• Unit 5: Social Change and Social Issues

    In Unit 5, we explore great social issues, such as those surrounding healthcare, urbanization, and social movements.

    The sociology of healthcare encompasses social epidemiology, disease, mental health, disability, and medicalization. How we perceive and treat medicine and health care is constantly evolving. What does health mean to you? How do you feel about legalized drugs? Why are so many Americans addicted to prescription pain medicines? We discuss population, urbanization, and the environment. Why have people tended to migrate from rural areas to urban areas? How have these population shifts affected our environment?

    Finally, successful, large-scale social movements can have great social impact, become institutionalized, and evolve into a fixed and formal part of the social structure. For example, the "second wave of feminism", originated as a grassroots movement in the 1960s to protest inequalities between the sexes. Most of the original participants did not belong to formal organizations but publicized their cause through conscious-raising groups. For example, in 1966, 28 women created the National Organization for Women, which is now a prominent political and social voice for women's rights with a membership of more than 500,000. How does collective behavior affect social change? How does social change differ at the state, national, and global levels? How do different theoretical perspectives interpret social movements?

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 6 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • describe a variety of demographic theories, such as Malthusian, cornucopian, zero population growth, and demographic transition theories;
      • describe current population trends and patterns;
      • describe the process of urbanization in the United States from various sociological perspectives;
      • discuss real-world instances of environmental racism;
      • describe different forms of collective behavior;
      • discuss the characteristics and causes of social movements; and
      • explain how technology, social institutions, population, and the environment can bring about social change.

    • 5.1: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment

      • Population, Urbanization, and the Environment Book

        Read this chapter for a review of population, urbanization, and the environment. As you read each section, consider the following topics:

        • What are your initial reactions to 12-year-old Todd Domboski? What might your reaction be if this was your son or brother?
        • Focus on demographic measures such as fertility and mortality rates. Then, familiarize yourself with current population trends and patterns.
        • Take note of the process of urbanization in the United States. Also focus on the function of suburbs, exurbs, and concentric zones and urbanization from various sociological perspectives.
        • Take note of the bold terms in this section. On a separate piece of paper, be sure to make a list of challenges presented by pollution, garbage, e-waste, and toxic hazards. Also, focus on real-world instances of environmental racism.

      • Urbanization Page

        Watch this video, which discusses sociological perspectives on urbanization.

      • The Story of Stuff Page

        Watch this video. Why is the environment a social issue? How do we affect the environment? How does the environment affect our behavior?

      • Quiz: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment
        Receive a grade

        Use this quiz to help you check your understanding of subunit 5.2. Once your score has been calculated, review your class notes and resource materials to better understand any questions you answered incorrectly.

        • This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
        • You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
        • You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.

    • 5.2: Social Movements and Change

      • Social Movements and Social Change Book

        Read this chapter for a review of social movements and change. As you read each section, consider the following topics:

        • The text asks: "What do Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the anti-globalization movement, and the Tea Party have in common?" Answer this question for yourself.
        • Take note of the different forms of collective behaviors. Also, take note of the different types of crowds.
        • Take note of social movements on a state, national, and global level. Be able to distinguish between different types of social movements, and explore the theoretical perspectives on social movements, such as resource mobilization, framing, and new social movement theory.
        • Take note of how technology, social institutions, population, and the environment can bring about social change. Also, note the importance of modernization in relation to social change.

      • More on Social Movements Page

        Watch this video which discusses social movements in society.

      • Quiz: Social Movements and Social Change
        Receive a grade

        Use this quiz to help you check your understanding of subunit 5.3. Once your score has been calculated, review your class notes and resource materials to better understand any questions you answered incorrectly.

        • This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
        • You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
        • You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.

    • Unit 5 Discussion and Assessment

      • Unit 5 Discussion URL

        After reviewing the unit materials and completing the assessments, post and respond to the following topics on the course discussion board. Feel free to start your own related posts and respond to other students' posts as well.

        1. Compare and contrast the cultural meaning of illness, the social construction of illness, and the social construction of medical knowledge.
        2. What are some disparities of health based on gender, socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity?
        3. What are some real-world examples of environmental racism? Provide examples to support your answer.
        4. Where do you think one would expect to find the greatest urban growth rate in the world?
        5. What are some effects of migration from rural areas to urban centers in the United States?
        6. Describe different forms of collective behavior. Provide some contemporary examples of these forms.
        7. Explain how technology, social institutions, population, and the environment can bring about social change. Provide some examples.
      • Unit 5 Assessment Quiz
        Receive a grade

        Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.

        • This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
        • You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
        • You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.