GSP Study Guide

I. Class Notes (Week 1-Week 6) 1. Week 1-2: Introduction to Social Problems and Theories - Social problems are defined and analyzed through both normative and constructionist perspectives. - Key concepts: normative vs. constructionist perspective, individualistic vs. structural...

I. Class Notes (Week 1-Week 6) 1. Week 1-2: Introduction to Social Problems and Theories - Social problems are defined and analyzed through both normative and constructionist perspectives. - Key concepts: normative vs. constructionist perspective, individualistic vs. structural explanations. - Claims-making process (Blumer’s Stages), role of institutions like the UN as claim-makers. 2. Week 3: Population Growth and Poverty - Framing of overpopulation as a social problem, debates over objective conditions vs. perceptions. - Population trends globally and in the US, focusing on how these affect national development and wealth distribution. 3.Week 4-5: Global Poverty and Inequality - Definitions and measurements of poverty in the US and globally. - Key theoretical models for poverty in less developed countries (LDCs): - Neo-Classical Economic Model/Neo-Liberalism/Modernization Theory. - Marxian/Conflict Theory/Dependency Theory. - World Trade Organization (WTO) policies, causes, and consequences of global poverty. - Theoretical debates on the relationship between population growth, national development, and poverty. 4. Week 6: Global Climate Change and Environmental Justice - Global warming debates, scientific claims-making, and policy solutions. - Differences between Annex 1 and non-Annex 1 countries in supporting global treaties. - Climate/Environmental Justice Perspective (C/EJP), focusing on social and economic inequalities related to climate change. II. Cosgrove and Curtis (Chapters 1-3) 1. Chapter 1: The Construction of Social Problems - Constructionist perspective: how social problems are defined and framed through public discourse. - Empirical support: case studies on population growth and overpopulation. 2. Chapter 2: Global Poverty  - Comparison of poverty measurements globally and in the US, including key statistics. - Different theoretical frameworks for understanding poverty (Neo-Liberalism, Modernization, Dependency Theory). 3. Chapter 3: WTO and Global Inequality - Analysis of WTO policies, their theoretical underpinnings, and the effects on national economies. - Empirical evidence: the relationship between poverty, trade policies, and global wealth distribution. III. Blackboard Readings 1. Pfohl: Claims-making Process and Social Construction - Focus on how different actors (governments, NGOs) define and construct social problems like population growth. 2. McMichael & Butler: Global Inequality and Development - Discussion on poverty in the global south, development strategies, and their limitations. 3. The Dollar and Sense Collective: Economic Disparities - Overview of economic inequalities and the role of neoliberalism in widening global wealth gaps. 4. World Economic Forum - OXFAM Report - Key findings on wealth inequality, particularly focusing on the world’s richest 1%. 5. Boehm & Schumer: IPCC Report - Analysis of the IPCC’s climate change findings, with a focus on environmental justice. 6. Durand & Massey: Migration and Social Problems - Focus on criminalization of immigrants, global migration trends, and related social policies. 7. Sohoni: Immigrant Illegality - Examination of policies that criminalize migrants, especially in the US. IV. Homework #1 & #2 1. Theoretical Frameworks:  - Normative vs. Constructionist Perspective: The normative view sees social problems as objective, while constructionists focus on how these problems are defined by society (Critique of the normative perspective in K & S). - Individualistic vs. Structural Explanations: Individualistic focuses on personal responsibility (e.g., climate change as personal footprint), whereas structural explanations look at systemic factors (corporations, policies). - Claims-making Process: Blumer’s stages of how social problems evolve and the role of scientific experts and the UN. 2. People and Resources: - Population Growth: Different ways population growth has been framed (e.g., overpopulation, demographic shifts). - Global Poverty: Definitions of poverty, differences in the US vs. global poverty levels, methodology issues (C&C). - Poverty Theories: Competing views such as Neo-Liberalism and Marxian theory (C&C pg. 26). - WTO Policies: Policies impacting poverty, trade, and economic inequality (C&C). 3. Global Climate Change: - Main debates: global environmental policies, scientific claims-making, and differing conceptions of solutions to global warming. - Climate/Environmental Justice Perspective (C/EJP) focusing on inequalities in climate change impacts (Warner). 4. Global Migrants: - Immigrants as a Social Problem: Criminalization and illegality (Durand & Massey, Sohoni). - Migration Trends: Global migration patterns, theoretical approaches (Dual Labor Market Theory, World Systems Theory). - Migration Policies: Comparison between US (e.g., The Wall, SB1070) and EU policies. V. Interconnections Between Topics 1. Global Economic Integration & Local Outcomes: - How global trade policies affect local economies and employment. 2. Global Economic Development & Climate Change: - The relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation. 3. Global Economic Integration & Migration:  - How globalization impacts migration flows and the formation of social policies. 4. Theory and Public Policy: - The connection between theoretical frameworks (e.g., Dependency Theory) and practical policymaking in areas like migration, trade, and climate change.