumed in a given year. Individual footprints can also be estimated. Click the link below to estimate your personal footprint.
Ecological Footprint Quiz
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, founded in 1866, was formed to alleviate the injustices animals face.
http://www.aspca.org/
The Environmental Protection Agency, established in 1970, sets as its mission statement to protect human health and the environment.
http://www.epa.gov/
Greenpeace was founded in 1971 as the leading independent campaigning organization that uses non-violent direct action and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and to promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/
The Humane Society of the United States is dedicated to creating a world where our relationships with animals is guided by compassion.
http://www.hsus.org/
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, founded in 1980, is the largest animal rights organization that is dedicated to establishing and protecting the rights of all animals.
http://www.peta.org/
The Sierra Club’s mission is to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; to practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.
http://www.sierraclub.org/
Chapter 16. War and Terrorism
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
What Does It Mean To Me?
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 16.1
"How Can She Claim Equal Rights When She Doesn't Have to Do as Many Push-Ups as I Do?": The Framing of Men's Opposition to Women's Equality in the Military. CAROL COHN. Men and Masculinities 2000; 3; 131.
- Journal Article Link 16.2
Taking Aim at Business: What Factors Lead Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations to Target Particular Firms? Jamie R. Hendry. Business Society 2006; 45; 47.
- Journal Article Link 16.3
The Threat and Imposition of Economic Sanctions, 1971 2000. T. Clifton Morgan, Navin Bapat and Valentin Krustev. Conflict Management and Peace Science 2009; 26; 92.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- Investigate the history of women’s peace movements through the Swarthmore College Peace Collection, established in 1930 by Jane Addams of Hull House, Chicago, Illinois. Current women’s peace organizations include Women Waging Peace and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. The site for the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom also lists state branches.
The Swarthmore College Peace Collection, established in 1930 by Jane Addams of Hull House, Chicago, IL
Women Waging Peace
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
The site for the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom also lists state branches.
- Investigate peace and social justice organizations on your campus. (Student Peace Action Network [SPAN] is an example of a campus-based organization. SPAN has chapters throughout the country and in Europe.) What is the mission of the organization? How many students and faculty members belong to it? What activities does the organization sponsor? If your campus does not have such an organization, can you determine why this is the case?
Student Peace Action Network
- Select a country (other than the United States) and research whether peace or social justice organizations exist on university campuses. Examine one organization’s mission and activities. What similarities and differences can you identify between this organization and the one based on your own campus?
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism was established in 1996 and is a research institute and think tank dedicated to developing innovative public policy solutions to international terrorism.
http://www.ict.org.il/
The Terrorism Research Center is an independent institute dedicated to the research of terrorism, information warfare and security, critical infrastructure protection and other issues of low-intensity political violence and gray-area phenomena.
http://www.terrorism.com
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is responsible for assessing the vulnerabilities of the nation’s critical infrastructure and cyber security threats and takes the lead in evaluating these vulnerabilities and coordination with other federal, state, local, and private entities to ensure the most effective response.
http://www.dhs.gov/
Chapter 17. Social Problems and Social Action
Book Resources
Handbook Articles
Video Links
Audio Links
Journal Article Links
- Journal Article Link 17.1
Does the New Middle Class Lead Today's Social Movements? John W. Cleveland. Crit Sociol 2003; 29; 163.
- Journal Article Link 17.2
Before Berkeley: Historical Perspectives on American Student Activism. Philip G. Altbach and Patti Peterson. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 1971; 395; 1.
- Journal Article Link 17.3
The First Year: Influences on the Satisfaction, Involvement, and Persistence of New Community Volunteers. Mark H. Davis, Jennifer A. Hall and Marnee Meyer. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 2003; 29; 248.
Author Podcast
Internet and Community Exercises
- The Corporation for National and Community Service is part of the USA Freedom Corps, a White House initiative to “foster a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility.” The organization includes three programs: AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve. The AmeriCorps program is a network of local, state, and national service programs. The Senior Corps includes volunteers older than age 55 serving local nonprofits and public agencies. Learn and Serve supports service-learning programs for kindergarten through 12th-grade students, combining community service with student learning. Click on the links below for more information on local initiatives and volunteer opportunities in your state.
AmeriCorp
Senior Corps
Learn and Serve
- To learn more about the Woolworth’s Greensboro sit-ins click on the site below, which includes recordings with sit-in participants, along with related stories and photos and links to other civil rights sites.
The Woolworth's Greensboro sit-ins
- How can one person serve as an agent of social change? Eduardo Arias, a Kuna Indian from one of the San Blas Islands off Panama’s Caribbean coast, did something in 2007 that affected business and trade on six continents and in 34 countries. What did he do? He read the ingredient label on a 59-cent tube of toothpaste and saw two words, diethylene glycol, the same poisonous ingredient used in antifreeze. Arias purchased a tube and brought it as evidence to the Health Ministry office. His report set off a global recall of the product, along with increasing examination and scrutiny of Chinese manufacturers and their products (the source of the tainted toothpaste). On your own, find a story of one person who made a difference, who was part of some social change. The story could be based in the United States or elsewhere. Even if the person’s actions didn’t have worldwide influence, determine the impact of those actions.
- If you do nothing else, make sure to show up on Election Day to support candidates who support your views (Hollender and Catling 1996). Tracking presidential election years, research indicates that electoral participation of Americans younger than 29 years of age has increased since 2004. In 2008, the youth voter turnout rate was 51%, a record high. African American youth posted the highest turnout rate ever observed for any racial or ethnic group of young Americans since 1972 (Kirby and Kawashima-Ginsberg 2009). Rock the Vote is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that attempts to mobilize youth to create positive social and political change in their lives and communities (Rock the Vote 2004). The organization works year-round, encouraging youth to become involved in a range of issues: education, economy, environment, violence, and national and personal debt. You may have seen a Rock the Vote Community Street Team register voters at a local concert or event.
Rock the Vote
Learning Tools
Web Resources
The Aspen Institute was established to foster enlightened leadership, the appreciation of timeless ideas and values, and open-minded dialogue on contemporary issues. Through seminars, policy programs, conferences and leadership development initiatives, the institute and its international partners seek to promote the pursuit of common ground and deeper understanding in a nonpartisan and non-ideological setting.
http://www.aspeninstitute.org
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private, independent grant making institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the human condition.
http://www.macfound.org
The National Center for Policy Analysis is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy research organization whose goal is to develop and promote private alternatives to government regulation and control, solving problems by relying on the strength of the competitive, entrepreneurial private sector.
http://www.ncpa.org/
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