social problems for research paper

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40 Social Issues Research Paper Topics

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List of 40 Social Issues Topics for College Students

Religious gatherings and rituals
Country-wide strikes and protest
LGBTQ+ prides
Worldwide flashmobs
Social stratification
Gender discrimination and anti-harassment movements
The issues of orphanage kids
Pornography and AI sex dolls
Sex work or paid rape?
Virtual reality
Information overload: the society is overstressed with the amount of data
Demographic crisis
Beauty standards
Social isolation of people with HIV/AIDS
The fight against animal testing
Internet safety
Humanitarian missions
Fighting racism
The rights of ethnic minorities and native people
Internet safety and cybercrimes
The necessity of the death penalty
Fighting poverty in the world
Access to the drinking water in third world countries
Free education for everyone: shall it be implemented?
National identity versus globalization
Women rights and trans people rights
Obesity as an obstacle in social life. Fatshaming
Civil rights: shall they be expanded?
Abuse and neglect in asylums, orphanages, and care homes
Church and state: shall they remain separate?
The problem of bigotry in modern society
Immigration and resocialization of the immigrants
Sustainable consumption on a worldwide scale
School violence
Legalizing drugs: basic rights to choose or a danger to society?
Social isolation. The hikikomori phenomenon
Bullying at schools and colleges
Kids transitioning: shall it be allowed?
Advertisements: are they becoming too powerful?
The global impact of the third world countries

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100+ Social Issues Research Paper Topics

Group of people discussing social issues

There are many issues in society to write about, making social issue essay topics some of the most fun. However, choosing a social topic for an essay isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially when there are several social essay topics. The secret to choosing the best among the many social topics is knowing what makes the best social topics for an essay, the best.

This article will give you workable tips for choosing a great topic on specific social issues, argumentative essay topics , and social topics. We will also throw in 100 topics on social issues; they can serve as your social topic or inspiration for choosing.

What Are Top Tips for Choosing Social Topics to Write About?

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When it comes to social problems essay topics, the list is endless; there are so many social issues to talk about. However, not all social problem topics will make a great paper, and the wrong social issue topic can reduce your grade. Below are the top practical tips for choosing social issues topics for presentation.

Choose easy social issues to write about – avoid trying to impress your professor by choosing complex social problems topics you can’t do justice to.
Choose social problem topics or social media research topics that your audience can relate to and find interesting.
When choosing from the myriads of social problems to write about, choose those with sufficient information. Also, you don’t want social problem essay topics you’ll have to walk miles to gather information on.
Pick as many good social issues to write about as possible; chances are you will change issues essay topics midway. You don’t have to return to searching for current issues to write about.
Source for articles that address problems in society to write about for an idea on how to write yours.

The “best” social topics, like social commentary essay topics, are those you’re passionate about. It would help if you cared about the social issue ideas you’ve decided to write on to do real justice to the paper. Writing an essay on them will be torture if you don’t care or know anything about social commentary ideas. Also, if your audience is clueless about a particular topic, consider omitting technical and social significance topics.

Interesting social topics are not hard to find if you know where to look. We will give you a social issues topics list here, but you can still find social issues ideas all over the internet. Find our social topics list below containing interesting and uncommon social issues for a distinction-worthy paper.

Political polarization
Racism in modern society’s healthcare
Ageism: the new racism?
The fairness of labor laws
Fat-shaming in the corporate world
Recovering addicts and social injustice
Child pornography
Prisoner rights violations: the types
Making vaccinations mandatory
Online education impact on obesity
Increasing employment: the solution to poverty?
Accessibility of healthcare in mobile clinics
Women empowerment
Social development in developing countries
Overpopulation: a threat?
How social networks impact friendship
Age restriction on Instagram
Social media effect on dependency
Business Facebook accounts and digital ethics
Cancel culture and mental health
Restricting children from social media
How to stay safe on the internet
Freedom of speech on Twitter
High cost of medical procedures
Obesity in developed countries
Abortion: legal or illegal?
Drug addiction
Hospices: should they be free?
Why HIV in seniors remains unrecognized
Dying with dignity
Pro-life movement origins
The social acceptance of autism
Effect of malnourishment on children’s psyche
Impact of fad diets
Discrimination against older adults
Acceptability of homeopathic treatment for children
The scarcity of and state of available healthcare facilities in rural areas
Poverty and health problems
Ensuring global access to drinking water
Implementing sustainable technology in agriculture
Benefits of studying the environment
Urban gardening and food security
Deteriorating environment effect on labor conditions
Religion and nature
Global warming impact on South America
Effect of racial profiling
Prevalence of hate speech
Discrimination against the LGBT community
Modern feminism: the negative impact on society
Pregnancy termination: morality vs. legality
Food culture
Emotional intelligence: impact on family life
Harmful effects of financial illiteracy
The perception of “Defund the police.”
Evidence of structural racism
The internet’s influence on human trafficking
Legalizing prostitution
Civil disobedience goals
The consequences of restoring prisoners to society
Influence of prejudices on criminal justice mechanics
Prominent civil rights violations in developing countries
Gender blindness
Gender dysphoria
The Khmer Rouge
Social media and racist bias
Justification of human rights limitations during a crisis
How governments can secure freedom of speech
Can satire be harmful?
Protection of stateless persons
Can illegal immigrants be pardoned?
War on drugs: the negative side effects
The importance of bipartisan cooperation
College loans: are they worth it?
Fake news: a severe problem?
Charter schools vs. public schools
The Great New Deal: pros and cons
Gentrification in America
Ableism effects in the US
Death penalty: a just punishment?
Healthcare: a fundamental human right?
The right to own a gun
Does history repeat itself?
Commercials in kids’ programs
Fiction vs. nonfiction: which is the better read?
Video games should be a sport
Hot dogs: have they caused more harm than good?
Eating dessert before dinner
Homework: is it too much?
Should gym classes be required?
The essentiality of feminism
Free healthcare for everyone
Exploring space: is it worth it?
Parents’ role in childhood obesity
Woman vs. man: who is more emotional?
The effects of campaign finance reform
Should illegal immigrants be granted residency?

With this list of social topics and others you’ll find on the internet, you can’t be short of social issues to talk about. Choosing the best social issues topics is essential for writing a great research paper,or write dissertation for me ranging from social change topics to social awareness topics. Considering the vast amount of community issues to write about, our tips on choosing from the best social relevance topics will come in handy. If you need professional writing services, you can contact our experts.

300 Social Issues Research Topics to Impress Your Professor and Get A

Researching social issues holds immense importance in our quest for knowledge and progress. It allows us to delve deeper into the complexities of society, unraveling the underlying causes, impacts, and potential solutions. However, the significance of a good research topic must be considered, which sets the stage for a high-scoring and impactful research endeavor. If you have difficulty finding a good social issue research topic, check out these lists from the experts working with a professional paper writing services provider.

Table of Contents

Comprehensive list of Unique Social Issue Research Topics

Scroll down and go through our list of unique topics and pick one that sparks your interest. Here you go with the first one:

Women’s Social Issues Research Topics

It’s crucial to look into the various aspects of women’s social issues if we want to get a better understanding of gender inequality. Here are some ideas to help you dig deeper into this topic.

Prejudice against women in corporate culture
Problems of pregnant women working in the corporate
Harassment in educational institutes against women
What strategies can governments adopt to ensure equal rights for women?
Raising awareness of the problems of pregnant women
How to develop a respectful attitude towards women and gender minorities in companies?
Ill-treatment of women in the government sector
Writing on essay topics related to problems with Syrian female immigrants
The Role of Women in economic life and the World of Work
Women’s political and electoral training
Women in old homes: Research and Interviews for Problems and Concerns
Toxic Masculinity in the Workplace: what can women do?
Developing a workplace culture for fair treatment of every gender
Role of Government in solving problems related to Women
The economy of the United States: Income inequality in the U.S.
Building a world where women have equal opportunities and fair treatment
Essay Topics Related to Problems of Women in New York
Financial problems for single mothers
Women dealing with social issues in New Mexico
Condition of Mexican immigrant women in the United States
Women’s health: Key performance indicators, problems and obstacles
Securing Women’s Rights with the Help of international law
Education of women: The rights and responsibilities
Better living conditions for older women
A research study of the problems of pregnant women in California
Health and welfare of older people, especially women
Improving the quality of life for single mothers with better opportunities

Children’s Social Issues Research Topics

It’s important to tackle the social issues that affect kids to create a better, more nurturing future for the next generation. Here are some interesting topics on this subject to get started with writing your research paper .

School Bullying and social networks
Problems and issues with children with a single parent
A research study on the problems of children in foster homes
How can we make foster care better and safer for children?
Delinquency trends in children among marginalized communities
modernity and technology at the cost of the destruction of childhood
Issues that children from Mexican households in America have to face
What are the advantages of multiculturalism in kindergarten?
Problems of Assault and Molestation of Children
Why Are Young People Committing Crimes These Days?
Cyberbullying and Toxicity on social media
Violence among children and young people
Rehabilitation of juvenile offenders and improving their lives
Illness and disability among kids living in developing countries
The lack of tolerance among the teenagers
Child labor in developing countries
Psychology of kindergarten education
School is a chance for every kid to learn tolerance and harmony
Children facing with lack of empathy and bullying on social media
The use of new technologies in education and adaptability in children
Problems of immigrant children
Child development and behavior

Social Issues Research Topics About Labor Rights

It’s essential to look into the social issues surrounding workers’ rights and fight for their well-being. Labor rights are the foundation of having fair and decent working conditions. Here are some topics if you want to research such subjects.

The legal responsibility of entrepreneurs
Workplace accident management
Increased flexibility via remote working options
Mental health problems caused by workers after the COVID pandemic
The principle of equality today is related to labor rights
Change wages or salaries
Labor problems caused by the Covid pandemic
Employees having to deal with additional work pressures
Role of labor unions in social justice for Laborers
Mental health problems in the Workplace
What can we do to offer ideas for improvements in labor laws
The desire to maintain a healthy work-life balance
Hate speech and domestic violence against marginalized groups in large companies
Academic paper for immigration disruptions in Canada and USA
The employer’s right to manage employees and the abuse of it
Role of human resources in identifying and solving problems of labor
The job of the government and schools is to offer their members better career prospects
Problems and issues related to a minimum period of employment
The technology skills gap leads to problems with the laborers
Improving the well-being of the company for its members
Change wages or salaries impact and consequences
How the global pandemic and Working from home changed the World
Recruiting methods from passive to active: how to prepare
Global labor shortages: problems and consequences
What are the reasons for the labor shortage?
Writing assignment about laborers dealing with the effects of long Covid
Why is it essential for companies to take a public stand for social issues
Mental health problems for workers in the field
Relevant examples of social issues related to labor and employment
How to empower workers against social injustice?

Social Issues Research Topics for the Environment

It’s important to dig into how social issues and the environment are connected when we’re trying to handle big problems like climate change, running out of resources, etc. Here are some research topics to think about.

Health risks associated with the general environment and their perception and representation
Climate change knowledge and expertise on health risks
Health inequalities resulting from environmental and social factors
What Role can environmental law play in protecting the environment at sea?
Deforestation and chronic pollution are destroying biodiversity
Importance of green energy conversion
The Law of the Environment and sustainable development
The Management of Pollution in Environmental Law
Toward a better understanding of atmospheric pollution
Utilizing environmental technologies and learning about them
Waste and material resources of the World
The destruction of ozone affects the environment and health
Nature’s resources are being destroyed. What can we do as researchers to prevent this?
Is it still imperative to preserve the environment during wartime?
Combating armed conflict while preserving the environment
The tourism industry and pollution management
Environmental factors that affect cancer risk
Cost-benefit analysis of the action based on legal or socioeconomic criteria
Analyzing how different environmental factors contribute to the risk
Investigating a variety of environmental issues and sectors
Regions and specific areas of environmental perception
The effects of climate change and global warming
Factors contributing to a healthy environment
The relationship between human rights and environmental law
In environmental law, pollution management is a constant
Worldwide implementation of sustainable development
How consumption trends and international news can help the environmental cause

Social Issues Research Topics Related to Covid Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how we live and has spotlighted all kinds of social issues that need to be looked into and solved. So, if you would like to research social issues related to the recent pandemic, check out this list for current social issues for research paper:

Social panic caused after the COVID-19 breakdown
Problems and social issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 and financial problems on the rise
Impact of COVID-19 on the people with middle class
Police Procedure and criminal justice during the COVID-19
The aftermath of COVID-19 has resulted in a social dilemma and economic disruption
An influential aspect of the pandemic is mental health
The Impact of social and territorial inequalities on health
The ethical issues raised by the pandemic
Writing research papers on social media’s Role during COVID-19
Children and adolescents’ mental condition during the pandemic
Problems in healthcare and Management of chronic diseases
Disruption in modern society by the COVID-19
How our social media accounts helped us during the darkest hours of covid
Ensuring the delivery of criminal justice during covid
Impact of COVID-19 on family life
Role of the Pandemic in the Promotion of remote education
Avoiding social media addiction during the quarantine

Social Issue Topics Related to American Society

Checking out the social problems in the U.S. gives us a great understanding of how complicated, varied and hard they can be for people and different communities. Here is another list of topics on social issues.

Environment perception in specific areas and regions
Climate change and global warming effects
The factors that contribute to a healthy environment
Cancer risk factors in the environment
Workplace toxic masculinity: what can women do?
The global labor shortage: problems and consequences
Why does the U.S. have a shortage of labor?
Workers dealing with the effects of Covid
Problems related to mental issues among field workers
Law and human rights concerning the environment
Management of pollution is a constant concern in environmental law
Impacts and consequences of changes in wages or salaries
How to prepare for passive to active recruitment
The problem of child labor in developing countries
Kindergarten Education and Psychology
Tolerance and harmony can be learned in school by every child
Lack of empathy and bullying on social media among children
Technology in Education and Children’s Adaptability
Legal or socioeconomic cost-benefit analysis of the action
A major social issue in the modern age is poverty
Government’s Role in solving social problems
Sustainable Development of the World
Trafficking in drugs and Mexican cartels
A culture of fair treatment for all genders in the Workplace
Nature’s resources are being depleted.
Management of pollution in the tourism industry
How can we use social media to improve society and resolve social problems?
A lack of respect for marginalized communities in the professional environment can be seen in several ways.
Understanding social issues and the problems associated with them
Materials and waste from around the World and the Impact they have on the environment
The depletion of ozone is detrimental to the environment and human health
Insights into the political and electoral training of women
Taking a closer look at Women’s Problems and Concerns in old homes: Research and Interviews
Issues and problems related to the minimum period of employment and the minimum wage
The technological skills gap is causing labor shortages shortly
Enhancing the well-being of the members of the company as a whole

Interesting Social Injustice Topics for College Students

As college students, exploring and engaging with interesting social issues topics expands our intellectual horizons and empowers us to become agents of change in our communities and beyond. Particularly when you include social problems examples. Here is another list of interesting topics.

Developing better relationships with public institutions to solve problems
The Role of social work in the Management of health problems
Corporations discriminate against marginalized communities in the U.S.
Sociology of the popular classes
The reasons for the low human development index in African countries
Social issues caused by class differences
Drugs and anarchist behaviors
Religious Differences and biased approaches to employment strategies
Mexican cartels and the problem of drug trafficking
Poverty is one of the most significant social issues in the Modern World
Role of the Government in solving social issues
How can we use social media to improve society and solve social issues?
Prejudice against marginalized communities in the professional environment
Understanding the problems related to social issues
Role of problem-solving and understanding the root cause of social issues
Major social issues in developing countries
Role of Education in ending violence in Society
Class Differences and the Impact on the human development index
Differences in health facilities for different classes
Social Norms and the Role of the Community
Causes and solutions to human trafficking on the Mexican borders
Human development index in India
How to solve the poverty problem?
What is the problem of social media bullying, and how to avoid it?
How does financial illiteracy lead to a lack of development in developing countries?
Impact of Terrorism on Society
How to solve the terrorism problem?
Mafia problems in the USA and how to deal with them
Biased treatment of marginalized communities in the government sector
The increasing problem of drug addiction
Ethics and Artificial Intelligence: Emerging social issues
Role of social media in increasing social issues

Police and Social Justice Research Papers Topics

Let’s unveil a curated collection of current social issues for a research paper. Here’s the list:

Children’s safety and protection: The security job is of the utmost importance
School bullying is a serious issue that needs to be addressed
A few heartrending social issues examples
Using the Internet to disseminate terrorist content: a serious issue related to Cybersecurity
Digital Platform Security Certification – A Guide to Cybersecurity Certifications
The protection of minors in alcohol-serving establishments
Concerns regarding cyber security in the United States
An analysis of the spatial pattern of terrorism in the USA over the past two decades
New York crime analysis, a look at the crime situation in the City
Security technologies face several obstacles when it comes to their implementation
Having the versatility to specialize and the specialization to be versatile in security matters
Investigative requisitions from the judicial police
Relationships between the police and the public: The need for improvement
Conflict Management and Prevention in Communities
The principle of secularism in sports must be respected
Stopping the illicit trade in tobacco products
Towns with small populations and cybersecurity
Taking care of historical monuments
Providing support to victims of aggression
An analysis of the roadside check system in developing countries
The challenges of reception at a police station for public security
A system for protecting housing from illegal encroachment
Anti-abuse and anti-fraud measures
A diversity of expectations and feedback from the inhabitants
Taking public security work seriously in terms of its relational dimension
The issue of external assistance in the area of internal security
Putting social networks to the test in terms of police ethics

As you have reached the conclusion paragraph of the blog post, you must have picked a topic or two to work for your social issue research paper. Most of the lists have focused on social issues today as they could be very interesting for the readers. Plus, there are a plethora of good topics for you to count on. Just remember that a good research subject must be able to answer, what is a social problem, what is a social issue, and more. Still if you are struggling with picking up a good topic, feel free to count on the expertise of our writers .

What is an interesting social issue research topic?

What is research about social issues, how do i choose a social research topic.

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The Most Impressive Social Issues Topics for Essay or Paper

Updated 20 Jun 2024

If you want to write an effective and engaging controversial essay, you definitely need to take into consideration the best social issue topics or satire topics . We are all members of the society and community where we live, and the events and trends of this year have affected every one of us. This is why you may frequently find yourself faced with the task of writing about social topics in an academic paper, to show your understanding and awareness of the different social issues of today.

Writing research papers and essays or creating presentations is one of many steps to train you to be a functioning adult in your community. Because of this, you need to make an effort to be aware of current changes and trends. Some teens are so caught up in the digital world of online gaming and media that they don’t really pay attention to issues around them. Writing an assignment about current social topics in 2024 is a chance to open one’s eyes and increase one’s knowledge.

How to Write an Essay on Social Issues

Your professor or teacher will ask you to look for interesting social issues essay topics or problem solution essay topics for your upcoming assignment as part of your course work. Such assignments allow teens and young adults to express their opinions about the trendiest topics of 2024. Your classroom is a safe environment where you can discuss your thoughts without being judged; this is a chance you shouldn’t waste.

To write a perfect essay, follow these steps:

Choose Your Topic Wisely.

Choosing a relevant 2024 social problem topic will pay off. It should cause some controversy and keep your audience interested. You could also easily research it to find enough evidence and proof to support your ideas. Check with your teacher or professor to ensure your topic is acceptable for 2024 and that it can be discussed at school or college.

To help you find a relevant topic, try searching trending hashtags of 2024 on media platforms or check your daily newspaper for news. Pay attention to international news as well. This is a good way to understand what is going on in different parts of the world and how it affects Americans living in the States.

Some relevant global social problems include income inequality (poverty), corruption, the rise in authoritarianism (erosion of democratic values), criminality, unsustainable development, and bullying in schools.

Spend Time on Research

You should always look for academically proven and reliable sources that you can cite in your essay. Listing your opinions without sufficient logical support from outside sources is unacceptable.

Some students simply rely on the media for examples to include in their tasks. It is risky because the world of the media industry is affected by political influence and can be biased. It is recommended to rely on academically approved sources to find relevant examples.

Support Your Opinion with Examples

Stay attentive to find relevant examples. Since you are discussing a current social topic, relevant examples are often readily available. Use examples to support your opinion and explain it. They can help make your point relatable and easier to understand.

However, some students simply rely on the media for examples to include in their papers. It is risky because politics often influence the media industry and can be biased. You must rely primarily on academically approved sources for relevant examples.

Keep It Simple

Your essay is a chance to express your opinion and say what you believe about a current social issue or situation. That is why you must ensure you have used the right words to express your point of view. Use simple and relevant words to explain what you mean to avoid confusing your audience.

Revise and Edit

Before submitting your assignment, you need must ensure it is flawless and error-free. Complete spelling and grammar checks to review your paper for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes — or give it to us, as we can do essay revisions for you. Writing errors could alter the meaning of your paper and confuse your readers.

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What Are the Social Issues of Today? Top 12 Issues

As we live through the global pandemic, natural disasters worldwide, conversion to safe energy sources, and COVID-19 challenges, the list of relevant social issues in 2024 have also changed. Here are the top 12 social issues with relevant topics that you may consider for your essay:

COVID-19 & Global Pandemic . Without a doubt, almost every sector of modern life has been affected by the global pandemic restrictions and the rules of social distancing. Even though countries seem to return to normal life, logistics and international trading still need to be enhanced. As an example of social topics dealing with this issue, consider writing about how the COVID-19 crisis affected a company or the entire industry.
The Black Lives Matter Social Movement . It is hard to find anything that has marked the last two years regarding social importance. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has captured the entire world because the issues of racial prejudice are relevant as ever. Regarding possible topics, you can compare the BLM movement with the student protests in the 1970s or the Montgomery Bus Station protest.
Green Energy Conversion. This social issue is mostly related to environmental problems, yet global conferences are dedicated to finding safe ways to convert all available energy to safe methods. Consider writing about the latest innovations in the solar energy sector and talk about wind turbines if you are majoring in Electrical Engineering. At the same time, you can write about school education and educating youngsters about our environment.
The Presence of the U.S. Military Troops in Afghanistan . It is a sensitive social issue in the United States, as President Biden has announced that troops leaving Afghanistan in 2021. This social topic is quite important as it is not only a political issue but also a matter of national security.
The Challenges of Remote Education. As we are making it through yet another year of distance learning with Skype and Zoom solutions for video conferences, the challenges of modern learning are evident. Consider writing about how the student habits and attitudes have changed in 2024 and think about what pros and cons of this issue you can explore.
Arctic Pole Environmental Situation . The Arctic Pole Ice Shield is a social issue that became apparent as explorers and scientists from all fields of science started to reveal updated information. Regardless of your college course, you can approach this social issue through the prism of environmental protection, political bias, economics, marketing, and even the logistics that are also present in this sector.
Global Pandemic & Vaccination . The subject of vaccination might be among the most discussed social issues today, yet it does not make it to the list of immediate issues because of the political games at play. For example, you can write about unequal distributions of vaccines to certain countries and investigate how politics manipulate this sensitive matter.
Travel Restrictions . As the warm times are coming closer, most people think about traveling. Consider some business trips even if you are not up for leisure. Though the list of restrictions is changing all the time, and the number of countries that accept tourists without any limits is constantly growing compared to 2022, this issue is still discussed in 2024, which makes it a relevant social issue. Consider writing about new safety regulations and researching how COVID-19 has affected our travel routines and rules.
Global Unemployment Peak . According to various statistics, the unemployment peak in April 2021 reached over 12.7% in the United States. The same thing will happen all over the world in 2024. You can write about the reasons for such a situation and discuss the presence of freelance specialists and people working remotely as an option.
Supply Chain Diversification in Post COVID-19 Society . Undoubtedly, the most affected sector is the field of supply chain distribution. Diversification has become an issue since people who are limited in funds or face certain healthcare issues need proper help. You can choose an issue in your local community or write about why such a situation became possible.
Increasing Political Polarization . Just remember to stay respectful as you write about politics. Regardless of your preferences and beliefs, it is hard to ignore an increasing political polarization, representing another social issue in 2024. You can consider writing about Russia and its external politics, India and the distribution of vaccines, or the United States with the latest political changes and innovations.
Healthcare Bias in Modern Society . Unfortunately, this social problem became even more apparent in 2024 as the vaccinated people received more social rights. Still, only some people all over the world can become vaccinated. At the same time, one should consider writing about other illnesses and healthcare specialists that are not precisely related to respiratory diseases. Consider it as one of the starting points as you write about healthcare bias social issues.

Of course, you may also consider the problem of evolving employee benefits or how people receive various labor compensation or become fired for no reason. Meanwhile, think about the media sector and the challenges of actors and musicians who are currently left without the means to represent their art. Choose something that inspires you and explain why it is important.

List of Social Issues for Essay Writing in 2024

Finding relevant subjects or interesting presentation topics for academic assignments is quite challenging. You must ensure you’ve picked an adequate topic to submit a high-quality essay. You must submit flawless, excellently written essays if you want a degree from a reputable American college or university. Choosing compelling social issues topics can be challenging, but an essay writing service can help you develop and articulate your ideas effectively. Here is a comprehensive list of social issues to browse for ideas on your next academic project.

Need more writing assistance?

Connect with our top writers and receive a paper sample on social issues crafted to your needs.

Social Justice Essay Topics:

Is ageism the new racism?
Deprivation of health care: Dealing with consequences.
Are convicts still punished after serving time?
Are labor laws fair?
How is society viewing domestic violence towards men?
Discrimination against pregnant women.
Fat shaming in the job market.
Overcoming poverty-based discrimination in our society.
Do recovering addicts deal with social injustice?
Are Arabs and Middle Easterners subject to discrimination?

Pornography Essay Topics:

How to deal with pornography addiction.
Dealing with child pornography.
Is consent really valid in the porn industry?
Do pornstars suffer from society shaming?
Why do pornstars commit suicide?
Dealing with leaked personal pornography videos.
The pressure in the porn industry.
Pornstars who crossed over to other industries.
Does watching porn damage family life?
How to know that you are addicted to porn?

Read also: 200+ Good Argumentative Essay Topics

Social Science Topics:

Advertisements from a Social Science perspective.
African American stereotypes.
Social aspects of feminism.
Polygamy in the US.
A world without leadership.
Organizational behavior and Social Sciences.
Current problems and future trends of Social Sciences.
Religion and Social Sciences in the modern world.
Can Social Science be the way to understand society?
Have gender roles changed in the US?

Migration and Immigration Topics:

How did the Irish Diaspora change life in the United States?
Refugees across the world.
Building a wall between Mexico and the US.
Palestinian refugees in Jordan.
Forced migration.
History of Australian immigration.
Deportation of refugees and illegal immigrants.
What are the factors behind illegal immigration?
Egyptian illegal immigrants in Italy.
How can immigrants integrate into American society?

Racism Essay Topics:

The civil rights movement: a long struggle for freedom.
Racism in America: decades of failed reforms and police brutality.
Systemic racism in America: racial discrimination, inequality, and injustice.
Unconscious racism: the psychology behind implicit racial bias and discrimination.
The impact of racism and racial violence on mental health.
Racism in literature and art: teaching children about social justice.
The impact of racism on the future of modern society.
Racism: the origins, causes, effects, and consequences.
The social and economic impacts of racial segregation in America.
The economic and psychological impacts of racism in the workplace.

LGBT Topic Ideas:

The economic, social, and cultural factors influencing the LGBT community.
LGBT pride: diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Marriage and family: the challenges and impacts of same-sex marriage.
Mental health in the LGBT community: key challenges and concerns.
The global divorce rates of same-sex couples vs. heterosexual couples.
LGBT in schools: the impacts of homophobic bullying and discrimination.
Gender roles in society: changing views and implications for families.
The religious and cultural barriers to LGBT equality and inclusion.
LGBT and social media: the sociological impact of social platforms.
Same-sex couples and the psychological influence on their children.

Essay Examples Relevant to LGBT

Same-sex Marriage

Peace and War Topics:

Children of war.
How do the economics of war affect society?
Who paid the price for the War on Terrorism?
Ethnic cleansing.
Is society paying enough attention to peace education?
Role of women in war.
How did the war in Syria affect other countries?
War crimes across the world.
Historical account of the genocide in Armenia.
Role of media in wartime.

Discrimination and Prejudice Topics:

Common stereotypes in American society.
Racial profiling and its effects.
What is discrimination in sports?
Reverse discrimination.
Hate speech on social media.
Segregation in the US.
White privilege in the media.
Discrimination in the Middle East.
Sex discrimination in the workplace.
Discrimination against gay people.

Feminism Essay Topics:

Domestic violence and challenges to feminism in the 21st century
The #Metoo movement and its global impact on gender equity
The four waves of feminism: a history of the movements
Women’s empowerment: gender equality and women’s rights in modern society
Feminism throughout history: the most significant feminist movements and ideologies
Men in contemporary feminist movements: understanding their roles and responsibilities
The controversial issues of feminism in contemporary women’s rights movements
The negative impact and perception of modern feminism on society
Women’s career development: the role and impact of gender stereotypes
The status of women in ancient civilizations vs. modern society

Abortion Essay Topics:

Legalizing abortion: the effect on the birth rate and marriage
The social, psychological, and psychomedical effects of legal abortion
The moral, legal, and social aspects of pregnancy termination
Abortion across different cultures: the history of attitudes and practices
The effects of religious beliefs on abortion and contraception use
Should men have a voice in the abortion debate?
Life after abortion: the psychological effects and mental health controversy
The social and psychological impact of an abortion ban
Birth control and abortion: women’s fight for reproductive rights
Teen pregnancy and abortion: health concerns and parental consent

Cultural Property:

Ownership of stolen antiques.
Should museums in Europe return ancient artifacts home?
Stealing cultural heritage: Examples in history.
Protection of cultural heritage in times of war and peace.
Art looted in wartime.
The cultural heritage of indigenous people.
The difference between the Western and the Eastern cultures.
Selling copied artifacts.
Cultural heritage in Asia.
What is the importance of preserving cultural heritage?

Illiteracy Essay Topics:

Digital illiteracy.
5 Problems related to illiteracy.
Illiteracy in the US.
Emotional illiteracy and its effect on family life.
How can financial illiteracy harm you?
Adult illiteracy and how to overcome it.
Can social media help overcome the problem of illiteracy?
Poverty and illiteracy.
How can literacy change people’s lives? 3 amazing examples.
Women illiteracy in African countries.

Violence Topics:

The effect of political turmoil on domestic violence.
Ethnic profiling and violence.
Movies and violence.
Promoting rape culture.
Dealing with social media bullying.
Aggression in children.
Abuse in the world of sports.
Child abuse prevention.
Gun control in the US.
Gangs and violence in Miami.

Humanity Topics:

Humanity through the ages: a brief history of human evolution
Human development: the evolution of physical, cognitive, and behavioral change
Humanity’s journey into the future: sustainability and existential risk prevention
The meaning of humanity: the role of religion in society
The effects of negative human behavior on the natural environment
The humanity of humans: how humane are we, really?
Acts of kindness and humane actions.
The human nature of violence: aggressive behavior in human evolution
Social movements in the modern society: a human rights perspective
Cultural diversity: key differences and similarities in human values

Consumption and Development Topics:

Overconsumption in America.
The culture of consumption.
The power of buyers in different industries.
Water consumption in Africa.
History of sustainable development in the US.
Consumption of alcohol.
Sustainable consumption of meat and fish: Its effect on the environment.
Children and consumption of fast food.
The dynamics of consumption in the US market.
How can businesses influence consumption trends?

Didn't find ideas? Read: 150+ Best Sociology Topics

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157 Social Problems Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about

Are you looking for the best social issues topics? You’re at the right place! StudyCorgi has prepared a list of social problems research topics and questions for your speech, essay, and other writing assignments. You’ll find titles about inequality, teenage pregnancy, violence, hunger, and other problems facing contemporary society.

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Poverty as a Social Problem
Migration as a Social Problem
Violence: The Social Problem
Juvenile Delinquency as Social Problem Within Education Institutions
Oppression as a Social Problem
Bullying: A Serious Social Problem
Social Deviance Contribution to Social Problems

If you need to write a paper on social issues and wonder what social problems to write about, here are a few easy options you can consider:

	Explore the causes of homelessness, its economic and social consequences, and its relation to human rights.
	Investigate the link between hunger and other social issues, like poverty, conflict, and inequality.
	Analyze how bullying occurs in different social settings, such as school, work, or intimate relationships, and how to fight it.
	Discover the connection between adolescent pregnancy and poverty, substance abuse, or poor education.
	Write about the social effects of childhood obesity, such as bullying, stigma, and social isolation.

Social Problems Related to Alcohol and Drugs The present paper will explain the content of three articles relating to the issue of Alcohol and drug use while also providing a personal reflection on the readings.
Social Problem Analysis: Social Inequality in Education This paper encompasses the persistent issue of social inequality that we can witness as a routine practice every day. This topic analysis social inequality in educational institutions.
Substance Abuse: The Cause of Social Problems Substance abuse is a contributing factor to social problems but cannot be said to be the one that is most responsible.
Social Problems and Policy: Youth Unemployment and Mental Health In the history of the US, the federal and state governments have been at the forefront to facilitate effective social programs.
The Use of Statistics in Evaluating Social Problems Statistics are an important tool for researchers and policymakers when analyzing particular social-related issues. The types of statistics are objective or subjective.
Educational Institutions’ Social Problems: Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile delinquency is the problem that profoundly affects educational institutions as its representatives are people involved in education the most.
Juvenile Delinquency as Social Problem of Vulnerable Populations The theme of this paper is such a problem of vulnerable populations as juvenile delinquency, its interconnection with other social problems, and possible ways of its solution.
Social Problems Assignment: Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile delinquency or illegal behaviors committed by underage children is a significant social problem in the United States and worldwide.
American Modern Social Problem The United States is not renowned to having one of the best systems of health care worldwide, rather the U .S. is known for its best system in emergency care worldwide.
Development of Children’s Friendship and Social Problems This analysis was reached upon following a close thirty-minute observation of infants, and it suggests various types of behaviors presented by children in play.
Modern Social Problems Through the Sociological Imagination Prism This paper aims to discuss the concept of the sociological imagination and its significance in understanding contemporary social problems.
The Social Problem of Bullying and the School System The present paper focuses on the connection between the social problem of bullying and the school system, describing each of these concepts.
Rawls vs. Nozick on Social Problems and Criminal Justice The essay reflects on the articles of Rawls and Nozick to compare their key points and determine whose theory is most applicable to social problems and criminal justice.
A Framework for Analyzing Social Problems The paper provides a framework for analyzing social problems by defining what constitutes a social problem and identifying credible social science data.
How Does Gang Affiliation Become a Social Problem? Despite the intention to create a positive and supportive environment, there are many conditions under which people continue experiencing social pressure.
The Role of Social Workers in Addressing Teenage Obesity The social worker should be the bridge uniting obese individuals and society advertising social changes, and ending injustice and discrimination.
Addressing Teenage Obesity in America The paper states that adolescence is one of the most crucial developmental phases of human life during which the issue of obesity must be solved.
Queer (LGBTQ) Community as a Social Problem in Canada The Canadian government has shown interest in LGBTQ matters in recent years. Canadian queer persons are more likely to be victims of violent crime.
Policies for Social Problems Social problems dominate in different parts of the world. Good policies should be devised to make it possible to pronounce dominant sociological problems.
The Covid-19 Related Social Problems The paper discusses the Covid-19 pandemic that has caused devastating social disruption where millions of individuals have fallen into extreme poverty.
The Most Crucial Social Problems To conclude, it is essential not to forget about less fortunate people who have nothing to eat and nowhere to live.
The Social Problems Behind the Military Suicide
How Overpopulation Causes Social Problems?
Ethical and Social Problems of Genetic Engineering
The Economic and Social Problems of the 1930s
Social Problems Among College Students
Alphonso Pinkney’s Black American: Chronic Social Problems
Race and Gender Impact on Social Problems
Behavior and Social Problems in Classrooms
Social Problems About School Drop Outs
Current Political and Social Problems of Pakistan
Social Problems Associated With Street Gangs
Social Problems and the Theories of Emile Durkheim
Unemployment and Social Problems in the Post-war United States
Social Problems and Issues in Pakistan
Sociology and Various Social Problems
The Major Social Problems Facing the Teenagers of Today
Values, Social Problems, and Balanced Development in Malaysia
Political, Economic and Social Problems of France
Social Problems Associated With Health and Happiness
The Environment and Social Problems
Social Problems Amongst the Homeless
Mauritius: Tourism and Social Problems
Social Problems Affecting Youth Today and Ways To Solve Them
Nature and Social Problems
Social Problems and Drug Abuse
Critical Social Problems Affecting African Americans
Social Problems Arise From the Views and Values of the Society
Connection Between Social Problems and Urbanization
Unemployment Social Problems Faced by China and West
Social Problems Among Youth in Malaysia
Social Problems Within Educational Institutions It is necessary to understand and analyze the connection between various social problems within U.S. educational institutions.
Analyzing Social Problems – Case Study: Jake Levy The analysis of Jake Levy’s case led to lobby the state legislature to start a suicide prevention program for veterans who are getting mental health services.
Perspectives on the Central Social Problem in Modern Society Social ills plaguing modern society have been a basic concern for many prominent philosophers throughout the ages.
Solving Social Problems With a Nudge The speaker’s perspective is on the human mind’s diversity and complexity, making people manufacture irrational behavior, perpetuating poverty, corruption, and discrimination.
Social Problem and Policy Analysis Human rights and social work perspectives show how standardized testing promotes inequality and increases the barriers for non-white individuals.
Social Problem: Hunger in the United States Hunger problem, income gap, race discrimination, poverty in rural regions, and COVID-19 outbreak have severe effects on the hunger problem.
Potential Threat of Coronavirus as a Social Problem in Haines City, Florida SARS coronavirus is only a potential threat for Haines City so far, but preventing misinformation and potential panic is still an important social problem.
Analyzing Social Problems: Health Disparities This discussion will examine the unequal access to healthcare and its cause, investigate its prevalence, describe vulnerable populations.
Benchmark as Social Problems The impact of social phenomenon, for instance, social inequality, vulnerable population and other problems with politics, on poverty from a macro and micro perspectives.
Social Problems: Exploring the Main Types There are four main social problems; crime, violence, drug abuse, and environmental problems. The other social problems are very closely related to the above.
Childhood Obesity: Medical Complications and Social Problems The children have also suffered from the adverse effects that have been instilled into our society. Obesity has become a common problem in children of American and European countries.
America’s Social Problems Through the Song “Cookie Jar” by J. Johnson The song Cookie Jar is a song written by Jack Johnson song talks about the blame game that is going on and in American society.
American Social Problems of Women and the Elderly The issues of social discrimination experienced by women and elderly people have their roots in two fundamental perspectives of social life.
Modern American Social Problems The essay lists the current American social problems and describes the key point of each problem the society faced nowadays.
Americas Social Problems Nowadays The article explains the social, economic, political, technological, and legal impacts of war and how the global community can address the reality of terrorism.
American Social Problems: Family and Education The family and education are major socializing agents in society and to be particular the United States of America.
Global Warming: Solving a Social Problem Global warming may be a cause of the cooling in some parts of the world. Global warming can slow down ocean heat transport which becomes the reason for cooling in some regions.
Social Problems in Wilson’s “Fences” Play People who have been subjected to social oppression have a good chance of developing mental health problems in the future.
World Poverty as a Global Social Problem Poverty and the key methods helping to reduce it attract the attention of numerous researchers in different areas of expertise.
Meth Epidemic as a Social Problem: Film Analysis Drug consumption has become a major social problem for many states in the US as many drug users and addicts consider meth as their top choice.
The Issue of Adolescent Pregnancy as a Major Social Problem The purpose of this study is to investigate the issue of adolescent pregnancy as a significant challenge that affects society across the globe.
Texting and Driving: Social Problems Texting and driving refers to the act of receiving, reading and sending text messages while operating a motor vehicle, which is a hazardous practice that causes many fatalities.
Social Problem of Inequality Studies of social inequality included non-urban areas and social inequality factors that had not been included in previous studies.
Social Problems of People with Disabilities People living with disabilities go through several challenges in life because society is yet to appreciate their presence.
Social Problems Exam Practice
PRS and Its Social Problems
Social Problems and Legalization of Marijuana
The Increasing Social Problems of Violence in the 20th Century
Child Abuse – Social Problems
Social Problems and Solutions Chart
The Social Problems Facing Homeless Youth
Social Problems Are Due to Society’s Tolerance of Immorality
Realist and Constructivist Approaches to Social Problems
Social Problems During the Industrial Revolution
Emile Durkheim and Social Problems
Literature During the Old Times Until Now Contribute To Address Social Problems
Substance Abuse and Social Problems
Public Education and the Impact of Social Problems
Social Problems Facing Our US Veterens
Physiological and Social Problems in the Middle East
Social Problems and Homelessness in Savannah, Georgia
Technical and Social Problems of Nuclear Waste
Social Problems Associated With Interfaith Marriages
Technology and Social Problems
Social Problems Affecting Students and Schools in the US
Ethnography: Social Problems
Social Problems Affecting Society, Big and Small
Appalachia: Culture and Social Problems
Social Problems Associated With Racial Discrimination
Political, Economic, and Social Problems in India
Social Problems Behind Sexual Deviance
Poor Neighborhoods Give Rise to Social Problems
Literary Realism and Social Problems
Prevalent Social Problems That Impacts Society
What Are the Ethical and Social Issues of Genetic Engineering?
What Social Problems Occur in Substance Abuse?
What Are the Main Social Issues among the Youth in Malaysia?
What Are the Social Problems behind War Suicide?
What Are the Economic and Social Issues of Women Entrepreneurs in Turkey?
What Are the Incentives for Solving Social Problems?
What Business and Social Problems Does Data Center?
Why Do Poor Neighborhoods Give Rise to Social Problems?
What Are the Reasons for the Social Problems of Adolescents?
What Are the Economic and Social Issues of the Caribbean?
What Social Problems Arise Because of Society’s Tolerance for Immorality?
What Are the Various Social Issues Faced by Black Women in the American South?
How Social Problems Caused by the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601?
What Are Pakistan’s Current Political and Social Problems?
What Are the Common Social Problems Affecting Society?
What Is the Influence of Literary Realism on Social Problems?
What Business and Social Problems Does Data Center Power Consumption Cause?
How Does the Media Impact Social Problems?
What Social Problems Are Revealed in the Great Gatsby?
What Are the Social Problems Associated with Interfaith Marriages?
Should the State Pay More Attention to Solving the Pressing Social Problems of Our Time?
What Is the Connection between Social Policy and Social Problems?
What Are the Social Problems Faced by Homeless Youth?
What Are the Physiological and Social Problems in the Middle East?
Online misinformation and its effects on society.
Racial bias and discrimination in policing.
The impact of populism on democracies.
Factors perpetuating the gender pay gap.
The influence of climate change on vulnerable populations.
The impact of automation on the job market.
The effects of cyberbullying on adolescents.
The social consequences of rapid urbanization.
Youth unemployment and social exclusion.
Social implications of genetic modification technologies.
Strategies to prevent cyberbullying and online harassment.
The impact of social media on youth.
Access to quality education for all.
The importance of safeguarding personal information online.
Encouraging youth to get involved in the democratic process.
The influence of technology on social interactions.
Ways to combat human trafficking.
Raising awareness of human rights violations in conflict zones.
The effects of social media on body image.
Why should guns be prohibited?

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StudyCorgi . 2022. "157 Social Problems Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about." March 1, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/social-problems-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Social Problems were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 24, 2024 .

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108 Social Issues Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Social issues are complex and multifaceted problems that affect individuals, communities, and societies as a whole. These issues can range from poverty and inequality to discrimination and environmental degradation. Writing an essay on a social issue can be a daunting task, but it can also be a rewarding experience that allows you to explore and analyze important topics that impact the world around you.

To help you get started, here are 108 social issues essay topic ideas and examples that you can use as inspiration for your next writing assignment:

The impact of social media on mental health
Income inequality and its effects on society
Police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement
The rise of fake news and its impact on democracy
Gender inequality in the workplace
Climate change and its effects on vulnerable communities
The opioid crisis and its impact on communities
The criminal justice system and racial disparities
Homelessness and poverty in America
The refugee crisis and global migration patterns
LGBTQ+ rights and discrimination
The rise of nationalism and its impact on global politics
Gun control and mass shootings in America
Environmental racism and its effects on marginalized communities
The impact of globalization on developing countries
Mental health stigma and access to treatment
Cyberbullying and online harassment
The #MeToo movement and sexual harassment in the workplace
Access to healthcare and the rising cost of medical care
The impact of technology on social relationships
Food insecurity and hunger in America
The effects of gentrification on low-income communities
Disability rights and accessibility
The criminalization of poverty and homelessness
Human trafficking and modern-day slavery
The impact of colonialism on indigenous communities
The rise of authoritarianism and threats to democracy
The education achievement gap and disparities in schools
Mental health challenges facing college students
The impact of social isolation on mental health
The influence of religion on social norms and values
The effects of gentrification on cultural identity
The impact of social media on political discourse
The role of activism in social change
Access to clean water and sanitation in developing countries
The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem
The effects of income inequality on public health
The criminalization of drug addiction and mental illness
The impact of climate change on indigenous communities

These are just a few examples of social issues that you can explore in your essay. Remember to choose a topic that you are passionate about and that you feel strongly about. Researching and writing about social issues can be a powerful way to raise awareness and advocate for change in the world. Good luck with your essay!

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189+ Best Social Science Research Paper Topics For Students

Post author By Pooja Barman
October 23, 2023

Social Science Research Paper Topics can be intriguing, insightful, and engaging, offering students an opportunity to explore a wide range of subjects that impact our society. Are you looking for the most interesting and good topics for a sociology research paper?

If yes, in this article, we will explore what Social Science Research Paper Topics are, provide guidance on how to choose and find them, and discuss why they are beneficial for students.

Additionally, we’ll present a comprehensive list of research paper topics across various social science fields.

Must Read: 125+ Most Creative Art Therapy Projects For Seniors

Table of Contents

What Are Social Science Research Paper Topics

Social Science Research Paper Topics are subjects, questions, or themes within the realm of social sciences that students investigate and write about in research papers. These topics cover a broad spectrum of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science, and more.

They aim to shed light on various aspects of human behavior, society, and culture, offering valuable insights and understanding.

How to Choose and Find Social Science Research Paper Topics

Selecting an engaging and relevant social science research paper topic is crucial for a successful paper. Here are some tips on how to choose and find the right topic:

1. Identify Your Interests

Start by considering your personal interests within the social sciences. What subjects or issues captivate your attention? Choosing a topic you’re passionate about will make the research and writing process more enjoyable.

2. Review Course Material

Reflect on what you’ve learned in your social science courses. Often, your coursework can spark ideas for research topics based on your studies and readings.

3. Current Events and Trends

Stay informed about current events and societal trends. These can provide inspiration for research topics that are both timely and relevant.

4. Consult with Professors

Seek guidance from your professors or advisors. They can offer suggestions and help refine your topic ideas.

5. Consider Feasibility

Ensure that your chosen topic is manageable within the scope of your assignment. You should be able to find sufficient research material and complete the project within the given timeframe.

6. Narrow or Broaden Your Focus

Depending on the assignment’s length and requirements, you may need to narrow down a broad topic or expand on a more specific aspect of a larger subject.

Now, let’s dive into a comprehensive list of Social Science Research Paper Topics across various fields:

Sociology Research Paper Topics

Income Inequality and Social Mobility
The Impact of Immigration on Host Societies
Gender Roles and Stereotypes in Society
Social Isolation in the Digital Age
Social Media’s Influence on Political Movements
Social Media and Self-esteem: Impacts on Mental Health
Gun Control Policies and Their Effects on Society
The Sociology of Protests and Social Movements
The Role of Religion in Social Cohesion
Cultural Appropriation and Its Social Implications

Psychology Research Paper Topics

The Psychology of Resilience in Adversity
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders
Effects of Childhood Trauma on Adult Mental Health
Cross-Cultural Differences in Psychological Disorders
The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination
Positive Psychology and Well-being
The Impact of Technology on Cognitive Abilities
Child Development and Attachment Theory
The Psychology of Prejudice in Online Communities
Understanding and Addressing Teenage Depression

Anthropology Research Paper Topics

Cultural Relativism and Ethical Dilemmas
Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability
Human-Environment Interactions in Archaeology
Anthropological Perspectives on Global Health
Cultural Change and Adaptation in the Modern World
Urban Anthropology and the Study of City Life
Ethical Dilemmas in Anthropological Research
Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainable Agriculture
Anthropology of Food and Cultural Significance
Archaeological Methods and Discoveries

Economics Research Paper Topics

The Economic Impact of Natural Disasters
Minimum Wage Policies and Their Consequences
Behavioral Economics and Consumer Decision-Making
The Gig Economy and Labor Market Trends
The Economics of Healthcare and Insurance
Global Economic Recession: Causes and Impacts
Economic Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Economic Inequality and Social Unrest
Behavioral Economics and Decision-Making in Investment

Political Science Research Paper Topics

International Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution
Political Polarization and Its Effects on Governance
Comparative Analysis of Political Systems
Global Governance and International Organizations
Political Propaganda and Media Manipulation
Women in Politics: Representation and Challenges
Political Extremism and Counterterrorism Policies
The Role of Soft Power in International Relations
Political Populism and Its Rise in Contemporary Politics
Environmental Policies and Political Will

Social Science Education Research Paper Topics

Inclusive Education and Special Needs Programs
Homeschooling: Trends and Outcomes
The Impact of Standardized Testing on Students
Teacher Training and Professional Development
Education Funding and Equity
The Impact of Technology in Classroom Learning
Education and Socioeconomic Achievement Gap
Teacher-Student Relationships and Academic Performance
School Bullying Prevention and Interventions

Environmental Social Science Research Paper Topics

Urbanization and Urban Planning for Sustainability
The Role of Wetlands in Ecosystem Health
Environmental Ethics and Conservation
Environmental Justice and Marginalized Communities
Renewable Energy Policies and Implementation
Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Practices
Soil Erosion and Agricultural Sustainability
Wildlife Conservation and Biodiversity Preservation
Environmental Education and its Role in Society
Sustainable Urban Planning and Green Cities

History-Social Science Research Paper Topics

The Historical Roots of Colonialism
Decolonization Movements in the 20th Century
The Impact of the Cold War on Global Politics
Historical Perspectives on Women’s Rights
The Cultural Significance of Historical Artifacts
The Impact of the Renaissance on Art and Culture
Historical Perspectives on the American Civil Rights Movement
The Decline of Ancient Civilizations: Causes and Lessons
Historical Analysis of Ancient Trade Routes
Impact of Colonialism on Indigenous Peoples

Social Work Research Paper Topics

Social Work in Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling
Substance Abuse Treatment in Vulnerable Populations
Child Protective Services and Family Welfare
The Role of Social Workers in Healthcare
Human Rights and Social Justice Advocacy
Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice
Homelessness and Social Services Interventions
Social Work in Correctional Facilities
Child Welfare and Family Reunification
Human Rights and Advocacy in Social Work

Communication Research Paper Topics

Crisis Communication in the Social Media Age
The Impact of Fake News on Public Perception
Visual Communication and its Influence
Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges
The Rhetoric of Political Speeches
Digital Media and the Future of Journalism
Intercultural Communication in a Globalized World
Communication Technology and its Impact on Relationships
Visual Communication and its Persuasive Power
The Art of Public Speaking and Rhetoric

Criminology Research Paper Topics

Cybersecurity and the Role of Law Enforcement
Criminal Behavior and Psychological Profiles
Recidivism and Rehabilitation Programs
White-Collar Crime and Corporate Responsibility
Policing Strategies and Community Relations
Juvenile Justice and Rehabilitation Programs
Cybersecurity and Law Enforcement Challenges
Criminal Profiling and Offender Characteristics
Hate Crimes and their Motivations
The Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Programs

Gender Studies Research Paper Topics

Toxic Masculinity in Popular Culture
The Impact of #MeToo Movement
Intersections of Gender and Race
Transgender Rights and Healthcare Access
The Influence of Gender in Language and Media
Women’s Reproductive Rights and Policies
Men’s Mental Health and Societal Expectations
Gendered Violence and Prevention Strategies
Gender Roles in Fairy Tales and Popular Culture
The Role of Gender in Language and Linguistics

Social Policy Research Paper Topics

Drug Policy and Harm Reduction Strategies
Universal Basic Income and Poverty Alleviation
Maternity and Paternity Leave Policies
Aging Population and Social Security
Immigration and Asylum Policies
Universal Basic Income and Economic Equality
Housing Policies and Affordable Housing Initiatives
Youth and Social Services Programs
Immigration and Family Reunification Policies
Disability Rights and Social Inclusion

Health Science Research Paper Topics

Healthcare Disparities in Underserved Communities
Nutrition and Public Health Interventions
The Opioid Epidemic and Prescription Drug Abuse
Mental Health Services in Rural Areas
Aging and Long-Term Care Services
Mental Health Stigma in Healthcare
The Impact of Social Determinants on Health Disparities
Healthcare Access and Rural Communities
Health Communication in Public Health Campaigns
Healthcare Systems in Developing Countries

Family Studies Research Paper Topics

The Impact of Divorce Mediation on Children
Foster Care and Adoption Policies
Sibling Relationships and Birth Order Effects
Interethnic and Intercultural Marriages
The Role of Grandparents in Child-Rearing
The Effect of Divorce on Sibling Relationships
Parental Involvement and Child Development
Foster Care and Child Welfare Reforms
Domestic Violence and Support Services
Aging Parents and Caregiver Stress

Globalization and Development Research Paper Topics

The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
Humanitarian Aid and International Crisis Response
Cultural Exchange Programs and Diplomacy
Global Supply Chain and Labor Conditions
Sustainable Tourism and Cultural Preservation
The Role of Multinational Corporations in Developing Economies
Indigenous Rights and Sustainable Development
Microfinance and Poverty Alleviation
Fair Trade and Ethical Consumerism
Global Health Partnerships and Disease Prevention

Social Justice Research Paper Topics

Environmental Racism and its Implications
Disability Rights and Inclusion
LGBTQ+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Juvenile Justice and Restorative Practices
Mass Incarceration and Prison Reform
LGBTQ+ Rights and Global Advocacy
Refugee Rights and Resettlement Challenges
Disability Rights and Access to Healthcare
Criminal Justice Reform and Social Equity
Indigenous Land Rights and Environmental Justice

Sociology of Religion Research Paper Topics

Religious Fundamentalism in Contemporary Society
Religion and Healthcare Decision-Making
Interfaith Dialogue and Understanding
Cults and Their Social Impact
Religion and Ethics in Bioengineering
Religious Pluralism and Interfaith Dialogue
Religious Radicalism and Terrorism
Religion’s Influence on Political Policies
The Role of Religion in Environmental Ethics
Secularism and Non-religious Worldviews

Social Impact of Technology Research Paper Topics

Online Privacy and Digital Surveillance
Artificial Intelligence and Its Ethical Challenges
E-Government and Online Civic Engagement
Social Media Activism and Its Limitations
Technology and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence
The Digital Divide and Technological Inequities
Social Media Activism and Online Movements
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Concerns
Virtual Reality and Its Applications in Education

Social Movements and Activism Research Paper Topics

Black Panther Party and its Legacy
Disability Rights Movements
Global Youth Activism and Climate Change
The Arab Spring and Political Change
Indigenous Rights Movements in Latin America
Youth-Led Movements and Their Impact on Social Change
Women’s Suffrage and the Fight for Voting Rights
Environmental Activism and Conservation Efforts
Indigenous Rights Movements in Asia

Why Social Science Research Paper Topics Are Beneficial for Students

Social Science Research Paper Topics offer several advantages for students:

Critical Thinking : Researching and writing about social science topics fosters critical thinking skills. It encourages students to analyze, interpret, and evaluate information and arguments.
Understanding Society : Social science research topics help students better understand the complexities of human society, culture, and behavior.
Research Skills : Students develop valuable research skills, including finding and assessing sources, conducting surveys or interviews, and drawing meaningful conclusions.
Communication Skills : Writing research papers hones students’ communication skills, including the ability to express complex ideas clearly and persuasively.
Awareness of Social Issues : Exploring social science topics can raise awareness of pressing social issues and encourage students to engage with them more deeply.
Preparation for Future Careers : Many careers in fields like sociology, psychology, and political science require strong research and analytical skills. Engaging in social science research prepares students for these roles.

Social Science Research Paper Topics provide students with an opportunity to explore, analyze, and contribute to our understanding of human society and its complexities. By following the guidance on selecting topics and recognizing their benefits, students can embark on research projects that are not only academically fulfilling but also socially relevant and impactful.

Whether you choose a topic from sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science, or any other social science field. With this extensive list of Social Science Research Paper Topics, students have a wide range of subjects to choose from, spanning sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science, and more.

These topics offer an opportunity to delve into critical societal issues, analyze their implications, and contribute to a deeper understanding of human behavior and society’s complexities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an example of a social science research question.

What are the sources of social inequality, and how does it relate to political institutions and social structures?

How do you write a good social science research paper?

The information should be detailed enough for someone to replicate the study, but it should also be concise.

What is social science research essay?

Social Science Research is the activity of gathering, analysing and interpreting information for a variety of social, economic, educational and political purposes.

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

The Research Problem/Question
Purpose of Guide
Design Flaws to Avoid
Independent and Dependent Variables
Glossary of Research Terms
Reading Research Effectively
Narrowing a Topic Idea
Broadening a Topic Idea
Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
Academic Writing Style
Applying Critical Thinking
Choosing a Title
Making an Outline
Paragraph Development
Research Process Video Series
Executive Summary
The C.A.R.S. Model
Background Information
Theoretical Framework
Citation Tracking
Content Alert Services
Evaluating Sources
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Tiertiary Sources
Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative Methods
Insiderness
Using Non-Textual Elements
Limitations of the Study
Common Grammar Mistakes
Writing Concisely
Avoiding Plagiarism
Footnotes or Endnotes?
Further Readings
Generative AI and Writing
USC Libraries Tutorials and Other Guides
Bibliography

A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. A research problem does not state how to do something, offer a vague or broad proposition, or present a value question. In the social and behavioral sciences, studies are most often framed around examining a problem that needs to be understood and resolved in order to improve society and the human condition.

Bryman, Alan. “The Research Question in Social Research: What is its Role?” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 10 (2007): 5-20; Guba, Egon G., and Yvonna S. Lincoln. “Competing Paradigms in Qualitative Research.” In Handbook of Qualitative Research . Norman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln, editors. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1994), pp. 105-117; Pardede, Parlindungan. “Identifying and Formulating the Research Problem." Research in ELT: Module 4 (October 2018): 1-13; Li, Yanmei, and Sumei Zhang. "Identifying the Research Problem." In Applied Research Methods in Urban and Regional Planning . (Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2022), pp. 13-21.

Importance of...

The purpose of a problem statement is to:

Introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being studied . The reader is oriented to the significance of the study.
Anchors the research questions, hypotheses, or assumptions to follow . It offers a concise statement about the purpose of your paper.
Place the topic into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be investigated.
Provide the framework for reporting the results and indicates what is probably necessary to conduct the study and explain how the findings will present this information.

In the social sciences, the research problem establishes the means by which you must answer the "So What?" question. This declarative question refers to a research problem surviving the relevancy test [the quality of a measurement procedure that provides repeatability and accuracy]. Note that answering the "So What?" question requires a commitment on your part to not only show that you have reviewed the literature, but that you have thoroughly considered the significance of the research problem and its implications applied to creating new knowledge and understanding or informing practice.

To survive the "So What" question, problem statements should possess the following attributes:

Clarity and precision [a well-written statement does not make sweeping generalizations and irresponsible pronouncements; it also does include unspecific determinates like "very" or "giant"],
Demonstrate a researchable topic or issue [i.e., feasibility of conducting the study is based upon access to information that can be effectively acquired, gathered, interpreted, synthesized, and understood],
Identification of what would be studied, while avoiding the use of value-laden words and terms,
Identification of an overarching question or small set of questions accompanied by key factors or variables,
Identification of key concepts and terms,
Articulation of the study's conceptual boundaries or parameters or limitations,
Some generalizability in regards to applicability and bringing results into general use,
Conveyance of the study's importance, benefits, and justification [i.e., regardless of the type of research, it is important to demonstrate that the research is not trivial],
Does not have unnecessary jargon or overly complex sentence constructions; and,
Conveyance of more than the mere gathering of descriptive data providing only a snapshot of the issue or phenomenon under investigation.

Bryman, Alan. “The Research Question in Social Research: What is its Role?” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 10 (2007): 5-20; Brown, Perry J., Allen Dyer, and Ross S. Whaley. "Recreation Research—So What?" Journal of Leisure Research 5 (1973): 16-24; Castellanos, Susie. Critical Writing and Thinking. The Writing Center. Dean of the College. Brown University; Ellis, Timothy J. and Yair Levy Nova. "Framework of Problem-Based Research: A Guide for Novice Researchers on the Development of a Research-Worthy Problem." Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline 11 (2008); Thesis and Purpose Statements. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Thesis Statements. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Selwyn, Neil. "‘So What?’…A Question that Every Journal Article Needs to Answer." Learning, Media, and Technology 39 (2014): 1-5; Shoket, Mohd. "Research Problem: Identification and Formulation." International Journal of Research 1 (May 2014): 512-518.

Structure and Writing Style

I. Types and Content

There are four general conceptualizations of a research problem in the social sciences:

Casuist Research Problem -- this type of problem relates to the determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by analyzing moral dilemmas through the application of general rules and the careful distinction of special cases.
Difference Research Problem -- typically asks the question, “Is there a difference between two or more groups or treatments?” This type of problem statement is used when the researcher compares or contrasts two or more phenomena. This a common approach to defining a problem in the clinical social sciences or behavioral sciences.
Descriptive Research Problem -- typically asks the question, "what is...?" with the underlying purpose to describe the significance of a situation, state, or existence of a specific phenomenon. This problem is often associated with revealing hidden or understudied issues.
Relational Research Problem -- suggests a relationship of some sort between two or more variables to be investigated. The underlying purpose is to investigate specific qualities or characteristics that may be connected in some way.

A problem statement in the social sciences should contain :

A lead-in that helps ensure the reader will maintain interest over the study,
A declaration of originality [e.g., mentioning a knowledge void or a lack of clarity about a topic that will be revealed in the literature review of prior research],
An indication of the central focus of the study [establishing the boundaries of analysis], and
An explanation of the study's significance or the benefits to be derived from investigating the research problem.

NOTE: A statement describing the research problem of your paper should not be viewed as a thesis statement that you may be familiar with from high school. Given the content listed above, a description of the research problem is usually a short paragraph in length.

II. Sources of Problems for Investigation

The identification of a problem to study can be challenging, not because there's a lack of issues that could be investigated, but due to the challenge of formulating an academically relevant and researchable problem which is unique and does not simply duplicate the work of others. To facilitate how you might select a problem from which to build a research study, consider these sources of inspiration:

Deductions from Theory This relates to deductions made from social philosophy or generalizations embodied in life and in society that the researcher is familiar with. These deductions from human behavior are then placed within an empirical frame of reference through research. From a theory, the researcher can formulate a research problem or hypothesis stating the expected findings in certain empirical situations. The research asks the question: “What relationship between variables will be observed if theory aptly summarizes the state of affairs?” One can then design and carry out a systematic investigation to assess whether empirical data confirm or reject the hypothesis, and hence, the theory.

Interdisciplinary Perspectives Identifying a problem that forms the basis for a research study can come from academic movements and scholarship originating in disciplines outside of your primary area of study. This can be an intellectually stimulating exercise. A review of pertinent literature should include examining research from related disciplines that can reveal new avenues of exploration and analysis. An interdisciplinary approach to selecting a research problem offers an opportunity to construct a more comprehensive understanding of a very complex issue that any single discipline may be able to provide.

Interviewing Practitioners The identification of research problems about particular topics can arise from formal interviews or informal discussions with practitioners who provide insight into new directions for future research and how to make research findings more relevant to practice. Discussions with experts in the field, such as, teachers, social workers, health care providers, lawyers, business leaders, etc., offers the chance to identify practical, “real world” problems that may be understudied or ignored within academic circles. This approach also provides some practical knowledge which may help in the process of designing and conducting your study.

Personal Experience Don't undervalue your everyday experiences or encounters as worthwhile problems for investigation. Think critically about your own experiences and/or frustrations with an issue facing society or related to your community, your neighborhood, your family, or your personal life. This can be derived, for example, from deliberate observations of certain relationships for which there is no clear explanation or witnessing an event that appears harmful to a person or group or that is out of the ordinary.

Relevant Literature The selection of a research problem can be derived from a thorough review of pertinent research associated with your overall area of interest. This may reveal where gaps exist in understanding a topic or where an issue has been understudied. Research may be conducted to: 1) fill such gaps in knowledge; 2) evaluate if the methodologies employed in prior studies can be adapted to solve other problems; or, 3) determine if a similar study could be conducted in a different subject area or applied in a different context or to different study sample [i.e., different setting or different group of people]. Also, authors frequently conclude their studies by noting implications for further research; read the conclusion of pertinent studies because statements about further research can be a valuable source for identifying new problems to investigate. The fact that a researcher has identified a topic worthy of further exploration validates the fact it is worth pursuing.

III. What Makes a Good Research Statement?

A good problem statement begins by introducing the broad area in which your research is centered, gradually leading the reader to the more specific issues you are investigating. The statement need not be lengthy, but a good research problem should incorporate the following features:

1. Compelling Topic The problem chosen should be one that motivates you to address it but simple curiosity is not a good enough reason to pursue a research study because this does not indicate significance. The problem that you choose to explore must be important to you, but it must also be viewed as important by your readers and to a the larger academic and/or social community that could be impacted by the results of your study. 2. Supports Multiple Perspectives The problem must be phrased in a way that avoids dichotomies and instead supports the generation and exploration of multiple perspectives. A general rule of thumb in the social sciences is that a good research problem is one that would generate a variety of viewpoints from a composite audience made up of reasonable people. 3. Researchability This isn't a real word but it represents an important aspect of creating a good research statement. It seems a bit obvious, but you don't want to find yourself in the midst of investigating a complex research project and realize that you don't have enough prior research to draw from for your analysis. There's nothing inherently wrong with original research, but you must choose research problems that can be supported, in some way, by the resources available to you. If you are not sure if something is researchable, don't assume that it isn't if you don't find information right away--seek help from a librarian !

NOTE: Do not confuse a research problem with a research topic. A topic is something to read and obtain information about, whereas a problem is something to be solved or framed as a question raised for inquiry, consideration, or solution, or explained as a source of perplexity, distress, or vexation. In short, a research topic is something to be understood; a research problem is something that needs to be investigated.

IV. Asking Analytical Questions about the Research Problem

Research problems in the social and behavioral sciences are often analyzed around critical questions that must be investigated. These questions can be explicitly listed in the introduction [i.e., "This study addresses three research questions about women's psychological recovery from domestic abuse in multi-generational home settings..."], or, the questions are implied in the text as specific areas of study related to the research problem. Explicitly listing your research questions at the end of your introduction can help in designing a clear roadmap of what you plan to address in your study, whereas, implicitly integrating them into the text of the introduction allows you to create a more compelling narrative around the key issues under investigation. Either approach is appropriate.

The number of questions you attempt to address should be based on the complexity of the problem you are investigating and what areas of inquiry you find most critical to study. Practical considerations, such as, the length of the paper you are writing or the availability of resources to analyze the issue can also factor in how many questions to ask. In general, however, there should be no more than four research questions underpinning a single research problem.

Given this, well-developed analytical questions can focus on any of the following:

Highlights a genuine dilemma, area of ambiguity, or point of confusion about a topic open to interpretation by your readers;
Yields an answer that is unexpected and not obvious rather than inevitable and self-evident;
Provokes meaningful thought or discussion;
Raises the visibility of the key ideas or concepts that may be understudied or hidden;
Suggests the need for complex analysis or argument rather than a basic description or summary; and,
Offers a specific path of inquiry that avoids eliciting generalizations about the problem.

NOTE: Questions of how and why concerning a research problem often require more analysis than questions about who, what, where, and when. You should still ask yourself these latter questions, however. Thinking introspectively about the who, what, where, and when of a research problem can help ensure that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of the problem under investigation and helps define the scope of the study in relation to the problem.

V. Mistakes to Avoid

Beware of circular reasoning! Do not state the research problem as simply the absence of the thing you are suggesting. For example, if you propose the following, "The problem in this community is that there is no hospital," this only leads to a research problem where:

The need is for a hospital
The objective is to create a hospital
The method is to plan for building a hospital, and
The evaluation is to measure if there is a hospital or not.

This is an example of a research problem that fails the "So What?" test . In this example, the problem does not reveal the relevance of why you are investigating the fact there is no hospital in the community [e.g., perhaps there's a hospital in the community ten miles away]; it does not elucidate the significance of why one should study the fact there is no hospital in the community [e.g., that hospital in the community ten miles away has no emergency room]; the research problem does not offer an intellectual pathway towards adding new knowledge or clarifying prior knowledge [e.g., the county in which there is no hospital already conducted a study about the need for a hospital, but it was conducted ten years ago]; and, the problem does not offer meaningful outcomes that lead to recommendations that can be generalized for other situations or that could suggest areas for further research [e.g., the challenges of building a new hospital serves as a case study for other communities].

Alvesson, Mats and Jörgen Sandberg. “Generating Research Questions Through Problematization.” Academy of Management Review 36 (April 2011): 247-271 ; Choosing and Refining Topics. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; D'Souza, Victor S. "Use of Induction and Deduction in Research in Social Sciences: An Illustration." Journal of the Indian Law Institute 24 (1982): 655-661; Ellis, Timothy J. and Yair Levy Nova. "Framework of Problem-Based Research: A Guide for Novice Researchers on the Development of a Research-Worthy Problem." Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline 11 (2008); How to Write a Research Question. The Writing Center. George Mason University; Invention: Developing a Thesis Statement. The Reading/Writing Center. Hunter College; Problem Statements PowerPoint Presentation. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Procter, Margaret. Using Thesis Statements. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Shoket, Mohd. "Research Problem: Identification and Formulation." International Journal of Research 1 (May 2014): 512-518; Trochim, William M.K. Problem Formulation. Research Methods Knowledge Base. 2006; Thesis and Purpose Statements. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Thesis Statements. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Pardede, Parlindungan. “Identifying and Formulating the Research Problem." Research in ELT: Module 4 (October 2018): 1-13; Walk, Kerry. Asking an Analytical Question. [Class handout or worksheet]. Princeton University; White, Patrick. Developing Research Questions: A Guide for Social Scientists . New York: Palgrave McMillan, 2009; Li, Yanmei, and Sumei Zhang. "Identifying the Research Problem." In Applied Research Methods in Urban and Regional Planning . (Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2022), pp. 13-21.

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The Biggest 15 Social Issues We Are Facing Today

No matter where we live, what communities we belong to or what we care about, we are affected by social issues. It’s the price of living in a society, and while challenges like poverty, climate change and discrimination can feel overwhelming, we have the power to take action. The first step is understanding what issues we’re up against. In this article, we’ll explore 15 of the biggest social issues facing the world today.

#	Challenge
1	The global housing crisis
2	Gender inequality
3	Climate crisis
4	Overconsumption
5	Global hunger
6	Threats to LGBTQ+ rights
7	Reproductive justice
8	Educational disparities
9	Health and healthcare
10	Income inequality
11	Global unemployment
12	Increased migration
13	Artificial intelligence
14	Debt bondage
15	Threats to journalism

#1. The global housing crisis

Shelter is a human right, but hundreds of millions of people lack adequate, affordable housing. According to the World Bank, the housing crisis is global, and it could impact as many as 1.6 billion people by 2025. That number will only grow with time. By 2030, the world needs to build 96,000 new affordable homes per day to meet the needs of 3 billion people. What’s driving the global housing crisis? According to Albert Saiz in a paper for the MIT Center for Real Estate, economic factors like rising costs and income inequality are prevalent. Addressing these issues now is critical to protecting people in the future.

#2. Gender inequality

Societies have been working to improve gender inequality for centuries, but we still have a long way to go. Globally, women still make less money than men, have poorer health outcomes, have fewer opportunities and endure more gender–based violence. According to 2023 data, the global gender gap won’t close until 2154 . Even the most gender-equal country, which is Iceland , still has social issues to address. Some of the issues are recognized – women are still being subjected to physical and sexual violence – while there are gaps in data related to things like unpaid care, domestic work, gender and the environment, and so on.

#3. Climate crisis

The climate crisis is one of today’s most urgent social issues. Earth.org outlines a list of major climate events in 2023 , including severe droughts, wildfires, higher ocean surface temperatures and storms. That same year, the IPCC released a summary of its previous five reports, showing how human activity is causing severe damage to the planet, and, if trends continue, parts of the earth will become unlivable in just a few decades. The world can fight the climate crisis, but we have to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and turn to renewable energy sources.

#4. Overconsumption

Greenhouse gas emissions are a primary driver of climate change, but overconsumption is hurting the planet, too. Unfathomable amounts of food, clothing, plastic and other things are thrown into landfills and the ocean every day. However, it’s not a problem for everyone. According to research, just 20% of the world’s population is responsible for consuming 80% of the globe’s natural resources. The richest 500 million people release half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. To break it down even further, if every person in the world consumed resources at the rate as people in Canada and the United States did, we would need at least five earths .

#5. Global hunger

Global food insecurity is a serious problem. According to data, about 735 million people endured chronic hunger in 2022, and with issues like climate change, the lingering effects of the pandemic and conflict, it will be very challenging to end hunger by 2030. Children typically suffer the most. When kids don’t get enough to eat, they become more vulnerable to diseases like measles, malaria and diarrhea. According to the World Food Programme, “hotspots” for hunger include Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan and Palestine.

#6. Threats to LGBTQ+ rights

At the same time as LGBTQ+ rights have expanded, certain countries have pushed back. In the summer of 2023, the first Ugandan was charged with “aggravated homosexuality,” a crime punishable by death. In its 2023 review, the Electronic Frontier Foundation also found an increase in anti-LGBTQ sentiment , including more laws that restrict privacy and freedom of expression, and censorship of LGBTQ+ websites. Even in places like the United States, which is seen by many as a haven for the LGBTQ+ community, legislative threats are on the rise .

#7. Reproductive justice

Reproductive justice, which includes things like abortion access and maternal health, is a social issue affecting every corner of the world. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, most countries are expanding abortion rights, while just four – the United States, Poland, Nicaragua, and El Salvador – rolled back abortion rights . Globally, about 40% of women live in places with “restrictive” abortion laws. Related social issues include menstrual health, prenatal and maternal health, access to contraception and so on.

#8. Educational disparities

When people get a good education, they’re more likely to have higher incomes, better health, healthier children and other benefits. On a larger scale, education also helps countries achieve overall wealth and health. There’s been significant progress on closing the gender gap in education. According to a blog on the World Bank, boys and girls complete primary school at almost an equal rate . However, around 130 million girls are still being denied an education. Wealth also plays a role in educational disparities. In the United States, one study found that wealth affects a student’s chances of finishing college. On a global scale, wealth also impacts where a family lives and what school options are available, as well as tutoring opportunities, whether a student needs a job and much more.

#9. Health and healthcare

Health and the ability (or inability) to access good healthcare are major social issues. Unfortunately, healthcare systems around the world are struggling. COVID-19 continues to be a problem, but hospitals are also facing staff shortages and competition . Not everyone is affected equally. According to the World Health Organization, refugees and migrants experience worse health outcomes due to language barriers, cultural differences, discrimination and legal restrictions on what services they can access.

#10. Income inequality

Global income inequality fluctuates, but according to a 2023 Oxfam study , the world’s richest 1% took almost ⅔ of all the new wealth created since 2020. That gave them almost twice the amount of money held by the bottom 99%. Income inequality can cause serious problems , such as lower economic growth, worse social cohesion and political polarization. There are also ethical consequences to income inequality, which human rights and social justice advocates often discuss. Can society ever be truly good or free when only a handful of people hold all the wealth?

#11. Global unemployment (and underemployment)

High unemployment rates – and low-paying jobs – drive income inequality and poverty. In a 2023 report, the International Labour Organization found that the world is still experiencing slow employment growth . There was a slight recovery in 2021, but as the economy slows again, people are forced to take jobs that pay less, provide fewer hours and/or offer poor working conditions. South Africa, which is the most industrialized economy in Africa, also has one of the highest unemployment rates. According to Reuters, reasons include structural issues related to the shadows of colonialism and apartheid. To fight issues like poverty and gender inequality, countries need to address unemployment and low-paying jobs.

#12. Increased migration

People move all the time, but issues like war and climate change force people to leave their homes. Sometimes, they move within the borders of one country, but other times, they’re forced to take long, dangerous journeys to countries they’ve never visited. According to the Migration Policy Institute, “humanitarian migration” increased in 2023, while policies could impact elections in 2024. The social issues related to migration, such as the rights of migrants, affordable housing, health services and more, will all be relevant for the foreseeable future.

#13. Artificial intelligence

The presence of artificial intelligence has exploded in recent years, but the technology has several issues. Ethics is just one of them. According to a guide on UMA Libraries, AI has problems with gender and racial bias, plagiarism, generating fake news and supporting scams. It also takes a lot of energy to train and run AI programs, so as the use of AI increases, so will its carbon footprint . As the technology continues to develop, new regulations, legislation and guidelines will need to be created, as well.

#14. Debt bondage

Rates of labor trafficking have been increasing over the years. According to research, about ⅕ of those in forced labor trafficking are in debt bondage . Debt bondage is a very common type of trafficking where a person is forced to work off a loan. However, because the debt is often so high and they are paid so little, it’s impossible to escape the situation. Perpetrators also often have no intention of freeing the people they’re exploiting; debt bondage can even pass on to children. While bonded labor is technically illegal in some places, like India, it persists , especially in rural areas. Because trafficking is an illicit practice, it’s very difficult to get accurate numbers, but it’s most likely worse than what’s reported.

#15. Threats to journalism

By providing vital information to the public, journalists are essential to freedom of speech, freedom of expression, democracy and the protection of other human rights. In recent years, journalism has been under threat. According to the 2023 World Press Freedom Index , the environment for journalism was “bad” in seven out of 10 countries, while it was “satisfactory” in just three out of 10 countries. The reasons include a surge in fake news and propaganda. Journalists also face threats to their lives. UNESCO found that in 2023, there was a near doubling of deaths of journalists working in conflict zones. As conflicts in Ukraine, Palestine and other countries continue, the safety of journalism will remain a social issue.

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1.4 Doing Research on Social Problems

Learning objectives.

List the major advantages and disadvantages of surveys, observational studies, and experiments.
Explain why scholars who study social problems often rely on existing data.

Sound research is an essential tool for understanding the sources, dynamics, and consequences of social problems and possible solutions to them. This section briefly describes the major ways in which sociologists gather information about social problems. Table 1.2 “Major Sociological Research Methods” summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Table 1.2 Major Sociological Research Methods

Method	Advantages	Disadvantages
Survey	Many people can be included. If given to a random sample of the population, a survey’s results can be generalized to the population.	Large surveys are expensive and time consuming. Although much information is gathered, this information is relatively superficial.
Experiments	If random assignment is used, experiments provide fairly convincing data on cause and effect.	Because experiments do not involve random samples of the population and most often involve college students, their results cannot readily be generalized to the population.
Observation (field research)	Observational studies may provide rich, detailed information about the people who are observed.	Because observation studies do not involve random samples of the population, their results cannot readily be generalized to the population.
Existing data	Because existing data have already been gathered, the researcher does not have to spend the time and money to gather data.	The data set that is being analyzed may not contain data on all the variables in which a sociologist is interested or may contain data on variables that are not measured in ways the sociologist prefers.

The survey is the most common method by which sociologists gather their data. The Gallup poll is perhaps the most well-known example of a survey and, like all surveys, gathers its data with the help of a questionnaire that is given to a group of respondents . The Gallup poll is an example of a survey conducted by a private organization, but sociologists do their own surveys, as does the government and many organizations in addition to Gallup. Many surveys are administered to respondents who are randomly chosen and thus constitute a random sample . In a random sample, everyone in the population (whether it be the whole US population or just the population of a state or city, all the college students in a state or city or all the students at just one college, etc.) has the same chance of being included in the survey. The beauty of a random sample is that it allows us to generalize the results of the sample to the population from which the sample comes. This means that we can be fairly sure of the behavior and attitudes of the whole US population by knowing the behavior and attitudes of just four hundred people randomly chosen from that population.

Some surveys are face-to-face surveys, in which interviewers meet with respondents to ask them questions. This type of survey can yield much information, because interviewers typically will spend at least an hour asking their questions, and a high response rate (the percentage of all people in the sample who agree to be interviewed), which is important to be able to generalize the survey’s results to the entire population. On the downside, this type of survey can be very expensive and time consuming to conduct.

A call center with employees taking surveys over the phone

Surveys are very useful for gathering various kinds of information relevant to social problems. Advances in technology have made telephone surveys involving random-digit dialing perhaps the most popular way of conducting a survey.

plantronicsgermany – Encore520 call center man standing – CC BY-ND 2.0.

Because of these drawbacks, sociologists and other researchers have turned to telephone surveys. Most Gallup polls are conducted over the telephone. Computers do random-digit dialing, which results in a random sample of all telephone numbers being selected. Although the response rate and the number of questions asked are both lower than in face-to-face surveys (people can just hang up the phone at the outset or let their answering machine take the call), the ease and low expense of telephone surveys are making them increasingly popular. Surveys done over the Internet are also becoming more popular, as they can reach many people at very low expense. A major problem with web surveys is that their results cannot necessarily be generalized to the entire population because not everyone has access to the Internet.

Surveys are used in the study of social problems to gather information about the behavior and attitudes of people regarding one or more problems. For example, many surveys ask people about their use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs or about their experiences of being unemployed or in poor health. Many of the chapters in this book will present evidence gathered by surveys carried out by sociologists and other social scientists, various governmental agencies, and private research and public interest firms.

Experiments

Experiments are the primary form of research in the natural and physical sciences, but in the social sciences they are for the most part found only in psychology. Some sociologists still use experiments, however, and they remain a powerful tool of social research.

The major advantage of experiments, whether they are done in the natural and physical sciences or in the social sciences, is that the researcher can be fairly sure of a cause-and-effect relationship because of the way the experiment is set up. Although many different experimental designs exist, the typical experiment consists of an experimental group and a control group , with subjects randomly assigned to either group. The researcher does something to the experimental group that is not done to the control group. If the two groups differ later in some variable, then it is safe to say that the condition to which the experimental group was subjected was responsible for the difference that resulted.

Most experiments take place in the laboratory, which for psychologists may be a room with a one-way mirror, but some experiments occur in the field, or in a natural setting ( field experiments ). In Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the early 1980s, sociologists were involved in a much-discussed field experiment sponsored by the federal government. The researchers wanted to see whether arresting men for domestic violence made it less likely that they would commit such violence again. To test this hypothesis, the researchers had police do one of the following after arriving at the scene of a domestic dispute: They either arrested the suspect, separated him from his wife or partner for several hours, or warned him to stop but did not arrest or separate him. The researchers then determined the percentage of men in each group who committed repeated domestic violence during the next six months and found that those who were arrested had the lowest rate of recidivism, or repeat offending (Sherman & Berk, 1984). This finding led many jurisdictions across the United States to adopt a policy of mandatory arrest for domestic violence suspects. However, replications of the Minneapolis experiment in other cities found that arrest sometimes reduced recidivism for domestic violence but also sometimes increased it, depending on which city was being studied and on certain characteristics of the suspects, including whether they were employed at the time of their arrest (Sherman, 1992).

As the Minneapolis study suggests, perhaps the most important problem with experiments is that their results are not generalizable beyond the specific subjects studied. The subjects in most psychology experiments, for example, are college students, who obviously are not typical of average Americans: They are younger, more educated, and more likely to be middle class. Despite this problem, experiments in psychology and other social sciences have given us very valuable insights into the sources of attitudes and behavior. Scholars of social problems are increasingly using field experiments to study the effectiveness of various policies and programs aimed at addressing social problems. We will examine the results of several such experiments in the chapters ahead.

Observational Studies

Observational research, also called field research , is a staple of sociology. Sociologists have long gone into the field to observe people and social settings, and the result has been many rich descriptions and analyses of behavior in juvenile gangs, bars, urban street corners, and even whole communities.

Observational studies consist of both participant observation and nonparticipant observation . Their names describe how they differ. In participant observation, the researcher is part of the group that she or he is studying, spends time with the group, and might even live with people in the group. Several classical social problems studies of this type exist, many of them involving people in urban neighborhoods (Liebow, 1967; Liebow, 1993; Whyte, 1943). In nonparticipant observation, the researcher observes a group of people but does not otherwise interact with them. If you went to your local shopping mall to observe, say, whether people walking with children looked happier than people without children, you would be engaging in nonparticipant observation.

Similar to experiments, observational studies cannot automatically be generalized to other settings or members of the population. But in many ways they provide a richer account of people’s lives than surveys do, and they remain an important method of research on social problems.

Existing Data

Sometimes sociologists do not gather their own data but instead analyze existing data that someone else has gathered. The US Census Bureau, for example, gathers data on all kinds of areas relevant to the lives of Americans, and many sociologists analyze census data on such social problems as poverty, unemployment, and illness. Sociologists interested in crime and the criminal justice system may analyze data from court records, while medical sociologists often analyze data from patient records at hospitals. Analysis of existing data such as these is called secondary data analysis . Its advantage to sociologists is that someone else has already spent the time and money to gather the data. A disadvantage is that the data set being analyzed may not contain data on all the topics in which a sociologist may be interested or may contain data on topics that are not measured in ways the sociologist might prefer.

The Scientific Method and Objectivity

This section began by stressing the need for sound research in the study of social problems. But what are the elements of sound research? At a minimum, such research should follow the rules of the scientific method . As you probably learned in high school and/or college science classes, these rules—formulating hypotheses, gathering and testing data, drawing conclusions, and so forth—help guarantee that research yields the most accurate and reliable conclusions possible.

An overriding principle of the scientific method is that research should be conducted as objectively as possible. Researchers are often passionate about their work, but they must take care not to let the findings they expect and even hope to uncover affect how they do their research. This in turn means that they must not conduct their research in a manner that helps achieve the results they expect to find. Such bias can happen unconsciously, and the scientific method helps reduce the potential for this bias as much as possible.

This potential is arguably greater in the social sciences than in the natural and physical sciences. The political views of chemists and physicists typically do not affect how an experiment is performed and how the outcome of the experiment is interpreted. In contrast, researchers in the social sciences, and perhaps particularly in sociology, often have strong feelings about the topics they are studying. Their social and political beliefs may thus influence how they perform their research on these topics and how they interpret the results of this research. Following the scientific method helps reduce this possible influence.

Key Takeaways

The major types of research on social problems include surveys, experiments, observational studies, and the use of existing data.
Surveys are the most common method, and the results of surveys of random samples may be generalized to the populations from which the samples come.
Observation studies and existing data are also common methods in social problems research. Observation studies enable the gathering of rich, detailed information, but their results cannot necessarily be generalized beyond the people studied.
Research on social problems should follow the scientific method to yield the most accurate and objective conclusions possible.

For Your Review

Have you ever been a respondent or subject in any type of sociological or psychological research project? If so, how did it feel to be studied?
Which type of social problems research method sounds most interesting to you? Why?

Liebow, E. (1967). Tally’s corner . Boston, MA: Little, Brown.

Liebow, E. (1993). Tell them who I am: The lives of homeless women . New York, NY: Free Press.

Sherman, L. W., & Berk, R. A. (1984). The specific deterrent effects of arrest for domestic assault. American Sociological Review, 49 , 261–272.

Sherman, L. W. (1992). Policing domestic violence: Experiments and dilemmas . New York, NY: Free Press.

Whyte, W. F. (1943). Street corner society: The social structure of an Italian slum . Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: The Research Problem/Question

Purpose of Guide
Writing a Research Proposal
Design Flaws to Avoid
Independent and Dependent Variables
Narrowing a Topic Idea
Broadening a Topic Idea
The Research Problem/Question
Academic Writing Style
Choosing a Title
Making an Outline
Paragraph Development
The C.A.R.S. Model
Background Information
Theoretical Framework
Citation Tracking
Evaluating Sources
Reading Research Effectively
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
Is it Peer-Reviewed?
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative Methods
Common Grammar Mistakes
Writing Concisely
Avoiding Plagiarism [linked guide]
Annotated Bibliography
Grading Someone Else's Paper

Importance of...

The purpose of a problem statement is to:

Introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being studied . The reader is oriented to the significance of the study.
Anchors the research questions, hypotheses, or assumptions to follow . It offers a concise statement about the purpose of your paper.
Place the topic into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be investigated.
Provide the framework for reporting the results and indicates what is probably necessary to conduct the study and explain how the findings will present this information.

In the social sciences, the research problem establishes the means by which you must answer the "So What?" question. This question refers to a research problem surviving the relevancy test [the quality of a measurement procedure that provides repeatability and accuracy]. Note that answering the "So What?" question requires a commitment on your part to not only show that you have reviewed the literature, but that you have thoroughly considered its significance and its implications applied to obtaining new knowledge or understanding.

To survive the "So What" question, problem statements should possess the following attributes:

Clarity and precision [a well-written statement does not make sweeping generalizations and irresponsible pronouncements; it also does include unspecific determinates like "very" or "giant"],
Demonstrate a researchable topic or issue [i.e., feasibility of conducting the study is based upon access to information that can be effectively acquired, gathered, interpreted, synthesized, and understood],
Identification of what would be studied, while avoiding the use of value-laden words and terms,
Identification of an overarching question or small set of questions accompanied by key factors or variables,
Identification of key concepts and terms,
Articulation of the study's boundaries or parameters or limitations,
Some generalizability in regards to applicability and bringing results into general use,
Conveyance of the study's importance, benefits, and justification [i.e., regardless of the type of research, it is important to demonstrate that the research is not trivial],
Does not have unnecessary jargon or overly complex sentence constructions; and,
Conveyance of more than the mere gathering of descriptive data providing only a snapshot of the issue or phenomenon under investigation.

Bryman, Alan. “The Research Question in Social Research: What is its Role?” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 10 (2007): 5-20; Castellanos, Susie. Critical Writing and Thinking . The Writing Center. Dean of the College. Brown University; Ellis, Timothy J. and Yair Levy Nova Framework of Problem-Based Research: A Guide for Novice Researchers on the Development of a Research-Worthy Problem. Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline 11 (2008); Thesis and Purpose Statements . The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Thesis Statements . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University.

Structure and Writing Style

Sources of Problems for Investigation

Personal Experience Don't undervalue your everyday experiences or encounters as worthwhile problems for investigation. Think critically about your own experiences and/or frustrations with an issue facing society, your community, your neighborhood, your family, or your personal life. This can be derived, for example, from deliberate observations of certain relationships for which there is no clear explanation or witnessing an event that appears harmful to a person or group or that is out of the ordinary.

Relevant Literature The selection of a research problem can be derived from a thorough review of pertinent research associated with your overall area of interest. This may reveal where gaps exist in understanding a topic or where an issue has been understudied. Research may be conducted to: 1) fill such gaps in knowledge; 2) evaluate if the methodologies employed in prior studies can be adapted to solve other problems; or, 3) determine if a similar study could be conducted in a different subject area or applied in a different context or to different study sample [i.e., different setting or different group of people].Also, authors frequently conclude their studies by noting implications for further research; read the conclusion of pertinent studies because statements about further research can be a valuable source for identifying new problems to investigate. The fact that a researcher has identified a topic worthy of further exploration validates the fact it is worth pursuing.

What Makes a Good Research Statement?

Asking Analytical Questions about the Research Problem

Given this, well-developed analytical questions can focus on any of the following:

Highlights a genuine dilemma, area of ambiguity, or point of confusion about a topic open to interpretation by your readers;
Yields an answer that is unexpected and not obvious rather than inevitable and self-evident;
Provokes meaningful thought or discussion;
Raises the visibility of the key ideas or concepts that may be understudied or hidden;
Suggests the need for complex analysis or argument rather than a basic description or summary; and,
Offers a specific path of inquiry that avoids eliciting generalizations about the problem.

NOTE: Questions of how and why concerning a research problem often require more analysis than questions about who, what, where, and when. You should still ask yourself these latter questions, however. Thinking introspectively about the who, what, where, and when of a research problem can help ensure that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of the problem under investigation and help define the scope of the study in relation to the problem.

Mistakes to Avoid

Beware of circular reasoning! Do not state that the research problem as simply the absence of the thing you are suggesting. For example, if you propose the following, "The problem in this community is that there is no hospital," this only leads to a research problem where:

The need is for a hospital
The objective is to create a hospital
The method is to plan for building a hospital, and
The evaluation is to measure if there is a hospital or not.

This is an example of a research problem that fails the "So What?" test . In this example, the problem does not reveal the relevance of why you are investigating the fact there is no hospital in the community [e.g., there's a hospital in the community ten miles away]; it does not elucidate the significance of why one should study the fact there is no hospital in the community [e.g., that hospital in the community ten miles away has no emergency room]; the research problem does not offer an intellectual pathway towards adding new knowledge or clarifying prior knowledge [e.g., the county in which there is no hospital already conducted a study about the need for a hospital]; and, the problem does not offer meaningful outcomes that lead to recommendations that can be generalized for other situations or that could suggest areas for further research [e.g., the challenges of building a new hospital serves as a case study for other communities].

Alvesson, Mats and Jörgen Sandberg. “Generating Research Questions Through Problematization.” Academy of Management Review 36 (April 2011): 247-271 ; Choosing and Refining Topics . Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Ellis, Timothy J. and Yair Levy Nova. "Framework of Problem-Based Research: A Guide for Novice Researchers on the Development of a Research-Worthy Problem." Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline 11 (2008); How to Write a Research Question . The Writing Center. George Mason University; Invention: Developing a Thesis Statement . The Reading/Writing Center. Hunter College; Problem Statements PowerPoint Presentation . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Procter, Margaret. Using Thesis Statements . University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Trochim, William M.K. Problem Formulation . Research Methods Knowledge Base. 2006; Thesis and Purpose Statements . The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Thesis Statements . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Walk, Kerry. Asking an Analytical Question . [Class handout or worksheet]. Princeton University; White, Patrick. Developing Research Questions: A Guide for Social Scientists . New York: Palgrave McMillan, 2009.

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Writing Your Analysis of A Social Problem Paper

Paper Structure

Your paper should be typed, double spaced, with a title and reference section . Cite your sources every time you use them in the paper.

Research papers should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion :

1. Introduction : summarizes what you will write and puts it into context. Should consist of 3 parts:

"What You're Studying": start with a thesis statement about your social problem which includes background contextualizing it
"So What?": demonstrate why your social problem is important and why your reader should care about it
"Game Plan": outline the main points of your paper and the order in which you will address them

2. Body : presents the main points of the paper, with each paragraph representing one aspect of the paper's main focus. Prioritize and organize your main points and paragraphs to logically build your arguments to a compelling conclusion. Each paragraph should include a topic sentence, evidence, analysis, and a transition sentence:

The topic sentence summarizes the paragraph's main idea
Use evidence from your research sources to support or make the argument for your assertions about your main idea
Analyze your evidence to show how it links to your broader thesis
Include a transition sentence at the end of each paragraph to connect what you discussed in that paragraph with the main idea of the next paragraph

3. Conclusion : summarizes what you wrote and what you learned

Restate your thesis from the introduction in different words
Briefly summarize your main points or arguments and pull them together into the paper's main thesis
End with a strong, final statement that ties the whole paper together and makes it clear the paper has come to an end
No new ideas should be introduced in the conclusion, it should only review and analyze the main points from the body of the paper (with the exception of suggestions for further research)

4. References list : a list of the sources you cited

Cite your sources in APA or ASA Style
Format your References list in APA or ASA Style

For more writing help, contact the Writing Center and make an online appointment to meet with one of their consultants.

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Opposing Viewpoints is a library database dedicated to social issues. You can find scholarly articles, news articles, and pro/con opinion articles on various, timely social issues.

Opposing Viewpoints

Opposing Viewpoints includes an extensive list of sample topics leading to gateways of full-text resources including: book chapters, viewpoint essays, news, magazine and academic journal articles as well as some statistical data. Watch the How to Use Opposing Viewpoints video.

Browse Issues

Start by selecting the "Browse Issues" icon. This will take you to a list of social issues you can use to start thinking about your topic.

Viewpoint articles

Each Issue has a topic page. Here, you will see articles separated by type: Academic Journals, Viewpoints, Images, Magazines, News, Statistics, etc.

Viewpoints are opinion articles. These will show pro/con arguments on certain aspects of your topic. Click on "Viewpoints" to read about all the sides of an issue, and to learn about proposed solutions. This will also help you decide what topic you would like to learn more about for your paper.

How to find articles

1. Create a Research statement

This can be in the form of a question or a sentence. Just think about what you want to research and write it down in one sentence.

Highlight keywords in research statement

2. Identify the Keywords

Look at your research statement. What are the main words or concepts? They will likely be nouns, and can include phrases. Highlight them.

3. Think of synonyms

Look at the words/phrases you highlighted and think of synonyms or alternate phrases to describe those concepts. Scholarly articles often use words that we wouldn’t use in ordinary life.

Searching in EBSCO- use each search box for each concept

4. Search in the databases

Pick two or three words/phrases from your list. Put each concept in its own search box.

Another search strategy alternative using other synonyms

5. Search again!

Try different combinations of words to get different results. Add more words to narrow down your results. Look at the “Subject” headings for each article to see what keywords are being used the most.

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Social Problems Research Paper

This sample social problems research paper features: 7000 words (approx. 23 pages), an outline, and a bibliography with 40 sources. Browse other research paper examples for more inspiration. If you need a thorough research paper written according to all the academic standards, you can always turn to our experienced writers for help. This is how your paper can get an A! Feel free to contact our writing service for professional assistance. We offer high-quality assignments for reasonable rates.

Introduction

Social problems of natural disasters and erosion of the earth, social problems of poverty, inequality, and racism, social problems related to the family, social problems related to crime.

Bibliography

Social problems are relevant to all of us, and it is no coincidence that scholars from many different disciplines—including anthropology, sociology, psychology, and criminology—have systematically studied this area. Unlike natural scientists, social scientists often employ moral judgments during the course of their research. If, for example, an anthropologist wanted to study the effects of Hurricane Katrina, then he would face different obstacles than if a meteorologist were to study the same phenomenon. Most people would agree that it would be unethical for an anthropologist to passively sit by and take notes, rather than offer assistance to victims while conducting fieldwork in the aftermath of a devastating storm. A natural scientist, on the other hand, would probably not experience the moral dilemmas that would be faced by social scientists. Because anthropologists often are in the unique position of studying other human beings, the potential for bias is not surprising, and they may often face difficulties in remaining neutral and objective during the course of a particular study (Newman, 1999).

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Because there is no broad consensus as to which type of social problems are the most worthy of our attention, social scientists may show their biases merely by the topics that they choose to study (Mooney, Knox, & Schacht, 2009). By choosing which issues are the most worthy of investigation, anthropologists are employing their own personal discretion. This makes the systematic study of social problems somewhat subjective. For example, one researcher may identify racism as the most important social problem plaguing society, whereas another researcher may avoid this issue altogether. Because anthropologists are humans studying other human beings, anthropology will never be as scientific as disciplines in the natural sciences. Nevertheless, in spite of this caveat, anthropologists can add much to the discussion of social problems. They employ a unique set of methodologies, such as ethnography, which provide valuable insights into various problems (Newman, 1999; Malinowski, 1941). Additionally, an anthropological perspective is important to our understanding of social problems because it examines factors, such as culture and power dynamics (Bodley, 2008). As it will later be shown, powerful institutions, including the media, have largely shaped and defined society’s conception of what is and is not a social problem.

There is no question that the 21st century has seen its share of natural disasters, especially when one considers that we have not been in this new millennium for even a decade. Perhaps, at least for Americans, the most recognizable instance of a recent natural disaster occurred in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina is considered to be one of the deadliest and costliest natural disasters in American history. It may have been responsible for taking the lives of as many as 1,836 people and causing upwards of $81.2 billion worth of damage (Mooney et al., 2009). Hurricane Katrina shall be referred to periodically throughout this research paper because it represents numerous types of social problems in addition to being a problem associated with the environment. For example, Hurricane Katrina illustrates problems related to inequality, racism, and sexism. African Americans, Latinos, women, and children tended to be disproportionately affected by this natural disaster and were the most likely to be among the dead in the aftermath of the storm (Kornblum & Julian, 2009).

According to anthropologists, ethnocentrism is when an individual believes that her culture is superior to other cultures (Malinowski, 1941). When discussing these and other social problems, social scientists strive to adopt a global perspective, rather than to engage in ethnocentric thinking. It is particularly important, then, not to focus solely on natural disasters that have occurred in the United States. In addition to Hurricane Katrina, there have been other natural disasters that have occurred throughout other parts of the world during the 21st century. While there is no question that Hurricane Katrina may be one of the most frequently cited natural disasters, it pales in comparison with the destruction caused by the Asian tsunami of 2004. It is likely that this disaster claimed the lives of more than 150,000 people (Mooney et al., 2009). As in the case of Hurricane Katrina, most of the victims of the Asian tsunami were poor. These individuals had substandard homes that could not withstand any type of resistance force, and most did not have insurance policies or savings accounts to help them get on their feet in the aftermath of the disaster. It is safe to speculate that the poor are usually more vulnerable to natural disasters than other members of society.

It is a cruel irony that while the poorest segments of society often suffer the worst from natural disasters, in many ways it is wealthy and privileged individuals who bear the most responsibility in destroying the earth. Corporate greed and consumption have led to global warming and climate change, which may contribute to an increase in natural disasters of a magnitude similar to that of Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami in the future. Relative to its population, the United States emits the highest amount of carbons. For example, in 2005, less than 5% of the world’s population lived in the United States, yet it still produced 21% of the world’s carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels (Energy Information Administration, 2007). These gas pollutants from automobiles and factories produce a “greenhouse effect,” which could have catastrophic consequences if this goes unchecked (Heiner, 2006). As the temperature increases, some areas of the world may experience heavier rains, and at the same time others may become drier (Bodley, 2008). A temperature increase of only a few degrees has the potential to drastically change life on this planet. In addition to emitting the highest carbons, citizens in the United States also generate a disproportionate amount of solid waste relative to other countries. For example, according to Cheeseman (2007), more than 380 billion plastic shopping bags are used in the United States every year. These bags are particularly bad for the environment and may take up to 1,000 years to decompose. Countries such as Taiwan, Singapore, South Africa, and Bangladesh have restricted or outright banned these harmful products, yet the United States refuses to follow this example (Cheeseman, 2007). In addition to this, a recent study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (2009) found that Americans dispose of approximately 4.54 pounds of garbage every day. Also, citizens in the United States and other industrialized countries are likely to dispose of large amounts of electronic equipment. This phenomenon, which has been referred to as “e-waste,” is very devastating to the environment (Mooney et al., 2009). When disposed of in a careless manner, electronic equipment has the potential to contaminate our water supply and soil.

Anthropologist Richard H. Robbins (1999) contends that capitalistic societies, such as the United States, are responsible for elevating human consumption levels which in turn leads to the depletion of natural resources and the destruction of the environment. He argues that our culture encourages laborers to accumulate wages, capitalists to accumulate profits, and consumers to hoard goods. Robbins also suggests that a handful of powerful elitists reap the benefits from being involved in a culture dedicated to consumption. In fact, these individuals often are responsible for using the media to create consumerism in order to advance their own interests. It is a well-known fact that capitalists in the United States rely heavily on advertising in order to sell commodities. Even when a commodity is frivolous, clever advertising often has the ability to present the product as a necessity and make consumers feel compelled to rush out to the stores. This has devastating consequences for the environment and often results in pollution, resource depletion, and waste.

Generally speaking, capitalists and corporations have been highly resistant to the idea of allowing the government to regulate businesses in order to preserve the environment. In fact, beginning in the late 1970s, U.S. businesses began spending billions of dollars a year to convince the American public that there was too much environmental regulation (Beder, 1997). This intense lobbying proved to be very effective because many environmental regulations that were passed in the seventies were either repealed or simply unenforced during the 1980s (Bodley, 2008). The fact that corporations have been so resistant to environmental regulation illustrates how a small number of powerful people are benefiting from the destruction and pillaging of the earth’s resources. The forces of capitalism not only have depleted valuable natural resources but also have produced a highly stratified and nonequalitarian social system. Social problems related to poverty and inequality are of considerable concern to anthropologists and shall be discussed in the following section.

In addition to exemplifying a recent and horrific natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina also represents social problems related to poverty and inequality. It is very plausible, for example, that before the storm hit New Orleans, wealthy residents and visitors were given priority over poorer residents and bused out first. In fact, one account suggests that 700 guests and employees of a Hyatt Hotel were given the first opportunity to leave, while lower-class individuals were relegated to the end of the evacuation line (Dowd, 2005). It is true that low-income African Americans were the most likely to remain in the city during Hurricane Katrina (Dyson, 2006; Elliot & Pais, 2006). It also may come as no surprise that during the Asian tsunami of 2004, foreign tourists also received substantially more aid during the storm than the thousands of impoverished villagers who were more or less left to fend for themselves (Mooney et al., 2009).

Almost without exception, whenever a natural disaster strikes, those who are poor or are considered to be on the fringes of society tend to be victimized the most. It may be no coincidence that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, women, children, and racial minorities were very likely to be among the dead that were found scattered throughout the streets of New Orleans. Dyson (2006) argues these groups were unable to evacuate the city prior to the storm due to financial constraints. Many low-income New Orleanians may have simply not had access to reliable transportation. Even if some of these individuals were fortunate enough to have personal vehicles, evacuating may have been seen as a considerable expense. Some residents may have opted instead to take their chances, only to realize later that they had made a monumental mistake.

While racial minorities were disproportionately the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the media also victimized them throughout this natural disaster (Brezina & Kaufman, 2008). During the storm, for example, there were media reports that grossly exaggerated the levels of violence among New Orleanians. According to Brezina (2008), many of these stories stereotyped the urban poor as prone to violence and extreme forms of criminal behavior. Other scholars suggest that a few of the media depictions were outright racist. For example, Tierney and colleagues (2006) contend that the news media coverage following Hurricane Katrina portrayed New Orleans as a “snake pit of anarchy, a violent place where armed gangs of black men took advantage of the disaster not only to loot but also to commit capital crimes” (p. 68). Stories were also published with alleged incidents of child rape and mass murder among evacuees who were in the New Orleans Superdome.

It is astonishing that major news outlets published the bogus stories described here without any meaningful attempt to check for accuracy. It is even more disconcerting that most of the general public seemed willing to accept these stories without question. Perhaps for a few individuals, these horrific tales even confirmed a few privately held beliefs regarding the poor and people of color. Even in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, some white Americans still regard racial minorities as being culturally or intellectually inferior to themselves. It does not help that the media often exacerbate these misperceptions by frequently publishing stories that depict racial minorities, particularly members of the African American community, in a negative light. One does not have to look very hard to find stories that portray African Americans as either welfare recipients or criminals.

Fortunately, many anthropologists have dedicated their careers to speaking out against racial stereotypes. One relatively recent example is illustrated in the work of the late Eugenia Shanklin. In perhaps her best-known work, Anthropology and Race, Shanklin (1993) advances the notion that race is socially constructed. She also argues against the notion that race is a valid scientific concept. In many respects, Shanklin’s argument builds upon the classic work of renowned anthropologist Franz Boas. Boas wrote extensively about race during the beginning of the 20th century, and he too concluded that this was a social, rather than a biological, concept (as cited in Williams, 1996). In retrospect, his writings against the evils of racism were quite ahead of their time. This is especially true when one considers that these were written during a period when social Darwinism and eugenics were at the height of their popularity (Williams, 1996).

In addition to writing about race, other scholars have also examined the processes by which members of racial minorities become disenfranchised. For example, in his classic article, “The Culture of Poverty,” anthropologist Oscar Lewis (1966) argues that for some people poverty is a way of life. Often this may be due largely to structural barriers, such as a lack of jobs and inadequate educational systems. Lewis contends that at an early age, children living in urban slums begin to subscribe to a set of values and beliefs that are conducive to poverty. It is not uncommon for many of these children to be racial minorities. Children who are assimilated into this culture have problems deferring gratification and avoid participating in society’s major institutions (Lewis, 1966). This culture is also characterized by a high concentration of single-parent households that are usually headed by females. Over time, children who are socialized in these environments begin to adopt self-defeating attitudes that can make them less competitive in the marketplace when they enter adulthood. Even today, more than 40 years since it was published, Lewis’s study still has relevance. African Americans and Hispanics are among the poorest people in the nation. In fact, year after year, the rates of poverty among these minority groups are 2 to 3 times higher than the poverty found among Caucasians. Sadly, many of those who are impoverished in this country are children. For example, Conley (1999) writes that “over half of African American children under the age of 6 are living in poverty” (p. 10).

It can often be very challenging for individuals who are raised in poverty to overcome obstacles in order to obtain even the most menial types of employment. According to Princeton anthropologist Katherine S. Newman (1999), even minimum-wage jobs at fast-food restaurants are extremely competitive, and there are usually more applications than there are positions. She contends that often African Americans are excluded from these jobs, even if the restaurant is in a predominantly African American neighborhood. Individuals who are fortunate enough to obtain jobs as “burger flippers” must still compete with other employees for hours and often suffer incivilities from supervisors and customers. During the course of her research, Newman (1999) conducted countless interviews with low-income fast-food workers and observed them in their natural environment. She argues that many of America’s poor are working in dead-end jobs, such as the fast-food industry, with little hope of advancement.

While the United States certainly has problems of inequality and poverty, it is currently the richest and most powerful nation and does not suffer from the same level of poverty as many third-world and developing countries. As mentioned previously, it is important for anthropologists to adopt a global perspective when studying various problems. Regardless of where someone lives, we are all members of the human race, and therefore a problem experienced by one culture inevitably affects us all. Consider that throughout the world more than one fourth of the earth’s population (roughly 2.5 billion people) subsist on less than $2 a day, and approximately 1 billion people (or 1 in 6 individuals) live on less than $1 a day (World Bank, 2007). The planet has more than enough resources, yet millions of people throughout the world currently lack access to food, durable shelter, and clean drinking water.

Anthropologists such as Bodley (2008) argue that these are the consequences of living in the contemporary commercial world. Unlike small tribal societies that were prevalent thousands of years ago, the contemporary commercial world prevents some individuals from obtaining basic necessities. Today, levels of global inequality are at an all-time high. As power elites race toward accumulating capital, this has produced enormous wealth and power differentials. Bodley (2008) writes:

The daily lives and future prospects of virtually all of the world’s 6 billion people are shaped by the political and economic decisions made by a relative handful of people who command trillions of dollars in financial capital and overwhelmingly powerful armed forces. (p. 17)

Given this statement, it may come as no surprise that currently the wealthiest 10% of adults own 85% of the world’s total wealth, while the poorest half of the adult global population holds slightly more than 1% of the world’s wealth (Davies, Sandstrom, Shorrocks, & Wolff, 2006).

Clearly inequality, poverty, and racism are problems not only in this country but also throughout the world. Bodley (2008) contends that many of these problems stem from global competition. In the name of competition, corporate executives in the United States hold back wages from their employees and deny benefits that are standard in other industrialized countries (Gray, 2000). There is no question that workers in European nations enjoy far more rights than workers in America. In Western European countries, for example, it is much more difficult to fire an employee, and it is virtually unheard of for companies to “downsize” merely to add to the overall profit margin. Also, workers in France enjoy a shorter workweek and more paid time off compared with their United States counterparts (Heiner, 2006).

While it seems as though European nations have the most humane system, there is at least some indication that a few of these countries are beginning to imitate the U.S. model in order to gain a competitive edge (Heiner, 2006). Currently, the United States is considered to be the most capitalistic society in the world because it has the least amount of governmental regulations. This lack of regulations has resulted in gross disparities and outright discrimination (Bodley, 2008; Kornblum & Julian, 2009; Mooney et al., 2009). Global competition has also led to the exploitation of third-world countries. According to Heiner (2006), this has been going on for several hundred years. He contends that there is a long history of powerful nations establishing colonies throughout the third world in order to plunder and export valuable natural resources such as gold, silver, silks, and other items. Also, even though some corporations have recently relocated from the first world to the third world, Heiner (2006) suggests that poverty has actually been on the rise in underdeveloped countries since the arrival of these new companies. Standards of living have also been on the decline in the third world and are likely to continue (Mooney et al., 2009). It seems that extreme forms of capitalism exacerbate inequalities in poor countries just as they do in wealthy ones, such as the United States.

While it may seem obvious to many of us that unbridled economic pursuits have created enormous inequalities throughout the world, the media have done much to shape the way we think about capitalism. By and large, in the United States, capitalism is held as one of the highest virtues. This is in great part due to the media-constructed image of the “American Dream,” where anyone can achieve wealth and success with enough hard work (Messner & Rosenfeld, 2007). Even though extreme forms of capitalism have resulted in gross inequalities, Americans are socialized to believe that it is the best system. Ironically, this also applies to poor people. Newman (1999) suggests that even the poor tend to embrace the notion of the American Dream, in the hope that they may one day achieve success and accumulate wealth.

The media, owned in the United States by the power elite, bears a large responsibility in generating the idea that anyone can be successful in a capitalistic society (Heiner, 2006). This has dire consequences. When individuals in the United States fail to move from rags to riches, they often blame themselves. In this country, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, there is a tendency to blame the poor whenever they fail to be successful or provide for their families. It is no surprise that in this country, in order to be considered successful and good providers, many workers are spending more time at the office and less time with their families. While some individuals have been able to accumulate more possessions and increase their purchasing power by working longer hours, sadly this has come at a considerable expense to their families (Mooney et al., 2009). In fact, one of the greatest social problems facing Americans today involves problems related to the family. This deserves a considerable amount of attention and shall be discussed in depth in the following section.

In the United States and elsewhere throughout the world, there are many different varieties and types of families. The U.S. Census defines a family as a group of two or more people who are bonded by marriage, adoption, or blood. Mooney and colleagues (2009) contend that the above definition is somewhat restrictive because it does not take into account foster families and unmarried same-sex and opposite-sex couples. The official definition of a family also fails to consider those relationships that function and feel like a family. For example, college students living together and sharing expenses and household chores might be considered a family in the broadest sense of the word. As we begin to examine the various social problems that plague the family, it is necessary to understand that today’s family knows virtually no bounds. In fact, the traditional conception of the family, with a father who is the breadwinner and a mother who stays at home with the children, is probably one of the least typical types of families in the United States.

According to Skolnick (1991), throughout history people have warned that the family was on the verge of becoming extinct. During political campaigns, social conservatives tend to be the most vocal about the decay of the traditional family unit. For instance, it is not uncommon for conservative candidates to attack liberals for their tolerance of gay marriage and single parenthood (Kornblum & Julian, 2009). It is also not unusual for some traditionalists to blame problems of the family on working mothers. Many social conservatives argue that in order to solve many of society’s problems, families should return to the breadwinner-housewife model that was popular in the United States during the 1950s (Heiner, 2006; Hewlett & West, 1998). Some scholars claim, however, that these are merely tactics to divert attention from the low levels of government funding given to families that are struggling financially.

Conservatives, who ardently favor independence and self-sufficiency, often fail to remember that their idealized conception of the 1950s family was possible only because of unprecedented amounts of governmental assistance, such as low-interest housing loans and educational subsidies (Hewlett & West, 1998). During the 1950s, the federal government spent billions of dollars on public transportation, sewage systems, parks, and other projects designed to help families (Hewlett & West, 1998; Kornblum & Julian, 2009). From past experience, it would seem that a similar use of public subsidies would be an effective way to help facilitate families in the new millennium. It is ironic, however, that many traditionalists tend to be against this idea. Of all the industrialized countries in the world, the United States has the fewest governmental policies and programs designed to support the family. Given this, perhaps it should come as no surprise that the United States also has one of the highest divorce rates and is willing to tolerate levels of child poverty that would be unconscionable in other countries. These are current issues that plague the family and will be discussed later in more detail.

In his classic ethnographic study of familial relations among natives of the Trobriand Islands, anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski (1941) argues that even in the most primitive societies, there is an expectation that “every family must have a father,” and “a woman must marry before she may have children” (p. 202). Currently, while it is true that premarital pregnancy in the United States is frowned upon, unmarried mothers are generally not as stigmatized as they have been in past history (Kornblum & Julian, 2009). In fact, today approximately one out of three children in the United States is born out of wedlock (Mooney et al., 2009). While this may seem high to some people, it is important to note that countries such as Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and France have even higher rates of nonmarital births than the United States. In Iceland, as many as 2 out of 3 children are born out of wedlock, and in approximately half of the births in Norway and Sweden, the mother and father are not legally married (Money et al., 2009).

In addition to the above countries, there are also parts of West Africa where unmarried women may have children without being ostracized or punished. This is especially true if the mother is not considered to be promiscuous. According to Kornblum and Julian (2009), as long at the identity of the child’s father is known, an unwed mother will experience very little, if any, stigmatization. While some social conservatives have expressed moral outrage at the rise in the rate of nonmarital births, many children both in this country and in other cultures throughout the world have been able to find love and acceptance in family structures that may not be considered traditional by American standards. It is also important to mention that children who are raised in nontraditional families may be provided with a higher level of care and nurturing than those whose father is present but struggling with a problem such as substance abuse or unemployment (Kornblum & Julian, 2009).

The family is very important to our understanding of social problems because it is often identified as being either the solution to or the source of societal ills, such as alcoholism, crime, and poverty (Heiner, 2006). If children come from a “good” family, for example, then it is commonly believed that they will avoid engaging in deviant or pathological behavior. Most traditionalists assume that children who are adequately socialized will ultimately receive a good education, raise families of their own, pay taxes, and more or less be productive citizens. On the other hand, if a child is delinquent, turns to drugs, or has problems in school, the family is often singled out as being the source of the problem. Given the importance that we place on the family, it is no surprise that this has been an important research topic for many social scientists.

Recently, there have been numerous studies examining whether or not—and to what extent—financial problems plague the family. Most of the current literature indicates that a tough U.S. economy has led women to largely abandon the role of solely being a homemaker (Jacobs & Gerson, 2004). Today, approximately 71% of women with children under the age of 18 are employed outside the home (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007). Also, ever since the 1970s, both men and women have consistently been working longer hours. In the United States, it is not unusual for many individuals to work more than 50 hours a week (Jacobs & Gerson, 2004). In fact, a recent study conducted by the Economic Policy Institute (as cited in Bernstein, Mishel, & Schmitt, 2000) found that, on average, married working couples with children spent 256 more hours at their jobs in 1997 than they did in 1989. This is roughly the equivalent of an extra month and a half of time spent at the office rather than at home.

Not surprisingly, family members today are more stressed out than ever before as they try to juggle domestic and work responsibilities. Sadly, children often have the most difficulty in adjusting to the pressures of living in a dual-income family. Occasionally, some may even become “latchkey children,” who are largely responsible for their own care, since both of their parents are working. If this is true in two-parent households, then it is especially the case for children who live in families with only one parent. In this country, 49% of non-Hispanic white single-mother households are due to divorce, in contrast to 62% of African American single-mother families, where the mother never married (Fields, 2004).

Currently, the United States has the highest rate of divorce among Western nations. According to Kimmel (2004), 40% of marriages in this country end in divorce.

The rate of divorce rate is even higher when one looks at couples who have already been married at least once. Also, children are involved in 60% of divorce cases. In other words, when a marriage dissolves, more often than not, children will be affected by this decision.

Divorce represents perhaps one of the most serious problems plaguing the family because it has the potential to result in many devastating consequences. First, divorce is likely to create significant economic hardships for mothers and their children. Many women, who might have been unpaid homemakers or part-time employees during their marriage, are not fully prepared to enter the workplace in the aftermath of a divorce (Amato, 2003). Usually, following a divorce, they must go back to school and at the same time find a way to increase their income. Often, this entails getting a job (or a second job), putting in more overtime, and finding other means to make money. At the same time, they often have to take on new financial responsibilities, such as balancing the family budget. On top of this, women are disproportionately likely to assume many (if not all) of the child-rearing duties following a divorce (Amato, 2003). To make matters worse, it is not uncommon for fathers to offer little or no economic support.

In addition to the adverse economic impact that it has on families, divorce also places children at a higher risk of developing psychological and emotional problems. Some children with divorced parents may become extremely sensitive or overly aggressive and develop serious self-esteem issues. If this behavior goes unchecked, it can lower a child’s performance in school and have serious long-term effects on his or her future. Amato and Cheadle (2005) contend that the repercussions of divorce are so powerful that even future children, who have not even been born, have the potential to be affected. For example, a divorce that occurs in the first generation of a family may be associated with lower education, more divorce, and greater familial tensions in the second generation, which then may in turn contribute to similar problems in the third generation. While there are some situations where divorce may be the only option, there is no question that it can result in many negative consequences for a family’s well-being.

Finally, there is some relatively new literature indicating that natural disasters can affect a family’s well-being. While these events can result in the loss of lives and financial ruin, it appears that events such as floods, hurricanes, and tornados can also impact families. In one recent study, for example, it was estimated that approximately 1 in 4 (22%) of New Orleanians indicated that they had experienced marital discord as a result of Hurricane Katrina (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2007). In this study, 10% of the subjects even admitted to throwing things at their partner, yelling, and losing control. Other studies have confirmed the above finding that natural disasters, such as Katrina, can lead to domestic violence and various other forms of familial abuse (Brezina & Kaufman, 2008; Enarson, 1999). While domestic violence clearly is an issue that is related to the family, it is also one of many social problems that are related to crime. Problems related to crime shall be discussed in more detail in the following section.

Of all the various social problems, perhaps those related to crime tend to receive the most attention. According to Mooney and colleagues (2009), a crime is considered to be an act or omission of an act that is punishable by either federal, state, or local law. In other words, in order for there to be a crime, the state must be able to impose a punishment. Also, someone who commits a crime must be acting willfully and voluntarily. An action is also likely to be seen as a crime if there is no legitimate excuse as to why the actor engaged in a particular proscribed act (Mooney et al., 2009). Interestingly, in spite of clear-cut legal definitions of crime, the popular media have influenced our conception of crime and criminals. Television shows such as CSI, COPS, and Law & Order, for example, have provided distortions about the criminal justice system. The media, then, often take an active role in shaping and defining the types of acts that we as a society should consider to be crimes, as well as the types of people who are likely to be perceived as criminals.

In order to illustrate the above point, one only needs to tune in to an episode of COPS, a reality television show that enables viewers to follow police officers during the course of their 8-hour shifts. The viewer, from the comfort of home, sees life from the inside of a patrol car. One of the more controversial aspects of this program is that it features a distorted view of criminals. For example, usually, but not always, the perpetrator on the show is a minority male. The suspect is often intoxicated and portrayed as a burden to society. The officers, on the other hand, are seen as the heroes who quell the disturbance and dispense justice within the confines of the law. Almost always, the officers are depicted as being fair, calm, and highly professional. They are very seldom, if ever, shown to be aggressive, hostile, or downright abusive. While some television viewers may find crime shows such as COPS to be extremely entertaining, these programs nevertheless have the potential to be very misleading and can even generate negative stereotypes about racial minorities. As Heiner (2006) argues, much of the reality of crime is edited out of “reality-based” crime shows. In writing about these shows, he contends that they “depend upon the cooperation of the authorities, and their producers must keep in mind that if the police are not presented in a positive light, then they will not get their cooperation for future broadcasts” (Heiner, 2006, p. 115).

As a result of being exposed to a heavy regimen of cop and reality crime shows, some members of the public may be left with an impression that most racial minorities use drugs and are an overall menace to society (Heiner, 2006).

These shows rarely, if ever, portray offenses that are committed by law enforcement agents, though certainly these do exist. Also, they say very little about white-collar offenses, though these have the potential to be much more costly to society than traditional street crimes (Messner & Rosenfeld, 2007).

The images of crime that are perpetuated by the media also have a high likelihood to create a sense of fear and anxiety. Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on safes and home-security devices. One can only wonder how many of these expenditures are related to the distorted images that are routinely shown on reality cop shows and the nightly news (Beirne & Messerschmidt, 2000). Many television programs are notorious for portraying criminals as disproportionately likely to be members of racial minorities who offend against Caucasians. Sadly, this does little to further race relations in this country.

Even though there is absolutely no evidence that members of racial minorities are more likely to be criminal by nature, African American and Hispanic males are disproportionately overrepresented at virtually every stage in the criminal justice system (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006; Steffensmeier & Demuth, 2000). This may be due in large part to an institutional bias against minorities. Police officers, for example, may engage in racial profiling where they target suspects solely based on their race. This practice amounts to little more than outright discrimination and may be just one example of the racial bias that is inherent in the criminal justice system. African American males are particularly likely to be the recipients of institutional racism. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2006), it is estimated that 12% of all African American males in their late 20s are in some type of correctional facility compared with only 1.7% of white males in this same age range. African American males are also more than 8 times as likely as Caucasians to be sent to prison for drug offenses (Mooney et al., 2009). In fact, 1 out of every 8 African American males can be found serving time in some type of correctional facility on any given day (Kornblum & Julian, 2009). It would be naive to think that members of racial minorities are not discriminated against at every checkpoint on the criminal justice assembly line.

Perhaps one of the greatest problems plaguing the criminal justice system today is the current incarceration binge in the United States. As of this writing, the United States has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the world, with approximately 702 out of every 100,000 of its citizens incarcerated (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2005). Also, Americans are more likely to be incarcerated than individuals living in less democratic countries, such as Russia or South Africa. The United States, without question, has the highest incarceration rate of all other industrialized democracies. Yet many Americans tend to believe that we are “soft” on crime (Mooney et al., 2009). This is in spite of the fact that between 1975 and 2002, the prison population increased from 204,593 to 2,033,331 (Heiner, 2006). In other words, in slightly over 25 years, it increased almost tenfold.

The costs of America’s obsession with punishment should be enough to scare any fiscal conservative, yet often these are the very individuals who are lobbying to build more prisons. Perhaps the most frightening fact of all is that this recent preoccupation with imprisonment has not corresponded with an increase in crime. In other words, even as the crime rate in the United States has decreased, the incarceration rate has nevertheless continued to increase (Kornblum & Julian, 2009). Again, it cannot be understated that the current incarceration binge is extremely expensive. Today, American taxpayers spend approximately $60 billion a year to maintain the prison system. This is quite astounding when one considers that the cost was $9 billion only two decades ago. Perhaps if the United States was not so preoccupied with punishment, this money could be utilized for education, health care, and public transportation. Society’s response to crime has in and of itself become an enormous social problem and is currently depleting valuable tax dollars.

One does not need to look very far to see that there are numerous social problems currently plaguing the world. Though this research paper has discussed a variety of different types of problems, this in no way implies that the list is exhaustive. In addition to the social problems mentioned in this paper, anthropologists also study problems related to health and the health care system, population and immigration, alcohol and drug use, gender and sexuality, mental illness, and terrorism. Unfortunately, there are a variety of problems that the world is currently facing. It would be beyond the scope of this research paper and quite impossible to discuss them all.

One major theme of this research paper is that the media play a vital role in defining and constructing various types of problems. Often, the information that the media present has the potential to be biased. Contrary to popular opinion, most news organizations are a far cry from being radical, left-wing institutions. Instead, many tend to be tainted by corporate influences and sponsors who buy advertisements (Heiner, 2006). This inevitably affects the way we as a society view social problems. To make matters worse, many citizens in the United States seldom go to the polls to cast their votes. If policymakers perceive the public as being largely apathetic and uninformed, then there is a high likelihood that little action will be taken to alleviate social problems. Therefore, it is crucial for Americans not only to vote but also to stay informed.

Admittedly, it can be difficult to keep abreast of the latest news, given that many media outlets have been co-opted by powerful corporations. Nevertheless, there are at least a few Web sites that provide insights into different social problems throughout the world. Heiner (2006), for example, points to the following sites: factcheck.org, truthout.org, alternet.org, corpwatch.org, and projectcensored.org (a site that is maintained by students). Perhaps through open communication and the dissemination of information, individuals can work together and begin to find ways to solve today’s problems. Anthropologists and other social scientists have a special responsibility to educate and empower the people of the world. Though there is undoubtedly a great deal of work to be done, this is not an undertaking that is altogether impossible. In order to be successful, everyone must do their part to make the world a better place. This can start on a small, individual level and can include activities such as volunteering and recycling. If everyone is willing to contribute, there is great hope.

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40 Social Issues Research Paper Topics
40 Social Issues Research Paper Topics. Social issues don't exist without the society, its cultural, ethical and moral boundaries. What is considered a social issue in one country or timeframe, maybe an absolutely mundane event in other. So every social issue research paper should start from explaining the cultural context where it happened.
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Social Issues Research Topics for a Professional Paper on the Environment. Ensuring global access to drinking water. Implementing sustainable technology in agriculture. Benefits of studying the environment. Urban gardening and food security. Deteriorating environment effect on labor conditions. Oxfam.
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Social Issues Research Topics Related to Covid Pandemic. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how we live and has spotlighted all kinds of social issues that need to be looked into and solved. So, if you would like to research social issues related to the recent pandemic, check out this list for current social issues for research paper:
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Social issues topics list relevant in 2024. Don't sweat over picking a decent topic dealing with social problems. Check our list and get an inspiration boost. ... to show your understanding and awareness of the different social issues of today. Writing research papers and essays or creating presentations is one of many steps to train you to be ...
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There are four main social problems; crime, violence, drug abuse, and environmental problems. The other social problems are very closely related to the above. Childhood Obesity: Medical Complications and Social Problems. The children have also suffered from the adverse effects that have been instilled into our society.
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To help you get started, here are 108 social issues essay topic ideas and examples that you can use as inspiration for your next writing assignment: The impact of social media on mental health. Income inequality and its effects on society. Police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement. The rise of fake news and its impact on democracy.
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Social Problems is the official publication of the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP). SSSP is 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. Learn more about SSSP.
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What kind of sociology research topics have you looked at lately? Do they make the right impact? Check out this list that assures you'll be passionate!
Social Problems
Published quarterly for the Society for the Study of Social Problems, Social Problems tackles the most difficult of contemporary society's issues and brings to the fore influential sociological findings and theories enabling readers to gain a better understanding of the complex social environment. Areas covered by the journal include: conflict and social action; crime and juvenile delinquency ...
Journal of Social Issues
Online ISSN: 1540-4560. Print ISSN: 0022-4537. The Journal of Social Issues brings behavioral and social science theory, empirical evidence, and practice to bear on human and social problems. Each issue of the journal focuses on a single topic. Please note that only invited authors may submit to the journal.
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Professor Kash Rangan and OneTen CEO Maurice Jones discuss OneTen's approach in the case, "OneTen: One Million Opportunities in Ten Years.". Research on social issues from HBS faculty including when CEOs become activists, how children benefit from having a working mother, and harnessing employees' intrinsic goodwill.
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A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation.
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In this article, we'll explore 15 of the biggest social issues facing the world today. #1. The global housing crisis. Shelter is a human right, but hundreds of millions of people lack adequate, affordable housing. According to the World Bank, the housing crisis is global, and it could impact as many as 1.6 billion people by 2025.
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A social problem can either be seen at the individual or societal levels. A problem is social if and only if the issue(s) affects a larger percentage of persons.
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A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation.
Write Your Analysis Paper
Paper Structure. Your paper should be typed, double spaced, with a title and reference section. Cite your sources every time you use them in the paper. Research papers should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion: 1. Introduction: summarizes what you will write and puts it into context. Should consist of 3 parts:
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1 page / 598 words. "Two Ways to Belong in America" is an essay written by Bharati Mukherjee, an Indian-American author and professor. In this essay, Mukherjee discusses the differences between her and her sister's experiences as immigrants in America. She explores the concept of belonging, identity, and the challenges...
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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions.
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The study of social problems in the United States is no doubt one of the most difficult to summarize and analyze within sociology. In contrast to family sociology, criminology, social stratification, the sociology of sport, and so on, the study of social problems is always shifting in terms of what is included or excluded as the focus of study.
Social Problems Research Paper
This sample social problems research paper features: 7000 words (approx. 23 pages), an outline, and a bibliography with 40 sources. Browse other research paper examples for more inspiration. If you need a thorough research paper written according to all the academic standards, you can always turn to our experienced writers for help.