SOCIAL MOVEMENT : Fountain Essays

Social movements are usually caused by disruptions in society based on a need for social change. Social movements can start from a grassroots level, like the Me Too Movement, or from changes at a macro-level, such as gun policies by politicians.

Identify a social issue happening in the United States today that is relevant to your interests and that you would like to see changed. You can choose a micro-level problem, such as speeding in your neighborhood, or a macro-level problem, such as racial inequality. Examples include problems such as graffiti in parks, gang violence, illegal immigration, gender inequality, police brutality, online bullying, destruction of community property, personal property theft, parking violations, speeding, improper disposal of pet waste, gun laws, or legalization of marijuana.

Imagine that you are part of a social movement or a local community forum that has formed around this issue to address the need for social change.

Create a 6- to 10-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation on a social movement for change in your community that you could share with local politicians or other influential leaders.

Include the following in your presentation, using speaker notes as needed for details:

• Describe the current factors that are influencing the social issue you would like to change.
• Provide at least 2–3 examples that explain why this social issue is a problem for your community or society.
• Describe the social issue through the lens of one of these theoretical perspectives:
• Functionalism
• Conflict
• Symbolic interactionism
• Describe the social structures you would recommend to address this issue. Explain the need for these social structures and their potential impact on creating social change.
• Explain how a movement for social change in this issue could affect society. For example, changes in gun control laws may reduce the number of single-person shootings.