Write a 6-8-page essay comparing two U.S. states’ approaches to issues of same-sex marriage.
Note: You must complete Assessment 4 before beginning this assessment.
How can sociological research help us understand how laws and policies are made and how they change over time? How might we use the sociological perspective to develop more effective solutions to political and social issues or create policies that are effective and based on sound research? These are questions to consider as you explore the connection between political and economic power and legislative decision making.
In this final assessment, you study how our culture’s beliefs about diversity are reflected in the law-making and policy-making process, including laws and policies that pertain to immigration and same-sex marriage. As you compare and contrast how two specific states have approached same-sex marriage, reflect on which sociological theories (such as power elite theory, state autonomy theory, or pluralism) best apply to the policy decisions that have been made in your states. Something to think about, too, is whether the policies and positions maintained by those in power actually reflect the research and data on the topic or issue they address. The research you do for this final assessment should show you how power and politics, as well as population demographics, influence policy making.
Demonstration of Proficiency
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:
Competency 1: Describe theoretical ideas of power in relation to policy.
Discuss contrasts in how states approach a diversity issue, using theoretical ideas of power.
Competency 2: Identify historical and contemporary influences of discrimination in U.S. culture.
Discuss law, policy, or politics in states with varying approaches to a diversity issue.
Competency 3: Analyze the effects of social policy using aggregated data.
Analyze data to project how state policies might affect population migration.
Competency 4: Analyze how laws are applied or created based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, and social class.
Discuss contrasts between two states in areas of law, politics, or policy as they apply to a diversity issue.
Competency 5: Apply diversity strategies in professional, educational, and personal contexts.
Apply historical solutions to an issue where there are discrepancies between state and federal diversity law.
Competency 6: Communicate effectively.
Write coherently to support a central idea in appropriate format and with few errors of grammar, usage, and mechanics.
Instructions
Building on your research and analysis of the immigration policy or same-sex marriage debates, this assessment asks you to more closely examine the connection between power, policy, and law making by comparing and contrasting how two states have handled these issues.
In order to understand the link between power and political and legal decision making, you will place this process in each state in the appropriate context. That means that you need to assess the historical, demographic, cultural, and socioeconomic factors that have influenced each state’s different approach to immigration policy or same-sex marriage. You will also reflect on the consequences of state-to-state discrepancies in policies and laws regarding controversial social and political issues like these.
This assessment combines the key components of studying cultural diversity from a sociological perspective—placing current social issues in historical context, understanding how demographic and cultural trends influence public opinion, and applying sociological theories to determine the role of power in shaping policy-making decisions.
