Contemporary Social Problems

No society is without its problems and instances of deviance. The purpose of this course is to examine some of the important social problems, issues of deviance, and instances of social disorganization in our society today. Through this examination, students should gain an understanding of the effects of various social problems on society and possible remedies or policies applicable in addressing these issues. To accomplish this, students will learn to "look through the eyes of the sociologist", applying sociological terms, concepts and theories to the social issues of today.

Social Problems Textbook

This is our textbook. It's not required but is a good supplement to the other class materials and the work we'll be doing.

The digital book is free online. This digital book does not come in a hard copy, but if you prefer having a hard copy instead of a digital book, there is a similar book that is $55 for a hard copy.

All other readings for the class are provided for free and will be in the Canvas website where our class will be located.

We will also watch short videos & documentary films and listen to podcasts that are free to access. I also post my on writings and lecture videos.

Topics that we cover will be generally linked to the textbook chapters, and I will provide specific context for those chapters so that we have topics of interest to make learning more applied to the real world.

My online asynchronous class (no meeting times, fully remote work) is 6 weeks in the summer. In the fall and spring, I teach online asynchronous classes that are 8 weeks and 17 weeks. I cover the same amount of topics and workload so during the 6 and 8 week classes, multiple discussions and assignments are due each week. During the 17 week classes, the workload is spread out with approximately one discussion and one assignment a week.

My in person classes are 17 weeks long and meet twice a week (either Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday) for 75 minutes each session. Discussions happen during class so there are no discussion boards. Assignments will be similar to the ones in the asynchronous online class.

We do not have quizzes or tests in my classes. My teaching philosophy for sociology is that quizzes, exams, tests and timed assessments are stressful for students and don't necessarily capture the process of learning. Therefore, our work will be writings, problem solving assignments, and project based learning. I know students often get nervous about writing; therefore, I not only teach Sociology, I will teach you how to write for Sociology. We also do reflection essays which are great for free flow writing without a lot of the "writing rules". There are also opportunities to submit work through artistic expression such as poetry, music, drawings, paintings, and digital content. In addition, there will be assignments that help you practice presentation skills, help you work in teams, and help you think critically about the world around you (by the way, these are three things that employers today rank highly in what they look for in potential hires).

If there are no exams, what do we do for finals? We will do a work-based learning project that is in partnership with the MiraCosta Service Learning Office. It's an opportunity to connect what is learned in class to the real world through community organizations. The way I design my service learning project, students can do it in person with an organization or fully remotely with me as the work supervisor.

Doing this project has many benefits including:

  • learn through applied experiences

  • explore career choices

  • earn hours that can be used towards service scholarships

  • learn skills that can be applied in their future career

  • become more actively involved in the community

  • qualify for scholarships

  • receive a certificate of volunteerism

  • gain work experience to put on a resume

  • network with others in the community

Learn more about my Service Learning Project!

Workforce Skills in the Classroom

What are employers looking for? I created this video for other departments in the college to consider making it clear to students what skills will be learned in the classroom. More importantly, what skills can we teach that employers are looking for. In our Social Problems class, we'll explore the issues and understand them in ways that provide solutions. Therefore, it's a great class to take to demonstrate problem solving skills, which is the top skill that employers are looking for today.

By taking this course, my hope is that you'll learn the dimensions of social problems in American and international society and gain the workforce skills that are in demand by employers today. Do an internet search of "what employers are looking for" and you'll see the similar top skills listed on almost every result. I aim to provide students an opportunity to learn how sociologists address social problems. Using the sociological lens to solve problems, students can demonstrate problem solving skills through the class work and that reflects the skills that employers are looking for.