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Capstone

Capstone. Selecting A Topic. What is a Social Problem. It must harm a significant number of people or an influential segment of the population It must occur frequently (not a 1 time event) It must be able to be remedied by collective human action (this means Government).

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Capstone

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  1. Capstone Selecting A Topic

  2. What is a Social Problem • It must harm a significant number of people or an influential segment of the population • It must occur frequently (not a 1 time event) • It must be able to be remedied by collective human action (this means Government)

  3. What is Not a Social problem • Something that is produced by natural or biological conditions (getting older, hair loss) • Something that is purely a private issue • Something that is a pure ethical argument (what is right and what is wrong)

  4. What can We do about it? • What is social Policy? • Types of Social Policy • Preventive Measures- too difficult • Intervention- most common • Broad Social Reform- never happens

  5. Should We Solve the Problem? • Can We afford the Cost? • Does it create spillover effects? • Is it Feasible? Policy makers find that doing nothing is often the best solution!

  6. If No one is trying to solve your social problem, then it is not a political controversy

  7. Social Problem vs. Social Policy

  8. Examples: • Social Problem • Immigration • Failing Public Schools • National Debt • Global Warming • Controversial Solution • Dream Act • Race to the Top • Fair Tax • Cap and Trade

  9. A Good topic has a social problem that has a solution and decision makers are actively trying to solve it

  10. Good and bad topics

  11. Good Topics are not statements • The thesis is stated in the form of a question because your Capstone paper explores both sides of a controversy without bias. • Check your topic question for neutral language. Avoid words like “wrong,” “prevent,” “avoid” that indicate you hold a position on the topic.

  12. Good Topics are Normative • The Opposite of Empirical • Based on what we think should be • Usually involves the words “should” or “ought to” “Should the Federal Government allow off-shore drilling”

  13. Good Topics are controversial • They do not involve symbolic politics • There are real people (interest groups, legislators, political parties) who care about your topic • The above groups will answer yes or no to your question

  14. Good Topics Have A Real Solution • A political controversy without a solution, is just Drunk Talk • Who is/was the best president? • A lion vs. a bear in a cage match? • Who would win in a fight Batman or Spiderman? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rMjvemLxLc&feature=related • Real Solutions take the form of policy outputs (laws)

  15. Good Topics have a clear level of analysis • A good topic has some level of government actively working on it • A theoretical “government” solution is not a good topic

  16. What is a unit of analysis? • The Level of Government that has jurisdiction over the social problem • Not all governments are powerful in all areas • Which means that saying the “government” simply isn’t enough?

  17. How many units? • 1 Federal • 50 State • 3,033 County Governments • 36,000 Local Governments • 13,051 School Districts • 37,381 Special Districts • Utility Districts- PEC • Hospital Districts • Transit Districts- e.g. CAP Metro • Park Districts • Water Districts- e.g. LCRA • And more!

  18. What Does This Mean? • There are roughly 89,500 governments that have legal authority over policymaking. 4,835 in Texas alone! • Some governments are impotent in certain policy areas, while extremely powerful in others. • When selecting a topic, you must choose it in the context of the proper unit of analysis.

  19. Who is More Powerful? State Governments Education Law Enforcement/Crime Mass Transit/Traffic Social Services National Government • National Defense • Commerce Policy • Environmental Policy • Macro-level regulation • Immigration

  20. A Good Topic is Practical • Ask yourself, can you write 30 pages on this? • Can you find people to interview • Can you do a service project on your topic

  21. What is not a good topic • Banned Topics • Dilemmas from other nations and esoteric foreign policy • Lopsided Topics and Culture War issues (science vs. values) • Conspiracy theories (short on evidence) • Issues not subject to government regulation in some way • Sports Issues: i.e. BCS policies

  22. Where to find good topics • Google News • Newspapers • The White House Page/ State of the Union • The Library

  23. Good or Bad? • What are the effects of Embryonic stem cell research? • Should the US lift the trade embargo on North Korea? • Should the use of cell phones be prohibiting while driving? • Why is the war in Afghanistan wrong?

  24. Good or Bad • Is global warming detrimental to human existence? • Should the Federal Government pass a cap-and-trade bill to combat global warming • Why has the federal government diminished the rights of citizens since 9/11?

  25. Good or Bad • Should Texas adopt a pay by the mile gas tax? • Should the burning of the flag be made unconstitutional • Should Botswana charge fees for state education?

  26. Good Macro Topic Areas • State and Federal Income programs • Economic Policies • Immigration • Energy and the Environment • Foreign Policy with troublesome nations • Social Security • Budgets and deficits • Education at the State level • Campaign finance/electoral reform • Transportation (federal, state and local) • Health Care Repeal/Reform

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