How sociology can improve political discourse
What Is a Social Problem?
Social problems are social conditions perceived to be problematic by groups of people. Black Lives Matter is an example of a social movement protesting police brutality, a social reality disproportionately affecting people of color.
Social problems, which are part of social constructions, extend beyond race. In Mexico, for example, women tend to have higher rates of homicide. Thus, prompting the feminist movement that has provided robust evidence of how fragile justice is. In 2020, Netflix released The Three Deaths of Marisela Escobedo, a bone-chilling documentary detailing proof of how easily the mafia can influence the justice system.
The civil rights…
I love to see the final product and knowing this is something that influenced the series. Thank you, Scott!
A reflection on Cambridge Analytica
On January 6th, we realized that the US has much growth to do when it comes to its democratic institutions. However, democracy is not the only thing that we should be reflecting on. Our general knowledge regarding user data has proven to be just as fragile. During 2018, the US experience a data event that triggered lots of questions that many of us ignored. Until then, many people overlooked how Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube used user data to generate revenue.
Who could forget Mark Zuckerberg’s answer to the question, “how do you sustain a business model in which users…
Stop following news outlets that report on other news outlets
On January 24, 2020, CBS News published a grim story with one of the White House Coronavirus Task Force members, Dr. Deborah Leah Birx. The interview confirmed some of the chaotic things we heard during Trump’s administration. During the interview, Dr. Brix was asked about how the media politicized her role. She states that her efforts in the White House would eventually terminate her federal career.
Dr. Birx talks about how science and her role got politicized into taking sides…
While you desperately needed help, your Congress left you alone
While the Biden administration has been certified after recounts, the Congressional runoffs in Georgia keep ongoing. Republican incumbents Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue are facing Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff accordingly.
The elections that are happening in Georgia will define if the US gets a Democratic congress. As such, Democrats need to win the two seats while Republicans only need one. If Democrats win the two seats, then Congress will be divided evenly. When this happens, the Vice President gets to break the tie.
Today Congress passed the second round of stimulus relief, which will provide Americans with a…
