What was the most interesting/significant topic in Social Issues to you? How has this impacted how you understand social problems?

Directions

The exam consists of twelve short answer questions and one reflection question. Some questions ask for a definition of a concept while others ask for application and/or analysis.

Short Answer 

1.  Explain why media representation of social problems is an important issue. What is an example of a problematic representation?

2.  Explain the difference between heterosexism and heteronormativity.

3.  Identify one of the sociological perspectives of family in society today and then describe a social problem connected to that perspective.

4.  Explain the concept of gender fluidity or gender as a spectrum. How did the film Growing Up Trans reproduce the idea of gender as a binary?

5.  Describe the process of tracking in schools. How does this process reproduce inequality?

6.  What is an example of the hidden curriculum in schools? What does the presence of a hidden curriculum illustrate about the purpose of education in society?

7.  Define the concept of medicalization. How does this process relate to how we construct social problems?

8.  What is one social problem that results from the big business of health care?

9.  How are environmental concerns constructed as social problems? What social factors contribute to exposure to environmental risk?

10. Define and provide an example of environmental racism.

11. What are the three common mechanisms for social change? Provide an example for each.

12. What is required to understand resistance to social change and equity?

Reflection Question

1.  What was the most interesting/significant topic in Social Issues to you? How has this impacted how you understand social problems?