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155 Social Problems Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about

Are you looking for the best social issues topics? You’re at the right place! StudyCorgi has prepared a list of social problems research topics and questions for your speech, essay, and other writing assignments. You’ll find titles about inequality, teenage pregnancy, violence, hunger, and other problems facing contemporary society.

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• Poverty as a Social Problem
• Migration as a Social Problem
• Violence: The Social Problem
• Juvenile Delinquency as Social Problem Within Education Institutions
• Bullying: A Serious Social Problem
• Social Problem Analysis: Social Inequality in Education
• Social Problems Assignment: Juvenile Delinquency

If you need to write a paper on social issues and wonder what social problems to write about, here are a few easy options you can consider:

• Social Problems Related to Alcohol and Drugs The present paper will explain the content of three articles relating to the issue of Alcohol and drug use while also providing a personal reflection on the readings.
• Oppression as a Social Problem The paper defines oppression in terms of marginalization, exploitation, powerlessness, cultural imperialism and violence: the key facets of oppression according to Iris Young.
• Social Problems of People with Disabilities People living with disabilities go through several challenges in life because society is yet to appreciate their presence.
• Social Deviance Contribution to Social Problems The paper examines the forms that social deviance may acquire contributing them to social issues, that is criminal and non-criminal deviance.
• Educational Institutions’ Social Problems: Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile delinquency is the problem that profoundly affects educational institutions as its representatives are people involved in education the most.
• Substance Abuse: The Cause of Social Problems Substance abuse is a contributing factor to social problems but cannot be said to be the one that is most responsible.
• The Use of Statistics in Evaluating Social Problems Statistics are an important tool for researchers and policymakers when analyzing particular social-related issues. The types of statistics are objective or subjective.
• America’s Social Problems Through the Song “Cookie Jar” by J. Johnson The song Cookie Jar is a song written by Jack Johnson song talks about the blame game that is going on and in American society.
• Social Problems and Policy: Youth Unemployment and Mental Health In the history of the US, the federal and state governments have been at the forefront to facilitate effective social programs.
• Juvenile Delinquency as Social Problem of Vulnerable Populations The theme of this paper is such a problem of vulnerable populations as juvenile delinquency, its interconnection with other social problems, and possible ways of its solution.
• Addressing Teenage Obesity in America The paper states that adolescence is one of the most crucial developmental phases of human life during which the issue of obesity must be solved.
• Social Problem and Policy Analysis Human rights and social work perspectives show how standardized testing promotes inequality and increases the barriers for non-white individuals.
• Modern Social Problems Through the Sociological Imagination Prism This paper aims to discuss the concept of the sociological imagination and its significance in understanding contemporary social problems.
• The Social Problem of Bullying and the School System The present paper focuses on the connection between the social problem of bullying and the school system, describing each of these concepts.
• Solving Social Problems With a Nudge The speaker’s perspective is on the human mind’s diversity and complexity, making people manufacture irrational behavior, perpetuating poverty, corruption, and discrimination.
• Benchmark as Social Problems The impact of social phenomenon, for instance, social inequality, vulnerable population and other problems with politics, on poverty from a macro and micro perspectives.
• Social Problems in Wilson’s “Fences” Play People who have been subjected to social oppression have a good chance of developing mental health problems in the future.
• Social Problem of Inequality Studies of social inequality included non-urban areas and social inequality factors that had not been included in previous studies.
• Analyzing Social Problems: Health Disparities This discussion will examine the unequal access to healthcare and its cause, investigate its prevalence, describe vulnerable populations.
• World Poverty as a Global Social Problem Poverty and the key methods helping to reduce it attract the attention of numerous researchers in different areas of expertise.
• Queer (LGBTQ) Community as a Social Problem in Canada The Canadian government has shown interest in LGBTQ matters in recent years. Canadian queer persons are more likely to be victims of violent crime.
• The Social Problems Behind the Military Suicide
• How Overpopulation Causes Social Problems?
• Ethical and Social Problems of Genetic Engineering
• The Economic and Social Problems of the 1930s
• Social Problems Among College Students
• Alphonso Pinkney’s Black American: Chronic Social Problems
• Race and Gender Impact on Social Problems
• Behavior and Social Problems in Classrooms
• Social Problems About School Drop Outs
• Current Political and Social Problems of Pakistan
• Social Problems Associated With Street Gangs
• Social Problems and the Theories of Emile Durkheim
• Unemployment and Social Problems in the Post-war United States
• Social Problems and Issues in Pakistan
• Sociology and Various Social Problems
• The Major Social Problems Facing the Teenagers of Today
• Values, Social Problems, and Balanced Development in Malaysia
• Political, Economic and Social Problems of France
• Social Problems Associated With Health and Happiness
• The Environment and Social Problems
• Social Problems Amongst the Homeless
• Mauritius: Tourism and Social Problems
• Social Problems Affecting Youth Today and Ways To Solve Them
• Nature and Social Problems
• Social Problems and Drug Abuse
• Critical Social Problems Affecting African Americans
• Social Problems Arise From the Views and Values of the Society
• Connection Between Social Problems and Urbanization
• Unemployment Social Problems Faced by China and West
• Social Problems Among Youth in Malaysia
• The Covid-19 Related Social Problems The paper discusses the Covid-19 pandemic that has caused devastating social disruption where millions of individuals have fallen into extreme poverty.
• Social Problem: Hunger in the United States Hunger problem, income gap, race discrimination, poverty in rural regions, and COVID-19 outbreak have severe effects on the hunger problem.
• Americas Social Problems Nowadays The article explains the social, economic, political, technological, and legal impacts of war and how the global community can address the reality of terrorism.
• Meth Epidemic as a Social Problem: Film Analysis Drug consumption has become a major social problem for many states in the US as many drug users and addicts consider meth as their top choice.
• Development of Children’s Friendship and Social Problems This analysis was reached upon following a close thirty-minute observation of infants, and it suggests various types of behaviors presented by children in play.
• The Role of Social Workers in Addressing Teenage Obesity The social worker should be the bridge uniting obese individuals and society advertising social changes, and ending injustice and discrimination.
• Policies for Social Problems Social problems dominate in different parts of the world. Good policies should be devised to make it possible to pronounce dominant sociological problems.
• The Most Crucial Social Problems To conclude, it is essential not to forget about less fortunate people who have nothing to eat and nowhere to live.
• Social Problems Within Educational Institutions It is necessary to understand and analyze the connection between various social problems within U.S. educational institutions.
• Analyzing Social Problems – Case Study: Jake Levy The analysis of Jake Levy’s case led to lobby the state legislature to start a suicide prevention program for veterans who are getting mental health services.
• Perspectives on the Central Social Problem in Modern Society Social ills plaguing modern society have been a basic concern for many prominent philosophers throughout the ages.
• Potential Threat of Coronavirus as a Social Problem in Haines City, Florida SARS coronavirus is only a potential threat for Haines City so far, but preventing misinformation and potential panic is still an important social problem.
• Social Problems: Exploring the Main Types There are four main social problems; crime, violence, drug abuse, and environmental problems. The other social problems are very closely related to the above.
• Childhood Obesity: Medical Complications and Social Problems The children have also suffered from the adverse effects that have been instilled into our society. Obesity has become a common problem in children of American and European countries.
• American Social Problems of Women and the Elderly The issues of social discrimination experienced by women and elderly people have their roots in two fundamental perspectives of social life.
• Modern American Social Problems The essay lists the current American social problems and describes the key point of each problem the society faced nowadays.
• American Social Problems: Family and Education The family and education are major socializing agents in society and to be particular the United States of America.
• American Modern Social Problem The United States is not renowned to having one of the best systems of health care worldwide, rather the U .S. is known for its best system in emergency care worldwide.
• Rawls vs. Nozick on Social Problems and Criminal Justice The essay reflects on the articles of Rawls and Nozick to compare their key points and determine whose theory is most applicable to social problems and criminal justice.
• Global Warming: Solving a Social Problem Global warming may be a cause of the cooling in some parts of the world. Global warming can slow down ocean heat transport which becomes the reason for cooling in some regions.
• The Issue of Adolescent Pregnancy as a Major Social Problem The purpose of this study is to investigate the issue of adolescent pregnancy as a significant challenge that affects society across the globe.
• Texting and Driving: Social Problems Texting and driving refers to the act of receiving, reading and sending text messages while operating a motor vehicle, which is a hazardous practice that causes many fatalities.
• Social Problems Exam Practice
• PRS and Its Social Problems
• Social Problems and Legalization of Marijuana
• The Increasing Social Problems of Violence in the 20th Century
• Child Abuse – Social Problems
• Social Problems and Solutions Chart
• The Social Problems Facing Homeless Youth
• Social Problems Are Due to Society’s Tolerance of Immorality
• Realist and Constructivist Approaches to Social Problems
• Social Problems During the Industrial Revolution
• Emile Durkheim and Social Problems
• Literature During the Old Times Until Now Contribute To Address Social Problems
• Substance Abuse and Social Problems
• Public Education and the Impact of Social Problems
• Social Problems Facing Our US Veterens
• Physiological and Social Problems in the Middle East
• Social Problems and Homelessness in Savannah, Georgia
• Technical and Social Problems of Nuclear Waste
• Social Problems Associated With Interfaith Marriages
• Technology and Social Problems
• Social Problems Affecting Students and Schools in the US
• Ethnography: Social Problems
• Social Problems Affecting Society, Big and Small
• Appalachia: Culture and Social Problems
• Social Problems Associated With Racial Discrimination
• Political, Economic, and Social Problems in India
• Social Problems Behind Sexual Deviance
• Poor Neighborhoods Give Rise to Social Problems
• Literary Realism and Social Problems
• Prevalent Social Problems That Impacts Society
• What Are the Ethical and Social Issues of Genetic Engineering?
• What Social Problems Occur in Substance Abuse?
• What Are the Main Social Issues among the Youth in Malaysia?
• What Are the Social Problems behind War Suicide?
• What Are the Economic and Social Issues of Women Entrepreneurs in Turkey?
• What Are the Incentives for Solving Social Problems?
• What Business and Social Problems Does Data Center?
• Why Do Poor Neighborhoods Give Rise to Social Problems?
• What Are the Reasons for the Social Problems of Adolescents?
• What Are the Economic and Social Issues of the Caribbean?
• What Social Problems Arise Because of Society’s Tolerance for Immorality?
• What Are the Various Social Issues Faced by Black Women in the American South?
• How Social Problems Caused by the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601?
• What Are Pakistan’s Current Political and Social Problems?
• What Are the Common Social Problems Affecting Society?
• What Is the Influence of Literary Realism on Social Problems?
• What Business and Social Problems Does Data Center Power Consumption Cause?
• How Does the Media Impact Social Problems?
• What Social Problems Are Revealed in the Great Gatsby?
• What Are the Social Problems Associated with Interfaith Marriages?
• Should the State Pay More Attention to Solving the Pressing Social Problems of Our Time?
• What Is the Connection between Social Policy and Social Problems?
• What Are the Social Problems Faced by Homeless Youth?
• What Are the Physiological and Social Problems in the Middle East?
• Online misinformation and its effects on society.
• Racial bias and discrimination in policing.
• The impact of populism on democracies.
• Factors perpetuating the gender pay gap.
• The influence of climate change on vulnerable populations.
• The impact of automation on the job market.
• The effects of cyberbullying on adolescents.
• The social consequences of rapid urbanization.
• Youth unemployment and social exclusion.
• Social implications of genetic modification technologies.
• Strategies to prevent cyberbullying and online harassment.
• The impact of social media on youth.
• Access to quality education for all.
• The importance of safeguarding personal information online.
• Encouraging youth to get involved in the democratic process.
• The influence of technology on social interactions.
• Ways to combat human trafficking.
• Raising awareness of human rights violations in conflict zones.
• The effects of social media on body image.
• Why should guns be prohibited?

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StudyCorgi. (2022, March 1). 155 Social Problems Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/social-problems-essay-topics/

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StudyCorgi . "155 Social Problems Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about." March 1, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/social-problems-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "155 Social Problems Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about." March 1, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/social-problems-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Social Problems were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 21, 2024 .

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100+ Social Issues Research Paper Topics

There are many issues in society to write about, making social issue essay topics some of the most fun. However, choosing a social topic for an essay isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially when there are several social essay topics. The secret to choosing the best among the many social topics is knowing what makes the best social topics for an essay, the best.

This article will give you workable tips for choosing a great topic on specific social issues, argumentative essay topics , and social topics. We will also throw in 100 topics on social issues; they can serve as your social topic or inspiration for choosing.

What Are Top Tips for Choosing Social Topics to Write About?

What characterizes the best social issue topics, social issue topics list, fascinating research topics on social issues, interesting social commentary topics, interesting social issues on social media, ideas of social issues essay topics on health, socially significant topics to write on, social issues research topics for a professional paper on the environment, top-rated socially relevant topics, cool social issues to research on criminal justice, social problem topics for college students, issues in america to write about, argumentative essay topics on social issues, unique social issues to write a research paper on.

When it comes to social problems essay topics, the list is endless; there are so many social issues to talk about. However, not all social problem topics will make a great paper, and the wrong social issue topic can reduce your grade. Below are the top practical tips for choosing social issues topics for presentation.

• Choose easy social issues to write about – avoid trying to impress your professor by choosing complex social problems topics you can’t do justice to.
• Choose social problem topics or social media research topics that your audience can relate to and find interesting.
• When choosing from the myriads of social problems to write about, choose those with sufficient information. Also, you don’t want social problem essay topics you’ll have to walk miles to gather information on.
• Pick as many good social issues to write about as possible; chances are you will change issues essay topics midway. You don’t have to return to searching for current issues to write about.
• Source for articles that address problems in society to write about for an idea on how to write yours.

The “best” social topics, like social commentary essay topics, are those you’re passionate about. It would help if you cared about the social issue ideas you’ve decided to write on to do real justice to the paper. Writing an essay on them will be torture if you don’t care or know anything about social commentary ideas. Also, if your audience is clueless about a particular topic, consider omitting technical and social significance topics.

Interesting social topics are not hard to find if you know where to look. We will give you a social issues topics list here, but you can still find social issues ideas all over the internet. Find our social topics list below containing interesting and uncommon social issues for a distinction-worthy paper.

• Political polarization
• Racism in modern society’s healthcare
• Ageism: the new racism?
• The fairness of labor laws
• Fat-shaming in the corporate world
• Recovering addicts and social injustice
• Child pornography
• Prisoner rights violations: the types
• Making vaccinations mandatory
• Online education impact on obesity
• Increasing employment: the solution to poverty?
• Accessibility of healthcare in mobile clinics
• Women empowerment
• Social development in developing countries
• Overpopulation: a threat?
• How social networks impact friendship
• Age restriction on Instagram
• Social media effect on dependency
• Business Facebook accounts and digital ethics
• Cancel culture and mental health
• Restricting children from social media
• How to stay safe on the internet
• Freedom of speech on Twitter
• High cost of medical procedures
• Obesity in developed countries
• Abortion: legal or illegal?
• Drug addiction
• Hospices: should they be free?
• Why HIV in seniors remains unrecognized
• Dying with dignity
• Pro-life movement origins
• The social acceptance of autism
• Effect of malnourishment on children’s psyche
• Impact of fad diets
• Discrimination against older adults
• Acceptability of homeopathic treatment for children
• The scarcity of and state of available healthcare facilities in rural areas
• Poverty and health problems
• Ensuring global access to drinking water
• Implementing sustainable technology in agriculture
• Benefits of studying the environment
• Urban gardening and food security
• Deteriorating environment effect on labor conditions
• Religion and nature
• Global warming impact on South America
• Effect of racial profiling
• Prevalence of hate speech
• Discrimination against the LGBT community
• Modern feminism: the negative impact on society
• Pregnancy termination: morality vs. legality
• Food culture
• Emotional intelligence: impact on family life
• Harmful effects of financial illiteracy
• The perception of “Defund the police.”
• Evidence of structural racism
• The internet’s influence on human trafficking
• Legalizing prostitution
• Civil disobedience goals
• The consequences of restoring prisoners to society
• Influence of prejudices on criminal justice mechanics
• Prominent civil rights violations in developing countries
• Gender blindness
• Gender dysphoria
• The Khmer Rouge
• Social media and racist bias
• Justification of human rights limitations during a crisis
• How governments can secure freedom of speech
• Can satire be harmful?
• Protection of stateless persons
• Can illegal immigrants be pardoned?
• War on drugs: the negative side effects
• The importance of bipartisan cooperation
• College loans: are they worth it?
• Fake news: a severe problem?
• Charter schools vs. public schools
• The Great New Deal: pros and cons
• Gentrification in America
• Ableism effects in the US
• Death penalty: a just punishment?
• Healthcare: a fundamental human right?
• The right to own a gun
• Does history repeat itself?
• Commercials in kids’ programs
• Fiction vs. nonfiction: which is the better read?
• Video games should be a sport
• Hot dogs: have they caused more harm than good?
• Eating dessert before dinner
• Homework: is it too much?
• Should gym classes be required?
• The essentiality of feminism
• Free healthcare for everyone
• Exploring space: is it worth it?
• Parents’ role in childhood obesity
• Woman vs. man: who is more emotional?
• The effects of campaign finance reform
• Should illegal immigrants be granted residency?

With this list of social topics and others you’ll find on the internet, you can’t be short of social issues to talk about. Choosing the best social issues topics is essential for writing a great research paper,or write dissertation for me ranging from social change topics to social awareness topics. Considering the vast amount of community issues to write about, our tips on choosing from the best social relevance topics will come in handy. If you need professional writing services, you can contact our experts.

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300 Social Issues Research Topics to Impress Your Professor and Get A

Researching social issues holds immense importance in our quest for knowledge and progress. It allows us to delve deeper into the complexities of society, unraveling the underlying causes, impacts, and potential solutions. However, the significance of a good research topic must be considered, which sets the stage for a high-scoring and impactful research endeavor. If you have difficulty finding a good social issue research topic, check out these lists from the experts working with a professional  paper writing services  provider.

Table of Contents

Comprehensive list of Unique Social Issue Research Topics

Scroll down and go through our list of unique topics and pick one that sparks your interest. Here you go with the first one: 

Women’s Social Issues Research Topics 

It’s crucial to look into the various aspects of women’s social issues if we want to get a better understanding of gender inequality. Here are some ideas to help you dig deeper into this topic.

• Prejudice against women in corporate culture
• Problems of pregnant women working in the corporate
• Harassment in educational institutes against women
• What strategies can governments adopt to ensure equal rights for women?
• Raising awareness of the problems of pregnant women
• How to develop a respectful attitude towards women and gender minorities in companies?
• Ill-treatment of women in the government sector
• Writing on essay topics related to problems with Syrian female immigrants
• The Role of Women in economic life and the World of Work
• Women’s political and electoral training
• Women in old homes: Research and Interviews for Problems and Concerns
• Toxic Masculinity in the Workplace: what can women do?
• Developing a workplace culture for fair treatment of every gender
• Role of Government in solving problems related to Women
• The economy of the United States: Income inequality in the U.S.
• Building a world where women have equal opportunities and fair treatment
• Essay Topics Related to Problems of Women in New York
• Financial problems for single mothers
• Women dealing with social issues in New Mexico
• Condition of Mexican immigrant women in the United States
• Women’s health: Key performance indicators, problems and obstacles
• Securing Women’s Rights with the Help of international law
• Education of women: The rights and responsibilities
• Better living conditions for older women
• A research study of the problems of pregnant women in California
• Health and welfare of older people, especially women
• Improving the quality of life for single mothers with better opportunities

Children’s Social Issues Research Topics 

It’s important to tackle the social issues that affect kids to create a better, more nurturing future for the next generation. Here are some interesting topics on this subject to get started with  writing your research paper . 

• School Bullying and social networks
• Problems and issues with children with a single parent
• A research study on the problems of children in foster homes
• How can we make foster care better and safer for children?
• Delinquency trends in children among marginalized communities
• modernity and technology at the cost of the destruction of childhood
• Issues that children from Mexican households in America have to face
• What are the advantages of multiculturalism in kindergarten?
• Problems of Assault and Molestation of Children
• Why Are Young People Committing Crimes These Days?
• Cyberbullying and Toxicity on social media
• Violence among children and young people
• Rehabilitation of juvenile offenders and improving their lives
• Illness and disability among kids living in developing countries
• The lack of tolerance among the teenagers
• Child labor in developing countries
• Psychology of kindergarten education
• School is a chance for every kid to learn tolerance and harmony
• Children facing with lack of empathy and bullying on social media
• The use of new technologies in education and adaptability in children
• Problems of immigrant children
• Child development and behavior

Social Issues Research Topics About Labor Rights

It’s essential to look into the social issues surrounding workers’ rights and fight for their well-being. Labor rights are the foundation of having fair and decent working conditions. Here are some topics if you want to research such subjects.

• The legal responsibility of entrepreneurs
• Workplace accident management
• Increased flexibility via remote working options
• Mental health problems caused by workers after the COVID pandemic
• The principle of equality today is related to labor rights
• Change wages or salaries
• Labor problems caused by the Covid pandemic
• Employees having to deal with additional work pressures
• Role of labor unions in social justice for Laborers
• Mental health problems in the Workplace
• What can we do to offer ideas for improvements in labor laws
• The desire to maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Hate speech and domestic violence against marginalized groups in large companies
• Academic paper for immigration disruptions in Canada and USA
• The employer’s right to manage employees and the abuse of it
• Role of human resources in identifying and solving problems of labor
• The job of the government and schools is to offer their members better career prospects
• Problems and issues related to a minimum period of employment
• The technology skills gap leads to problems with the laborers
• Improving the well-being of the company for its members
• Change wages or salaries impact and consequences
• How the global pandemic and Working from home changed the World
• Recruiting methods from passive to active: how to prepare
• Global labor shortages: problems and consequences
• What are the reasons for the labor shortage?
• Writing assignment about laborers dealing with the effects of long Covid
• Why is it essential for companies to take a public stand for social issues
• Mental health problems for workers in the field
• Relevant examples of social issues related to labor and employment
• How to empower workers against social injustice?

Social Issues Research Topics for the Environment

It’s important to dig into how social issues and the environment are connected when we’re trying to handle big problems like climate change, running out of resources, etc. Here are some  research topics  to think about.

• Health risks associated with the general environment and their perception and representation
• Climate change knowledge and expertise on health risks
• Health inequalities resulting from environmental and social factors
• What Role can environmental law play in protecting the environment at sea?
• Deforestation and chronic pollution are destroying biodiversity
• Importance of green energy conversion
• The Law of the Environment and sustainable development
• The Management of Pollution in Environmental Law
• Toward a better understanding of atmospheric pollution
• Utilizing environmental technologies and learning about them
• Waste and material resources of the World
• The destruction of ozone affects the environment and health
• Nature’s resources are being destroyed. What can we do as researchers to prevent this?
• Is it still imperative to preserve the environment during wartime?
• Combating armed conflict while preserving the environment
• The tourism industry and pollution management
• Environmental factors that affect cancer risk
• Cost-benefit analysis of the action based on legal or socioeconomic criteria
• Analyzing how different environmental factors contribute to the risk
• Investigating a variety of environmental issues and sectors
• Regions and specific areas of environmental perception
• The effects of climate change and global warming
• Factors contributing to a healthy environment
• The relationship between human rights and environmental law
• In environmental law, pollution management is a constant
• Worldwide implementation of sustainable development
• How consumption trends and international news can help the environmental cause

Social Issues Research Topics Related to Covid Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how we live and has spotlighted all kinds of social issues that need to be looked into and solved. So, if you would like to research social issues related to the recent pandemic, check out this list for current social issues for research paper:

• Social panic caused after the COVID-19 breakdown
• Problems and social issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
• COVID-19 and financial problems on the rise
• Impact of COVID-19 on the people with middle class
• Police Procedure and criminal justice during the COVID-19
• The aftermath of COVID-19 has resulted in a social dilemma and economic disruption
• An influential aspect of the pandemic is mental health
• The Impact of social and territorial inequalities on health
• The ethical issues raised by the pandemic
• Writing research papers on social media’s Role during COVID-19
• Children and adolescents’ mental condition during the pandemic
• Problems in healthcare and Management of chronic diseases
• Disruption in modern society by the COVID-19
• How our social media accounts helped us during the darkest hours of covid
• Ensuring the delivery of criminal justice during covid
• Impact of COVID-19 on family life
• Role of the Pandemic in the Promotion of remote education
• Avoiding social media addiction during the quarantine

Social Issue Topics Related to American Society

Checking out the social problems in the U.S. gives us a great understanding of how complicated, varied and hard they can be for people and different communities. Here is another list of topics on social issues. 

• Environment perception in specific areas and regions
• Climate change and global warming effects
• The factors that contribute to a healthy environment
• Cancer risk factors in the environment
• Workplace toxic masculinity: what can women do?
• The global labor shortage: problems and consequences
• Why does the U.S. have a shortage of labor?
• Workers dealing with the effects of Covid
• Problems related to mental issues among field workers
• Law and human rights concerning the environment
• Management of pollution is a constant concern in environmental law
• Impacts and consequences of changes in wages or salaries
• How to prepare for passive to active recruitment
• The problem of child labor in developing countries
• Kindergarten Education and Psychology
• Tolerance and harmony can be learned in school by every child
• Lack of empathy and bullying on social media among children
• Technology in Education and Children’s Adaptability
• Legal or socioeconomic cost-benefit analysis of the action
• A major social issue in the modern age is poverty
• Government’s Role in solving social problems
• Sustainable Development of the World
• Trafficking in drugs and Mexican cartels
• A culture of fair treatment for all genders in the Workplace
• Nature’s resources are being depleted.
• Management of pollution in the tourism industry
• How can we use social media to improve society and resolve social problems?
• A lack of respect for marginalized communities in the professional environment can be seen in several ways.
• Understanding social issues and the problems associated with them
• Materials and waste from around the World and the Impact they have on the environment
• The depletion of ozone is detrimental to the environment and human health
• Insights into the political and electoral training of women
• Taking a closer look at Women’s Problems and Concerns in old homes: Research and Interviews
• Issues and problems related to the minimum period of employment and the minimum wage
• The technological skills gap is causing labor shortages shortly
• Enhancing the well-being of the members of the company as a whole

Interesting Social Injustice Topics for College Students

As college students, exploring and engaging with interesting social issues topics expands our intellectual horizons and empowers us to become agents of change in our communities and beyond. Particularly when you include social problems examples. Here is another list of interesting topics.

• Developing better relationships with public institutions to solve problems
• The Role of social work in the Management of health problems
• Corporations discriminate against marginalized communities in the U.S.
• Sociology of the popular classes
• The reasons for the low human development index in African countries
• Social issues caused by class differences
• Drugs and anarchist behaviors
• Religious Differences and biased approaches to employment strategies
• Mexican cartels and the problem of drug trafficking
• Poverty is one of the most significant social issues in the Modern World
• Role of the Government in solving social issues
• How can we use social media to improve society and solve social issues?
• Prejudice against marginalized communities in the professional environment
• Understanding the problems related to social issues
• Role of problem-solving and understanding the root cause of social issues
• Major social issues in developing countries
• Role of Education in ending violence in Society
• Class Differences and the Impact on the human development index
• Differences in health facilities for different classes
• Social Norms and the Role of the Community
• Causes and solutions to human trafficking on the Mexican borders
• Human development index in India
• How to solve the poverty problem?
• What is the problem of social media bullying, and how to avoid it?
• How does financial illiteracy lead to a lack of development in developing countries?
• Impact of Terrorism on Society
• How to solve the terrorism problem?
• Mafia problems in the USA and how to deal with them
• Biased treatment of marginalized communities in the government sector
• The increasing problem of drug addiction
• Ethics and Artificial Intelligence: Emerging social issues
• Role of social media in increasing social issues

Police and Social Justice Research Papers Topics

Let’s unveil a curated collection of current social issues for a research paper. Here’s the list:

• Children’s safety and protection: The security job is of the utmost importance
• School bullying is a serious issue that needs to be addressed
• A few heartrending social issues examples 
• Using the Internet to disseminate terrorist content: a serious issue related to Cybersecurity
• Digital Platform Security Certification – A Guide to Cybersecurity Certifications
• The protection of minors in alcohol-serving establishments
• Concerns regarding cyber security in the United States
• An analysis of the spatial pattern of terrorism in the USA over the past two decades
• New York crime analysis, a look at the crime situation in the City
• Security technologies face several obstacles when it comes to their implementation
• Having the versatility to specialize and the specialization to be versatile in security matters
• Investigative requisitions from the judicial police
• Relationships between the police and the public: The need for improvement
• Conflict Management and Prevention in Communities
• The principle of secularism in sports must be respected
• Stopping the illicit trade in tobacco products
• Towns with small populations and cybersecurity
• Taking care of historical monuments
• Providing support to victims of aggression
• An analysis of the roadside check system in developing countries
• The challenges of reception at a police station for public security
• A system for protecting housing from illegal encroachment
• Anti-abuse and anti-fraud measures
• A diversity of expectations and feedback from the inhabitants
• Taking public security work seriously in terms of its relational dimension
• The issue of external assistance in the area of internal security
• Putting social networks to the test in terms of police ethics

As you have reached the conclusion paragraph of the blog post, you must have picked a topic or two to work for your social issue research paper. Most of the lists have focused on social issues today as they could be very interesting for the readers. Plus, there are a plethora of good topics for you to count on. Just remember that a good research subject must be able to answer, what is a social problem, what is a social issue, and more. Still if you are struggling with picking up a good topic, feel free to count on the expertise of  our writers .

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100 Sociology Research Topics You Can Use Right Now

Sociology is a study of society, relationships, and culture. It can include multiple topics—ranging from class and social mobility to the Internet and marriage traditions. Research in sociology is used to inform policy makers , educators , businesses , social workers , non-profits , etc.

Below are 100 sociology research topics you can use right now, divided by general topic headings. Feel free to adapt these according to your specific interest. You'll always conduct more thorough and informed research if it's a topic you're passionate about.

Art, Food, Music, and Culture

• Does art imitate life or does life imitate art?
• How has globalization changed local culture?
• What role does food play in cultural identity?
• Does technology use affect people's eating habits?
• How has fast food affected society?
• How can clean eating change a person's life for the better?
• Should high-sugar drinks be banned from school campuses?
• How can travel change a person for the better?
• How does music affect the thoughts and actions of teenagers?
• Should performance artists be held partially responsible if someone is inspired by their music to commit a crime?
• What are some examples of cultural misappropriation?
• What role does music play in cultural identity?

Social Solutions and Cultural Biases

• What (if any) are the limits of free speech in a civil society?
• What are some reasonable solutions to overpopulation?
• What are some ways in which different types of media content influence society's attitudes and behaviors?
• What is the solution to stop the rise of homegrown terrorism in the U.S.?
• Should prescription drug companies be allowed to advertise directly to consumers?
• Is the global warming movement a hoax? Why or why not?
• Should the drinking age be lowered?
• Should more gun control laws be enacted in the U.S.?
• What bias exists against people who are obese?
• Should polygamy be legal in the U.S.? Why or why not?
• Should there be a legal penalty for using racial slurs?
• Should the legal working age of young people be raised or lowered?
• Should the death penalty be used in all cases involving first-degree murder?
• Should prisons be privately owned? Why or why not?
• What is privilege? How is it defined and how can it be used to gain access to American politics and positions of power?
• How are women discriminated against in the workplace?
• What role does feminism play in current American politics?
• What makes a patriot?
• Compare/analyze the social views of Plato and Aristotle
• How has labor migration changed America?
• What important skills have been lost in an industrialized West?
• Is the #MeToo movement an important one? Why or why not?
• What conflict resolution skills would best serve us in the present times?
• How can violence against women be dealt with to lower incidence rates?
• Should students be allowed to take any subject they want in High School and avoid the ones they don't like?
• How should bullies be dealt with in our country's schools?
• Do standardized tests improve education or have the opposite effect?
• Should school children be forced to go through metal detectors?
• What is the best teacher/student ratio for enhanced learning in school?
• Do school uniforms decrease teasing and bullying? If so, how?
• Should teachers make more money?
• Should public education be handled through private enterprises (like charter schools)?
• Should religious education be given priority over academic knowledge?
• How can schools help impoverished students in ways that won't embarrass them?
• What are ethical values that should be considered in education?
• Is it the state's role or the parents' role to educate children? Or a combination of both?
• Should education be given more political priority than defense and war?
• What would a perfect educational setting look like? How would it operate and what subjects would be taught?

Marriage and Family

• How should a "family" be defined? Can it be multiple definitions?
• What is a traditional role taken on by women that would be better handled by a man (and vice versa)?
• How has marriage changed in the United States?
• What are the effects of divorce on children?
• Is there a negative effect on children who are adopted by a family whose ethnicity is different than their own?
• Can children receive all they need from a single parent?
• Does helicopter parenting negatively affect children?
• Is marriage outdated?
• Should teens have access to birth control without their parents' permission?
• Should children be forced to show physical affection (hugs, etc.) to family members they're uncomfortable around?
• What are the benefits (or negative impact) of maintaining traditional gender roles in a family?
• Are social networks safe for preteens and teens? Why or why not?
• Should the government have a say in who can get married?
• What (if any) are the benefits of arranged marriages?
• What are the benefits for (or negative impact on) children being adopted by LGBTQ couples?
• How long should two people date before they marry?
• Should children be forced to be involved in activities (such as sports, gymnastics, clubs, etc.), even when they'd rather sit at home and play video games all day?
• Should parents be required to take a parenting class before having children?
• What are potential benefits to being married but choosing not to have children?

Generational

• Should communities take better care of their elderly? How?
• What are some generational differences among Generations X, Y, and Z?
• What benefits do elderly people get from interaction with children?
• How has Generation Y changed the country so far?
• What are the differences in communication styles between Generation X and Generation Y (Millennials)?
• Why could we learn from our elders that could not be learned from books?
• Should the elderly live with their immediate family (children and grandchildren)? How would this resolve some of our country's current problems?
• What are some positive or negative consequences to intergenerational marriage?

Spiritualism, religion, and superstition

• Why do some people believe in magic?
• What is the difference between religion and spiritualism?
• Should a government be a theocracy? Why or why not?
• How has religion helped (or harmed) our country?
• Should religious leaders be able to support a particular candidate from their pulpit?
• How have religious cults shaped the nation?
• Should students at religious schools be forced to take state tests?
• How has our human connection with nature changed while being trapped in crowded cities?
• Which generation from the past 200 years made the biggest impact on culture with their religious practice and beliefs? Explain your answer.

Addiction and Mental Health

• How should our society deal with addicts?
• What are ethical values that should be considered in mental health treatment?
• Should mental health be required coverage on all insurance policies?
• Is mental health treatment becoming less stigmatized?
• How would better access to mental health change our country?
• What are some things we're addicted to as a society that are not seen as "addiction," per se?
• Should medicinal marijuana be made legal?
• What are some alternative treatments for mental health and wellness instead of antidepressants?
• Has social media helped or harmed our society?
• Are video games addictive for young people and what should be done to curb the addiction?
• Should all recreational drugs be made legal?
• How has mental health treatment changed in the past 20 years?
• Should recreational marijuana be made legal?
• How is family counseling a good option for families going through conflict?

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149 Social Issues Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best social issues topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on social issues, ⭐ simple & easy social issues essay titles, 💡 interesting topics to write about social issues, ❓ social issues questions examples.

• Youth Unemployment as a Social Issue Different factors have led to the high levels of youth unemployment, with the most widely studied of them being the skills that are available to the unemployed youths.
• Social Issues: Choosing a Life Partner This process involves the identification of a friend to determine if potential partners share some aspects in life before the friendship can grow to a relationship and if the relationship works for the partners, it […]
• Social Issues in “Gattaca” by Andrew Niccoland In the movie, another family rivalry is witnessed in the case where Vincent was the main suspect in the killing of an administrator; and when Anton offered to help, Vincent asked him to stay away […]
• Social Issues in “Frankenstein” Film Frankenstein’s monster represents the mangled and depressed soldiers returning from the war only to find an economy in crisis, given that the Great Depression was in the offing after the war.
• Social Issues in the “Thelma and Louise” Movie The film focuses on the scenes and events that show the experience of females. In other words, “Thelma and Louise” ruined the stereotypical representation of women, which was revolutionary for that time.
• Social Issues in the Film “Grease” In the first instance, when Danny and Sandy meet for the first time in the school, Danny is compelled to play the bad boy character the group is identified with.
• Homelessness as a Global Social Issue In the US, homelessness is on the increase because of economic melt- down and foreclosures. Moreover, differences in perception of homelessness by liberal and conservative on homeless have increased homelessness in the US.
• Tragic Love and Social Issues in Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron In that regard, such distinction led to that love relationships were held in secret, and considering the origins of the lovers in both tales, it can be stated that the finale of these love stories […]
• Anthropology in Solving Global Social Issues Artists were moving in the same direction, which excluded the possibility to understand and assess other examples of the art of other nations.
• Philosophy and Perspective of Social Issues In addition, the critical thinking method can also be used to analyze the belief that the government is the cause of social issues. Philosophy is a discipline that can help us to think more critically […]
• Social Issues: Arranged Marriages Even though research has shown that some arranged marriages result in loving and stable relationships, I think it is important to give individuals the freedom to choose their partners and decide whether they are prepared […]
• Social Issues in “Be Right Back” Episode of “Black Mirror” Series In one of the scenes of the episodes, in her conversation with the copy of Ash, she says that the android does not have a history of its life; it is just an image without […]
• Social Issues in Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Othello” The social environment of England at the end of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth century was characterized by great attention to social class, citizens’ jobs, and their reputation.
• Homelessness as a Social Issue Research further indicates that the group is at a high risk of suffering from addiction in an effort to contain stress and ignominy associated with homelessness.
• What Defines Us as Human? – Social Issues Although the particular features of the people’s skeletal structure and other physical qualities cannot be discussed as determining to speak about persons as human, it is important to focus on differences in the mental and […]
• Social Issues Affecting Women Women and family Stability/Disintegration The role of women in family stability and disintegration is another social issue affecting women in society. Women are considered as the core managers of stability and security in the family.
• Social Issues of Families in Poverty With the tightened budget, parents of the families living in poverty struggle to make ends meet, and in the course of their struggles, they experience many stresses and depressions.
• Social Issues: Smartphones’ Positive Impacts In the past, it is expensive to make calls. In the past, it is not convenient to make calls using payphones.
• Social Issue: The Death of the Whitney Houston In addition to giving a precise of the aforementioned story, the next discussion also elaborates the story by relating it to sociological imagination and the concept of social perspectives.
• Gender Pay Gap as a Multifaceted Social Issue The gender pay gap is defined as the average gross hourly earnings of men and women who are working. Secondly, political and economic causes and outcomes of the issue have to be considered.
• Social Issues: Charitable Donations These factors include awareness of the need to contribute, solicitation, selflessness, cost of the benefit, status in the society, and personal values.
• Social Issues; Crime and Poverty in Camden This has threatened the social security and peaceful coexistence of the people in the community. The larger the differences between the poor and the rich, the high are the chances of crime.
• Communist Manifesto, Time and Social Issues The primary issue of the manifesto is the vagaries in which the bourgeoisie subject and subjugate the proletariat, all in the struggle for private property.
• Social Issues in First-World Nations The third social issue that affects a large number of first-world countries is the quality and accessibility of healthcare. However, it is possible to make a gradual positive change through the cooperation of governments and […]
• Moral, Ethical, and Social Issues However, the spectrum of their research is fundamentally different, and in the case of the Press, it concerns dirty work and society’s response to it.
• Education Establishments’ Role Regarding Social Issues However, the universal nature of these issues and their broad influence create an environment in which members of education establishments begin to question the extent of their involvement in them.
• Social Issues Related to Detroit’s Demographics: The Urban Crisis This refutes the widespread knowledge that suggests racial divides and social initiatives in the 1960s were the cause of the urban decline.
• Social Issue Analysis: The Trauma Lens of Police Violence It is the most visible manifestation of the struggle for justice, and the police are usually expected to support the victims of injustice.
• The Impact of Social Issues on the Development of Adolescence For example, boys have high esteem when they experience changes in their voices, while girls may feel shy due to the growth of their chest region.
• Tobacco as a Social Injustice Issue African Americans are a minority population in the U.S.singled out to endure the health challenges related to tobacco use hence a social injustice.
• Ageism and Financial Insecurity as Social Issues The two main social issues impacting the rights of older individuals are ageism and financial insecurity. Many older people are capable and eager to work beyond the standard set, but the chances are limited.
• The Review of Social Issues Film One of the most important concerns for my future life is the ability to raise and care for children properly. The issue of elderly domestic abuse is considered to be one of the most serious […]
• Race as a Social Construct: Issues of Barriers Since it occurs in the conditions of scarcity of resources essential for the survival of citizens, the varying degree of access to them can be determined on the basis of racial background.
• Social Issues in the “In Plain Sight” Art Project The artists from the In Plain Sight project are united by the goal of raising public awareness about causes such as immigrant detention and the US culture of incarceration.
• Immigration: Social Issue Feeling Analysis From the global perspective, the most influencing countries in the world use visa and other conditions of entering the country as a migration regulating tool.
• International Social Welfare Issue Analysis That is why it is very important for social workers and all socially conscious people to promote the ideas of social welfare and make people understand why it matters. To conclude, the issue of social […]
• Modern Healthcare Aspects in the United States: Managing Historical and Social Issues Today, the system is trying to manage various issues such as malnutrition among older adults that is increasing, the role of nurses and the importance of their diversity, and the growing costs of the services.
• Whistleblowing as a Social Issue in the Workplace The only hindrance to whistleblowing in society or the public is the authenticity of the information and how it will be received generally.
• Management of Obesity and Social Issues That Emerge With Its Development The article by Omole focuses on recent shift in the management of obesity and the social issues that emerge with its development, namely, the culture of fat-shaming, by considering some of the alternatives toward evaluating […]
• Key Social Issues Affecting Criminal Justice Professionals The absence of a decline in this percentage suggests that the criminal justice system has not been effective in addressing this issue. The criminal justice system has failed to decrease crime rates due to the […]
• Police Brutality: Social Issue This paper explores the issue of police brutality and seeks to shed light on the perceptions of the public, especially the black minority.
• Domestic Terrorism: A Comparative Analysis with Hate Crimes In my opinion, people could be driven by some factors or they could be conditioned throughout their lives to engage in domestic terrorism. They may also say that they feel unrecognized in the management of […]
• Global Digital Divide as a Social Issue That is, if societies around the globe are able to bridge the gap between those who have and those who do not in relation to information technology, then the development problems would be minimized at […]
• J.A. McPherson and G.G. Marquez Novel’s: Urgent Social Issues The black waiter Doc and the Colonel are forced to live in a cruel world and adapt to the dominant system.
• Should Drugs Be a Health, Social Issue or a Legal, Criminal Issue? They are classified depending on the mode of action and the response induced in the body. In order to get information from the participants the following questions will be asked: What drug do you use?
• Professors and Their Views on Political or Social Issues in the Classroom He analyzes the statement issued by the American Association of University Professors’ Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure, “Freedom in the Classroom,” which he says seems to defend professors against attacks by the right […]
• Social Issues in Kuwait: Immigration Workforce Among the frequently highlighted issues in the country, one is the low productivity among the local workforce due to the high influence of favoritism and nepotism in promotions and merits.
• S. Hay’s and Feagin’s Works on Social Issues The work of the Sharon Hay’s “Flat Broke with Children” was assembled in a milieu characterised by the decline of the widely hailed welfare reform policies which had seen the diminishing of welfare rolls from […]
• Should Professors Be Allowed to Advocate Their Views on Political or Social Issues in the Classroom? In the recent past, professors have been accused of several faults, and it was because of these faults that it was deemed necessary to put a cap on the extent to which professors can excise […]
• Marriage and Family Problems as Social Issues Sociology as a discipline has an extremely wide range of interests and it is next to impossible even to enumerate them, however the issue that has always been of the utmost importance for the sociological […]
• Social Stratification Issues Solving If that is not the case, we meet different forms of institutional discrimination which can take different forms such as discrimination of children, gender discrimination, race and class discrimination.
• Social Issues in Business I see housing as business and as quoted “business involves the exchange of services for money, making money, and dealing with other people’s needs and demands” in the book ‘A better way to think about […]
• Social Inequality Issue Analysis Thesis Social inequality is a system and systematic worked as the framework of society and its functionality. What is acknowledged to be a hierarchical social structure are essentially confined to the primary units of economic […]
• Identity and Social Class Issue A social class provides the child with a sense of identity, a set of values, and the motivational base for his later actions, while the school provides him with the knowledge and skills necessary to […]
• Domestic Violence as a Social Issue It is one of the main factors which stimulate the study’s conduction, and among the rest, one can also mention the number of unexplored violence questions yet to be answered.
• Masculinity as a Social Norms Issue However, the advancements that occurred with the rise of the LGBT movement and the empowerment of women now challenge established ideas.
• Pollution as a Social Issue and Mass Media’s Role The reason why plastic pollution gained traction only during the 21st century is directly connected to the invention of the Internet and the technological advances in electronics.
• Community Psychology in Addressing Social Issues Based on the lecture, we learned about the disparity between the rich and the poor, a domain that is associated with marginalization and stigmatization.
• Social Issues in Education: Applying Theory In the year 2000, the Ministry of Education banned any form of corporal punishment in all schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Social Issues of the Immigration Journal The authors studied the impacts of multiculturalism of the period 1980s to 1990s on institutional forms of immigrants in the Netherlands.
• Social Issues in Karl Marx’s Letter to John Mayer In your letter, it seems that those in power do not listen to you and your generation. This is one sure way of attaining power that is vital for you and your generation to change […]
• Social Issues in McMinden, Fictional Town The concepts of social stratification, division of labor, and social distance discussed in the essay appear to be connected by cause-and-effect relation.
• Socialist vs. Capitalist Approach to Social Issues Capitalism also refers to a system where the economy is independent of the state. In a Socialist economy, the intellectual property belongs to the government.
• Policy Changes and Social Issues The second step within the model is associated with the political stream, in which the previously identified problem is reviewed between communities of policy experts who possess knowledge of the problem.
• Rhetoric: Social Issues’ Influences on US Children Such an approach does not allow the readers to be 100% sure that this information is true to life and makes the statement rather weak.
• Economic and Social Issues in Japan The events of March 11 contributed to widespread changes in the Japanese society and government. In the midst of the March 11 disaster, a political reformation occurred.
• Social Issues in “Born into Brothels” Film It is possible to apply the feminist theory to consider a family featured in the film. In Shanti’s family, this is also the case, and her mother is afraid of her daughter’s future as the […]
• Alcoholism as a Social Issue and Its Effect on Families Such children tend to think that they are the causes of the problem, which would end up affecting them psychologically. Since children are not helped to get out of the horrifying scenarios, they end up […]
• Workplace Gender Bias: Social Injustice Issues Such situations make companies to classify its workforce based on the class systems17 that involve a consideration of the individual’s achievement and performance at the workplace.
• Social Issues in “Too Young to Wed” by Cynthia Gorney In the case of 10-year-old Ayesha who was married off to a 50-year old, the women in the family tried to stop the marriage.
• The Social Cost Issue The concept of “social cost” is applied in the economic analysis and estimation of most impacts. The writer observes the economic implications of such impacts on the social realm.
• Public Policies Addressing Social Issues in the USA The best form of policy that the US government uses to control lead poisoning in children is the increased awareness to prevent the use of lead in household paints.
• Social Issues in Self Help in Hard Times by Zinn The following are the main points from the chapter 15 of the Self Help in Hard Times book that were determined as Zinn’s main points of interest: The first main point of Zinn in this […]
• Social Issues in the “Leaving the Streets: Stories of Canadian Youth” The authors of the book are inclined to support the idea that to exit the street life successfully, the street youth should become oriented to the principles of the street disengagement and to breaking all […]
• Natural Disasters and Global Social Issues The hurricane led to a major shift in the social arrangement of the populations in the worst affected areas. This led to a significant loss of jobs in the affected areas.
• US Public Policies Social Issues In view of this, the article is useful since it provides readers with brief and structured information regarding the differences that The Affordable Care Act makes.
• Social Issues of Genital Cosmetic Surgery for Women The labia minora is the main target, and it aims at reducing the size of these lips to avoid protruding beyond the labia majora.
• Single Mothers’ Social Issues The little consideration given to single women living in poverty distorts the women and their families. The single mothers who have a heavy burden of caring for their children need help from the government.
• Intercollegiate Sports: Social and Cultural Issues A primary goal of this essay is to evaluate the impact of social and cultural issues on the ability to handle stress in the future while being a contestant of one of the intercollegiate sports.
• Social Issue of Sexual Assault: Definition and Forms Sometimes it’s not only the ordinary people that are in the dark, even the most important figures that are seen as the role models to the society happen to be in the dark about some […]
• Social Issues: Monogamy in Our Life This sort of relations is considered to be the only legal type of bond in the majority of states all over the world.
• Social Issues: Abortions Prohibition With this in mind, it is possible to say that the question of abortion is a very keen issue which sets the table for a great number of different debates. However, it is said that […]
• Social Issues: Levels of Conversation Impact The results of a conversation depending on the levels of communication between the parties that are involved. In this level of conversation, a self-fulfilling relationship may be developed particularly if the people involved in the […]
• Social Issues: Equity Among the African Demographics Combined with the problem of poverty and lack of educational resources, it takes a truly monstrous scale, affecting not only the lives of women in a number of regions of Africa, but also the entire […]
• Social Issues: Science Versus Indigenous Ways of Living The opinion of science seems to have become the only credible source of knowledge in a contemporary world, and for a good reason with the recent technological breakthrough and the advent of the era of […]
• Social Issues: “A critical Mess” by Scott Rowan In his argument, Rowan, the president of Sherpa Multimedia, explains the pains and frustrations that the Chicago community undergoes when the cyclists take to the streets demonstrating their riding skills and claiming that it is […]
• Social Issues: Child Observation in Khalifa Park It was noticed that there was a marked difference in the games boys and girls play and their reactions to winning and losing the games.
• Social Issues: Urban Livability and Sustainability In achieving this choice in the United States, for instance, the Federal and State governments should allocate resources according to the development index of the cities in the continent.
• Social Issues: Non-Mainstream Body Modification The rise of many art styles and body modifiers, the increase in tattoo parlors dealing in non-mainstream art, and the emergence of websites, books, and magazines containing body art practices led to the rise of […]
• Social Issues: Ethnicity-based Jury Nullification This was because most of the jurists were whites, and they believed that whites had the freedom to treat other races the way they pleased.
• Social Issues: Hollywood Effects on Suburban Families The actions of the people who lived in the suburbs were largely influenced by the media. On the other hand, the suburban male was the provider and the protector of the house.
• The Discussion of WikiLeaks as a Social Issue The circulation of information on the Internet with the help of the media is the characteristic feature of the developing globalization.
• Social Issues: Demographic Transition Definition Phase two is considered to be the foundation of demographic transition, where there is a quick decrease in the mortality rate.
• Social Issues: Corporal Punishment To begin with, people that support corporal punishment say they do so because they believe that a child needs spanking to learn a discipline.
• Social Issues: Teen Pregnancy Lastly, there are no good role models to teach children the importance of abstinence, and this has led them to believe that they should engage in premarital sex to become famous.
• Social Issues: Police Protection of the Ku Klux Klan The situation when the police protected the Ku Klux Klan while gassing and arresting the demonstrators can seem to be unexpected and controversial because people are often inclined to associate the Ku Klux Klan with […]
• Social Issues: Rites and Ceremonies in People Life The life of a person as the member of the group or community is associated with definite rites and ceremonies which are followed to respond to the traditions, and cultural values developed during the centuries […]
• Social Issues: Leisure Lifestyle Erickson confirmed through research that leisure activities originate from the mind, and an individual is motivated to engage in it whenever he or she feels that it would be beneficial.
• Social Issues: The Art of Living in Solitude The status of a single person is part and parcel of the modern reality for an increasingly large number of people and at the same time the major cause for psychological and social problems for […]
• Social Issues of Human Behavior: Nature and Nurture On the other hand, the nurture view asserts that behaviors are developed and persist according to the upbringing and the environment the individual grows up in.
• Social Issues: Appropriateness of Affirmative Action Affirmative action in the sphere of education can be discussed as the appropriate approach to evaluate the admissions of college students because it can guarantee the equal access to the limited educational resources for students […]
• Social Issues: Gentrification in Harlem Thus, gentrification in Harlem during the period of 2000-2012 is characterized by changes in the community’s demographics, household income, and economy connected with the arrival of wealthier residents, increased investment, promoted economic and business activities, […]
• Social Issues: How Identities are Constructed? In modern times, many people identify themselves with their countries of birth, and this makes them eligible for citizenship rights and other social and economic privileges that are offered by their countries.
• Social Issues: Game Theory in Daily Life In effect, game theory can be said to be a basis for making rational decisions whereby the given decisions create impacts on the decision making the ability of other entities in the group, while also […]
• Social Issues: Common Sense and Intuition One of the most noteworthy ideas in the book was the suggestion that, in as much as people try to act or say otherwise, from a subconscious point of view, the majority is actually practicing […]
• Social Issues: Gender Segregation The Code recognizes the “inherent dignity and worth of every person and to provide for equal rights and opportunities without discrimination”.
• Social Issues in the Book “The Academic Illusion” by Ken Robinson In the introductory part of the article, the author focuses on how intelligence is measured. In the last part of the article, the author persuades human beings to change how they perceive education.
• Social Issues: Property Ownership White views nature from a different standpoint to Forster’s; while he appreciates nature and the serenity of the place, Forster view of his wood is in terms of monetary value.
• Social Issues: Alcoholism as a Mode of Addiction Every single case of alcoholic dependence described in the lecture is perfectly consistent with the existing model, each piece of evidence falling into its place and, therefore, allowing the audience to have an entire picture […]
• Social Issues: Challenges Facing Young Immigrants It is against this backdrop that this essay seeks to explore the challenges facing young immigrants in the United States and the proactive measures that can be taken to rescue this vulnerable group in transiting […]
• Social Issues: the Freak Shows Popularity This appetite is what drives freak show organizers to find persons with severe deformities to satisfy the curiosity of the public.
• Social Issues: Muslim Immigrants in the UK Since the study aims at exploring Muslim immigrants in the UK, it will focus on the struggles of Muslim immigrants in the UK, the policies the UK government uses towards Muslim immigrants, and terrorism challenges […]
• Social Issues: Freak Shows The shows gave audiences something they craved, and the audiences gladly paid the organizers for putting up the shows. The second reason for the popularity of freak shows is the financial returns associated with the […]
• Immigration as Social Issue in Australia The research will explore the element of trans-nationalism that is likely to be the case with most of these immigrants and its impacts on their continued stay in Australia.
• Native Americans: Social Issue In addition, the references of the natives by the mainstream society have led to the under development and have prevented the evolution of the Indian Americans.
• Sufficient Justifications of the Legitimacy of Religious Positions on Social Issues Beale points towards the spiritual, historical and divine origins of the bible and utilizes this as the reinforcing factors behind his belief in the bible’s inerrancy and infallibility.
• Social Issue: Concepts of Sociological Imagination and Sociological Perspectives Sociology is a subject that offers insight into behavior of individuals and groups of people in a society and its scope covers established relationships between people in a society, the effects of such relationships on […]
• White Privilege Social Issue Due to subtle nature of the racism in the modern society, the whites perceive it as just a social factor that differentiate people into privileged and unprivileged classes in the society.
• Social and Political Issues The military has been used by the corporations and the wealthy individuals to protect the interests of the nation, which are actually the interests of the corporations and the wealthy.
• Social Issues in the “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee The phrase ‘to kill a mocking bird’ stands out as a metaphor in the book To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
• Gandhi’s contribution towards contemporary social issues Gandhi appreciates the existence of difference in the name of God amongst the Muslims, Hindus and Christians. In order for the concept of non-violence to be applicable, Gandhi is of the opinion that it is […]
• Why Is It Important to Address Social Issues in the Classroom?
• What Is a Social Issue Example?
• What Are the Basic Social Issues?
• What Is the Biggest Issue in the World Today?
• Is Poverty a Social Issue?
• Is Depression a Social Issue?
• How Many Social Issues Are There?
• Is Stress a Social Problem?
• Is Mental Illness a Social Issue?
• Is Social Anxiety a Social Issue?
• What Are the Four Types of Social Problems?
• What Is an Interesting Social Issue?
• How Do You Talk About Social Issues?
• Why Do We Need to Learn Social Issues?
• What Is the Most Common Social Issue?
• How Does Social Issues Affect Society?
• What Social Issues Are Not Talked About?
• What Are the Main Causes of Social Issues?
• Is Mental Health a Social Issue?
• What Is the Conclusion of Social Issues?
• What Are the Current Social Issue?
• How Do Social Issues Affect Students?
• How Do Social Issues Affect Development?
• What Will Happen if the Social Issues Are Not Controlled on Time?
• Why Are Social Issues Difficult?
• Why Should Social Issues Be Solved Socially?
• Bullying Research Topics
• Censorship Essay Ideas
• Transgender Paper Topics
• Illegal Immigration Topics
• LGBT Essay Topics
• Suicide Topics
• Gun Control Titles
• Crime Ideas
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 29). 149 Social Issues Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/social-issues-essay-topics/

"149 Social Issues Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 29 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/social-issues-essay-topics/.

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IvyPanda . 2024. "149 Social Issues Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/social-issues-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "149 Social Issues Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/social-issues-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "149 Social Issues Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/social-issues-essay-topics/.

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1.4 Doing Research on Social Problems

Learning objectives.

• List the major advantages and disadvantages of surveys, observational studies, and experiments.
• Explain why scholars who study social problems often rely on existing data.

Sound research is an essential tool for understanding the sources, dynamics, and consequences of social problems and possible solutions to them. This section briefly describes the major ways in which sociologists gather information about social problems. Table 1.2 “Major Sociological Research Methods” summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Table 1.2 Major Sociological Research Methods

The survey is the most common method by which sociologists gather their data. The Gallup poll is perhaps the most well-known example of a survey and, like all surveys, gathers its data with the help of a questionnaire that is given to a group of respondents . The Gallup poll is an example of a survey conducted by a private organization, but sociologists do their own surveys, as does the government and many organizations in addition to Gallup. Many surveys are administered to respondents who are randomly chosen and thus constitute a random sample . In a random sample, everyone in the population (whether it be the whole US population or just the population of a state or city, all the college students in a state or city or all the students at just one college, etc.) has the same chance of being included in the survey. The beauty of a random sample is that it allows us to generalize the results of the sample to the population from which the sample comes. This means that we can be fairly sure of the behavior and attitudes of the whole US population by knowing the behavior and attitudes of just four hundred people randomly chosen from that population.

Some surveys are face-to-face surveys, in which interviewers meet with respondents to ask them questions. This type of survey can yield much information, because interviewers typically will spend at least an hour asking their questions, and a high response rate (the percentage of all people in the sample who agree to be interviewed), which is important to be able to generalize the survey’s results to the entire population. On the downside, this type of survey can be very expensive and time consuming to conduct.

Surveys are very useful for gathering various kinds of information relevant to social problems. Advances in technology have made telephone surveys involving random-digit dialing perhaps the most popular way of conducting a survey.

plantronicsgermany – Encore520 call center man standing – CC BY-ND 2.0.

Because of these drawbacks, sociologists and other researchers have turned to telephone surveys. Most Gallup polls are conducted over the telephone. Computers do random-digit dialing, which results in a random sample of all telephone numbers being selected. Although the response rate and the number of questions asked are both lower than in face-to-face surveys (people can just hang up the phone at the outset or let their answering machine take the call), the ease and low expense of telephone surveys are making them increasingly popular. Surveys done over the Internet are also becoming more popular, as they can reach many people at very low expense. A major problem with web surveys is that their results cannot necessarily be generalized to the entire population because not everyone has access to the Internet.

Surveys are used in the study of social problems to gather information about the behavior and attitudes of people regarding one or more problems. For example, many surveys ask people about their use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs or about their experiences of being unemployed or in poor health. Many of the chapters in this book will present evidence gathered by surveys carried out by sociologists and other social scientists, various governmental agencies, and private research and public interest firms.

Experiments

Experiments are the primary form of research in the natural and physical sciences, but in the social sciences they are for the most part found only in psychology. Some sociologists still use experiments, however, and they remain a powerful tool of social research.

The major advantage of experiments, whether they are done in the natural and physical sciences or in the social sciences, is that the researcher can be fairly sure of a cause-and-effect relationship because of the way the experiment is set up. Although many different experimental designs exist, the typical experiment consists of an experimental group and a control group , with subjects randomly assigned to either group. The researcher does something to the experimental group that is not done to the control group. If the two groups differ later in some variable, then it is safe to say that the condition to which the experimental group was subjected was responsible for the difference that resulted.

Most experiments take place in the laboratory, which for psychologists may be a room with a one-way mirror, but some experiments occur in the field, or in a natural setting ( field experiments ). In Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the early 1980s, sociologists were involved in a much-discussed field experiment sponsored by the federal government. The researchers wanted to see whether arresting men for domestic violence made it less likely that they would commit such violence again. To test this hypothesis, the researchers had police do one of the following after arriving at the scene of a domestic dispute: They either arrested the suspect, separated him from his wife or partner for several hours, or warned him to stop but did not arrest or separate him. The researchers then determined the percentage of men in each group who committed repeated domestic violence during the next six months and found that those who were arrested had the lowest rate of recidivism, or repeat offending (Sherman & Berk, 1984). This finding led many jurisdictions across the United States to adopt a policy of mandatory arrest for domestic violence suspects. However, replications of the Minneapolis experiment in other cities found that arrest sometimes reduced recidivism for domestic violence but also sometimes increased it, depending on which city was being studied and on certain characteristics of the suspects, including whether they were employed at the time of their arrest (Sherman, 1992).

As the Minneapolis study suggests, perhaps the most important problem with experiments is that their results are not generalizable beyond the specific subjects studied. The subjects in most psychology experiments, for example, are college students, who obviously are not typical of average Americans: They are younger, more educated, and more likely to be middle class. Despite this problem, experiments in psychology and other social sciences have given us very valuable insights into the sources of attitudes and behavior. Scholars of social problems are increasingly using field experiments to study the effectiveness of various policies and programs aimed at addressing social problems. We will examine the results of several such experiments in the chapters ahead.

Observational Studies

Observational research, also called field research , is a staple of sociology. Sociologists have long gone into the field to observe people and social settings, and the result has been many rich descriptions and analyses of behavior in juvenile gangs, bars, urban street corners, and even whole communities.

Observational studies consist of both participant observation and nonparticipant observation . Their names describe how they differ. In participant observation, the researcher is part of the group that she or he is studying, spends time with the group, and might even live with people in the group. Several classical social problems studies of this type exist, many of them involving people in urban neighborhoods (Liebow, 1967; Liebow, 1993; Whyte, 1943). In nonparticipant observation, the researcher observes a group of people but does not otherwise interact with them. If you went to your local shopping mall to observe, say, whether people walking with children looked happier than people without children, you would be engaging in nonparticipant observation.

Similar to experiments, observational studies cannot automatically be generalized to other settings or members of the population. But in many ways they provide a richer account of people’s lives than surveys do, and they remain an important method of research on social problems.

Existing Data

Sometimes sociologists do not gather their own data but instead analyze existing data that someone else has gathered. The US Census Bureau, for example, gathers data on all kinds of areas relevant to the lives of Americans, and many sociologists analyze census data on such social problems as poverty, unemployment, and illness. Sociologists interested in crime and the criminal justice system may analyze data from court records, while medical sociologists often analyze data from patient records at hospitals. Analysis of existing data such as these is called secondary data analysis . Its advantage to sociologists is that someone else has already spent the time and money to gather the data. A disadvantage is that the data set being analyzed may not contain data on all the topics in which a sociologist may be interested or may contain data on topics that are not measured in ways the sociologist might prefer.

The Scientific Method and Objectivity

This section began by stressing the need for sound research in the study of social problems. But what are the elements of sound research? At a minimum, such research should follow the rules of the scientific method . As you probably learned in high school and/or college science classes, these rules—formulating hypotheses, gathering and testing data, drawing conclusions, and so forth—help guarantee that research yields the most accurate and reliable conclusions possible.

An overriding principle of the scientific method is that research should be conducted as objectively as possible. Researchers are often passionate about their work, but they must take care not to let the findings they expect and even hope to uncover affect how they do their research. This in turn means that they must not conduct their research in a manner that helps achieve the results they expect to find. Such bias can happen unconsciously, and the scientific method helps reduce the potential for this bias as much as possible.

This potential is arguably greater in the social sciences than in the natural and physical sciences. The political views of chemists and physicists typically do not affect how an experiment is performed and how the outcome of the experiment is interpreted. In contrast, researchers in the social sciences, and perhaps particularly in sociology, often have strong feelings about the topics they are studying. Their social and political beliefs may thus influence how they perform their research on these topics and how they interpret the results of this research. Following the scientific method helps reduce this possible influence.

Key Takeaways

• The major types of research on social problems include surveys, experiments, observational studies, and the use of existing data.
• Surveys are the most common method, and the results of surveys of random samples may be generalized to the populations from which the samples come.
• Observation studies and existing data are also common methods in social problems research. Observation studies enable the gathering of rich, detailed information, but their results cannot necessarily be generalized beyond the people studied.
• Research on social problems should follow the scientific method to yield the most accurate and objective conclusions possible.

For Your Review

• Have you ever been a respondent or subject in any type of sociological or psychological research project? If so, how did it feel to be studied?
• Which type of social problems research method sounds most interesting to you? Why?

Liebow, E. (1967). Tally’s corner . Boston, MA: Little, Brown.

Liebow, E. (1993). Tell them who I am: The lives of homeless women . New York, NY: Free Press.

Sherman, L. W., & Berk, R. A. (1984). The specific deterrent effects of arrest for domestic assault. American Sociological Review, 49 , 261–272.

Sherman, L. W. (1992). Policing domestic violence: Experiments and dilemmas . New York, NY: Free Press.

Whyte, W. F. (1943). Street corner society: The social structure of an Italian slum . Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Social Problems Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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List of 20 Good Research Paper Topics Social Issues

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How to Pick Up Proper Social Issue Research Paper Topics

In the modern world, there are a lot of social issues. Poverty, unemployment, crime, corruption, drug addiction, the spread of HIV infection, the threat of technological disasters – all this is not a complete list of those phenomena that cause anxiety and concern in our society. Social problems can be global, affecting the interests of a significant part of humanity, or they may concern the interests of the individual person.

In different historical periods, the list of social problems was different, and these issues were solved in different ways. Your topic for an excellent research paper should, first of all, be relevant and urgent. Think about what issues really matter to today's society and what you personally consider important.

Try to choose something controversial that instantly hooks the audience. Also, don’t forget that you’ll have to bring substantial evidence and arguments for your point of view, so the topic should not be too complicated for you.

Below you’ll find successful examples of social issues to write a research paper on.

The Most Interesting Research Paper Social Issues Topics

Social problems include a huge number of aspects of society. Therefore, you can simply choose what is important to you. Make sure that the chosen topic is of interest to you, and the problem is easy and suitable for research, and then you’ll get an excellent paper.

Here are some ideas of research-worth topics divided into groups:

Social categorization

• Is racism still real in the 21st century? Why haven’t we overcome it yet?
• Sexual objectification in online ads.
• Gender identity: how gender roles have changed and how they will change in the future.
• Religious discrimination in the workplace in different countries.
• Pay inequality is still a problem. How to solve it?

Cybersecurity

• Phishing, scam, blackmailing: how to feel safe in the unsafe Internet.
• Cyberbullying: the new face of an old problem. History of cyberbullying.
• Identity theft: the problem of the 21st century. How to reduce the risks?
• Government control in the digital era: what we must do today in order not to wake up in a cyber-totalitarian state tomorrow.
• Prevention of cyberstalking: how to protect yourself.

Top Ideas of Social Issues Research Paper

A variety of social problems allows a research paper writer to pick up those that have not been researched before or take new approaches to those that have already been researched.

In other words, even if it seems to you that everything has been said about this issue, you can still find a blind spot and uncover this question from the other side.

Take a look at social issues that will never lose their relevance:

• Medical marijuana: to legalize or not to legalize? All the pros and cons.
• Correlation between drug use and domestic violence: the problem is more serious than we all thought.
• Modern students still take drugs in college. A feeling of rebellion or personality problems?
• Countries that prohibit drugs and countries that decriminalized drugs: what can we learn from them? Can drug prohibition solve the problem in the USA?
• Youth drug addiction: explaining the problem.

Poverty and unemployment

• Is there a connection between low living standards and high crime rates?
• Possible ways of poverty reduction.
• The subculture of the poor is becoming a factor in destabilizing society. Explain why.
• What is the impact of poverty and unemployment on the US economy?
• Why does unemployment exist even in the most prosperous countries?

Writing a social issues research paper requires a very creative approach, great curiosity, the skills to think outside the box as well as the ability to process a large amount of information and find unusual sources.

But still, it is not as difficult as you might think. Just choose a suitable topic and make sure that you have an idea about the issue you’re going to study in your paper.

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Sociology: Researching Social Problems

• Articles/Journals
• Statistics Sources
• Researching Social Problems
• SOCL 100 - Sociology - Who Am I? Assignment
• SOCL 100 - Sociology - Finding Specific Journals
• SOCL 120 - Cultural Diversity in American Society
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Examples of Social Issues

Broad categories of issues that have impact on families and society:

• Illness and the Health care Crisis.
• Alcohol and other Drugs.
• Crime and Violence.
• Family Problems.
• Problems of Youth and Aging.
• Race and Ethnic Relations.
• Gender Inequality.
• Issues in Sexual Orientation.
• Work and Unemployment.
• Problems in Education.
• Population and Urbanization.
• Science and Technology.
• Environmental Problems.
• Conflict, War, and Terrorism.

Finding books by subject

Books on sociological topics are found in several call number ranges because sociological topics are often interdisciplinary. 

Many books are located in the range:    HM 1- HT 1600

There are hundreds of Subject Headings useful for sociological topics. 

Social justice

Social problems

Social theory

Socialization

Developing a Research Question

Once you have chosen a topic to research, you will need to develop a research question you are wanting to answer.

Examples of research questions:

Does viewing violent television and/or movies have a measurable affect on children's aggressive behavior?

Do children who regularly share mealtimes with the family do better academically?

Are fathers discriminated against in custody cases?

Is racial profiling an effective terror prevention strategy?

Databases for this subject

Covers the latest concepts, theories and methods from both applied and theoretical aspects of the social sciences, full-text resource provides access to the most important English-language social science journals.

Comprehensive, full-text database covering psychology and psychiatry topics such as emotional and behavioral characteristics, mental processes, observational and experimental methods.

Full-text, scholarly resources in the arts and sciences include Archival and Current Journals, Books, and Primary Sources.

Leading resource for scholarly research with peer-reviewed, full-text journals. Supports high-level research in many disciplines by providing journals, periodicals, reports, books, and more.

Information and opinions and on hundreds of today's hottest social issues; provides sources such as viewpoints, topic overviews, full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio files and links to reviewed websites.

Containing resources that present multiple sides of an issue; provides content that can help students assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues and develop analytical thinking skills.

A premier source of peer-reviewed, full-text, scholarly content across many academic areas. Millions of articles available in both PDF and HTML full-text; authoritative and comprehensive.

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The Biggest 15 Social Issues We Are Facing Today

No matter where we live, what communities we belong to or what we care about, we are affected by social issues. It’s the price of living in a society, and while challenges like poverty, climate change and discrimination can feel overwhelming, we have the power to take action. The first step is understanding what issues we’re up against. In this article, we’ll explore 15 of the biggest social issues facing the world today.

#1. The global housing crisis

Shelter is a human right, but hundreds of millions of people lack adequate, affordable housing. According to the World Bank, the housing crisis is global, and it could impact as many as 1.6 billion people by 2025. That number will only grow with time. By 2030, the world needs to build 96,000 new affordable homes per day to meet the needs of 3 billion people. What’s driving the global housing crisis? According to Albert Saiz in a paper for the MIT Center for Real Estate, economic factors like rising costs and income inequality are prevalent. Addressing these issues now is critical to protecting people in the future.

#2. Gender inequality

Societies have been working to improve gender inequality for centuries, but we still have a long way to go. Globally, women still make less money than men, have poorer health outcomes, have fewer opportunities and endure more gender–based violence. According to 2023 data, the global gender gap won’t close until 2154 . Even the most gender-equal country, which is Iceland , still has social issues to address. Some of the issues are recognized – women are still being subjected to physical and sexual violence – while there are gaps in data related to things like unpaid care, domestic work, gender and the environment, and so on.

#3. Climate crisis

The climate crisis is one of today’s most urgent social issues. Earth.org outlines a list of major climate events in 2023 , including severe droughts, wildfires, higher ocean surface temperatures and storms. That same year, the IPCC released a summary of its previous five reports, showing how human activity is causing severe damage to the planet, and, if trends continue, parts of the earth will become unlivable in just a few decades. The world can fight the climate crisis, but we have to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and turn to renewable energy sources.

#4. Overconsumption

Greenhouse gas emissions are a primary driver of climate change, but overconsumption is hurting the planet, too. Unfathomable amounts of food, clothing, plastic and other things are thrown into landfills and the ocean every day. However, it’s not a problem for everyone. According to research, just 20% of the world’s population is responsible for consuming 80% of the globe’s natural resources. The richest 500 million people release half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. To break it down even further, if every person in the world consumed resources at the rate as people in Canada and the United States did, we would need at least five earths .

#5. Global hunger

Global food insecurity is a serious problem. According to data, about 735 million people endured chronic hunger in 2022, and with issues like climate change, the lingering effects of the pandemic and conflict, it will be very challenging to end hunger by 2030. Children typically suffer the most. When kids don’t get enough to eat, they become more vulnerable to diseases like measles, malaria and diarrhea. According to the World Food Programme, “hotspots” for hunger include Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan and Palestine.

#6. Threats to LGBTQ+ rights

At the same time as LGBTQ+ rights have expanded, certain countries have pushed back. In the summer of 2023, the first Ugandan was charged with “aggravated homosexuality,” a crime punishable by death. In its 2023 review, the Electronic Frontier Foundation also found an increase in anti-LGBTQ sentiment , including more laws that restrict privacy and freedom of expression, and censorship of LGBTQ+ websites. Even in places like the United States, which is seen by many as a haven for the LGBTQ+ community, legislative threats are on the rise .

#7. Reproductive justice

Reproductive justice, which includes things like abortion access and maternal health, is a social issue affecting every corner of the world. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, most countries are expanding abortion rights, while just four – the United States, Poland, Nicaragua, and El Salvador – rolled back abortion rights . Globally, about 40% of women live in places with “restrictive” abortion laws. Related social issues include menstrual health, prenatal and maternal health, access to contraception and so on.

#8. Educational disparities

When people get a good education, they’re more likely to have higher incomes, better health, healthier children and other benefits. On a larger scale, education also helps countries achieve overall wealth and health. There’s been significant progress on closing the gender gap in education. According to a blog on the World Bank, boys and girls complete primary school at almost an equal rate . However, around 130 million girls are still being denied an education. Wealth also plays a role in educational disparities. In the United States, one study found that wealth affects a student’s chances of finishing college. On a global scale, wealth also impacts where a family lives and what school options are available, as well as tutoring opportunities, whether a student needs a job and much more.

#9. Health and healthcare

Health and the ability (or inability) to access good healthcare are major social issues. Unfortunately, healthcare systems around the world are struggling. COVID-19 continues to be a problem, but hospitals are also facing staff shortages and competition . Not everyone is affected equally. According to the World Health Organization, refugees and migrants experience worse health outcomes due to language barriers, cultural differences, discrimination and legal restrictions on what services they can access.

#10. Income inequality

Global income inequality fluctuates, but according to a 2023 Oxfam study , the world’s richest 1% took almost ⅔ of all the new wealth created since 2020. That gave them almost twice the amount of money held by the bottom 99%. Income inequality can cause serious problems , such as lower economic growth, worse social cohesion and political polarization. There are also ethical consequences to income inequality, which human rights and social justice advocates often discuss. Can society ever be truly good or free when only a handful of people hold all the wealth?

#11. Global unemployment (and underemployment)

High unemployment rates – and low-paying jobs – drive income inequality and poverty. In a 2023 report, the International Labour Organization found that the world is still experiencing slow employment growth . There was a slight recovery in 2021, but as the economy slows again, people are forced to take jobs that pay less, provide fewer hours and/or offer poor working conditions. South Africa, which is the most industrialized economy in Africa, also has one of the highest unemployment rates. According to Reuters, reasons include structural issues related to the shadows of colonialism and apartheid. To fight issues like poverty and gender inequality, countries need to address unemployment and low-paying jobs.

#12. Increased migration

People move all the time, but issues like war and climate change force people to leave their homes. Sometimes, they move within the borders of one country, but other times, they’re forced to take long, dangerous journeys to countries they’ve never visited. According to the Migration Policy Institute, “humanitarian migration” increased in 2023, while policies could impact elections in 2024. The social issues related to migration, such as the rights of migrants, affordable housing, health services and more, will all be relevant for the foreseeable future.

#13. Artificial intelligence

The presence of artificial intelligence has exploded in recent years, but the technology has several issues. Ethics is just one of them. According to a guide on UMA Libraries, AI has problems with gender and racial bias, plagiarism, generating fake news and supporting scams. It also takes a lot of energy to train and run AI programs, so as the use of AI increases, so will its carbon footprint . As the technology continues to develop, new regulations, legislation and guidelines will need to be created, as well.

#14. Debt bondage

Rates of labor trafficking have been increasing over the years. According to research, about ⅕ of those in forced labor trafficking are in debt bondage . Debt bondage is a very common type of trafficking where a person is forced to work off a loan. However, because the debt is often so high and they are paid so little, it’s impossible to escape the situation. Perpetrators also often have no intention of freeing the people they’re exploiting; debt bondage can even pass on to children. While bonded labor is technically illegal in some places, like India, it persists , especially in rural areas. Because trafficking is an illicit practice, it’s very difficult to get accurate numbers, but it’s most likely worse than what’s reported.

#15. Threats to journalism

By providing vital information to the public, journalists are essential to freedom of speech, freedom of expression, democracy and the protection of other human rights. In recent years, journalism has been under threat. According to the 2023 World Press Freedom Index , the environment for journalism was “bad” in seven out of 10 countries, while it was “satisfactory” in just three out of 10 countries. The reasons include a surge in fake news and propaganda. Journalists also face threats to their lives. UNESCO found that in 2023, there was a near doubling of deaths of journalists working in conflict zones. As conflicts in Ukraine, Palestine and other countries continue, the safety of journalism will remain a social issue.

Best Social Issues Essay Topic Examples

Table of contents

• 1 What Are Social Justice Topics for Essay?
• 2 How To Choose The Right Social Justice Persuasive Essay Topics
• 3 Good Social Justice Argumentative Essay Topics
• 4 Social Issues Topics About Health
• 5 Social Issues Essay Topics About Environment
• 6 Social Issues Topics About War and Peace
• 7 Social Issues Topics About Police and Criminal
• 8 Social Issues Topics About Pornography
• 9 Social Issues Topics About Feminism
• 10 Social Issues Topics About Abortion
• 11 Social Issues Topics About Racism
• 12 Social Issues Topics About Migration and Refugees
• 13 Social Issues Topics About Human Rights
• 14 Social Issues Topics About Education
• 15 Tips For Writing Social Issues Essays

Students often look for social issues essay topics to write about, but it can be challenging to come up with one that both sounds interesting and important.

For example, finding a problem in society that can be an essay topic for social science issues can be tricky. And many of them go like, “should I pay someone to do my essay .” So, before you decide, we have prepared a list of examples of social issue essay topics.

These topics are diverse and exciting because they provide food for thought and teach potential writers how to think critically. Furthermore, these are all original ideas with nothing plagiarized or copied from somewhere else, so they’re perfect for any student struggling with coming up with a subject. So, check out this list of social justice issues essay topics!

What Are Social Justice Topics for Essay?

Social justice is a complex matter covering various problems affecting a group of individuals. Thus, social issues essay topics affect our society as a whole. It can be anything from pollution to poverty, racism, etc., and it usually has a negative impact on the lives of others.

The said issues are not limited to what is happening in the world today and have broad coverage. Social problems can be about something that happened in the past or something that could happen in the future; therefore, they are not bound by time.

The main reason why you should care is that it affects you too. The environment in which we live is constantly changing, and if we don’t take action, then our future will be bleak. That’s why, when writing examples essays about social issues , you ought to gain insights into the matter and express your position. Below you will see social justice essay topics, essay examples, and more that will significantly aid you when you need ideas.

How To Choose The Right Social Justice Persuasive Essay Topics

Choosing a social issue essay topic is more challenging than it seems. However, there are a few things to consider which may help you before you decide on one.

The first thing is to make sure that the essay topic is interesting and relevant to the audience. You want your essay to be exciting and engaging so that the reader will stay interested in your writing. In addition, you must pick a topic that will resonate with your readers, something they can relate to.

Secondly, you should always try to pick a topic that has some connection with your life experience or personal passions. That will help you stay motivated while writing the essay because you will be eager to learn more and, accordingly, write more. This connection will also make it easier for you to come up with ideas for your paper.

Lastly, remember the length of the essay is crucial! Make sure that your choice won’t leave too little space for all of your thoughts and explanations because this can make writing difficult and tedious.

Now you know what a social justice essay is and how to pick the right subject for it, even without an essay title generator . Then it is time to check our well-written social issues topics list, with various examples that can help you.

Good Social Justice Argumentative Essay Topics

• Define the meaning of modern gaming and its relation to students’ violence boom.
• Racism and reverse racism, are they equally bad, and why?
• Define the term justice and its place in our society.
• Are the effects of social media catastrophic to young people’s relations?
• Do countries need visas, and if not, then why?
• Utopia and world peace, is it possible or just a wishful fantasy of the young rebels?

Social Issues Topics About Health

• Why is obesity in America one of the significant health issues?
• Elderly people, who should be responsible for taking care of them and why?
• Should the legal drinking age be lowered, and what issues can it cause?
• Porn, what it means to the modern world, and how it affects people’s health?
• Against vaccines, why do people not believe in medicine?
• Free healthcare for anyone defines the benefits of changes in the healthcare system.

Social issues essay topics are a great way to tackle important topics in society. With the help of essay writers online , students can gain insights into the issues and develop a well-informed opinion about them. Such essays can lead to a better understanding of the diverse issues that plague our society and can help us in finding solutions.

Social Issues Essay Topics About Environment

• Climate changes, how traveling the world affects them, and what to avoid.
• Drinking water and its pollution ensure everyone has access to it.
• How do plastic products affect the environment, and how can social media change that?
• Global warming and the rising levels of the oceans define the possible threats.
• The issue with climate change and what modern society should do to avoid it.
• Waste reduction, describe how it will protect our planet’s ecosystem.

Social Issues Topics About War and Peace

• Peace and wars, their relation, and can one exist without the other?
• European countries’ restoration after the first and second World Wars.
• Technology and scientific revolutions, can they be war aftermaths?
• What are the population’s thoughts about the war in our peaceful times?
• Are war monuments necessary, and what are their effects in calm times?
• How do war and peace influence children’s minds?

Social Issues Topics About Police and Criminal

• Underage people and how to respond to their crimes?
• What is the importance of racial profiling for criminal cases?
• Deescalating riots, modern measures to avoid conflicts and harm.
• Futuristic ways of decreasing criminal activities.
• Should the police officers’ recruitment standards and education be stepped up?
• How should drug usage be punished, or should it be legal?

Social Issues Topics About Pornography

• What are the effects of pornography, and how does it affect the perception of sex?
• In the porn industry, is the concept of permission a valid issue or not?
• How should we perceive paid sex? Is it legal, and should it be?
• Adult industry and how pornography should be controlled?
• Porn stars and the unfair contract strategies they have to deal with.
• Pornography, what is its acceptance in our society?

Social Issues Topics About Feminism

• Has feminism always existed, or is it a plot of modern society?
• Feminism, radical or not, which is the best current option?
• Waves of feminism throughout the ages.
• Who created the feminist movement and why?
• Is feminism still a must in the 21st century?
• How powerful women in history made the first feminist movements that shook the world.

Social Issues Topics About Abortion

• What are the possible aftermaths of delegalizing abortion?
• Modern society, thoughts on abortion, and outlook towards past tendencies.
• Should men be allowed to speak up and make decisions in matters like abortion?
• How does abortion affect psychological health in women and men?
• Religion, health, and abortion, the connection between them, and how they affect each other.
• Birth control and abortion, what is the impact and importance of non-hormonal birth control pills?

Social Issues Topics About Racism

• Racism and how did it change over the years?
• Can racism be tracked back in history, how, and where?
• Did racism come out as an aftermath because of colonialism or not?
• How does racism affect our society, and how should it change?
• Everyday racism, and how can it be prevented?
• Is racism an over-discussed matter, and how does it affect the population?

Social Issues Topics About Migration and Refugees

• How has migration changed the world over the past 50 years?
• Ancient migration and its effect on the continents and our civilization.
• Importance of immigrants’ integration in our society.
• Chinese settlers in Europe and America and the marks they left in the local culture.
• Immigrants and the tension between the American and Mexican borders.
• How did immigration enrich world cuisine?

Social Issues Topics About Human Rights

• Male circumstantial right after birth, is it a legit violation of human rights and why?
• Freedom of speech, how does it affect society?
• How should the world act against the issues with human rights in some countries?
• Should we consider access to the internet a human right in our modern society?
• Human rights during history, and how did they affect the world back then?
• Civil and human rights describe the difference between them and their effects.

Social Issues Topics About Education

• Define the benefits of free education and how it benefits the world.
• Should all schools have a dress code or not?
• How does the education system prevent modern-day bullying?
• Is the educational system accessible to everyone, and why?
• What is the impact of cyberbullying on the education and life of young students?
• Schools and the issue with discrimination and poor treatment of students.

Tips For Writing Social Issues Essays

We have explained how to pick your topic. That can serve you as a great social justice essay topic example. Now you are almost ready to start writing. The last thing left for you is to take these few tips we have prepared. They will aid you beyond our website and help you write your essay.

• Carefully select the subject of your essay. Do not pick something boring but something exciting that has an impact on the life we live or our society. It should be something relevant to the latest issues happening.
• Make sure your essay topic is not too narrow or broad-minded. It must be a social issue with a lot to be said, yet not too much, so everyone can speak whatever they want.
• Make sure you conduct a proper background check on the social issue you plan to write about. Do not write only from experience but with proven facts.
• When writing any type of essay, the best thing you can do is bring out facts. An essay paper may be about anything, but without being backed by examples, it is just empty words.
• Please keep it simple, make the tone friendly or informative, and do not get too emotional over the topic you have selected to write about.

In addition, when writing a social issue essay, make sure you check your facts. You do not want to write about facing issues that can cause you problems. Lastly, check and proofread your work a few times before submitting it, making sure it’s full.

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The title summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study. A good title contains the fewest possible words needed to adequately describe the content and/or purpose of your research paper.

Importance of Choosing a Good Title

The title is the part of a paper that is read the most, and it is usually read first . It is, therefore, the most important element that defines the research study. With this in mind, avoid the following when creating a title:

• If the title is too long, this usually indicates there are too many unnecessary words. Avoid language, such as, "A Study to Investigate the...," or "An Examination of the...." These phrases are obvious and generally superfluous unless they are necessary to covey the scope, intent, or type of a study.
• On the other hand, a title which is too short often uses words which are too broad and, thus, does not tell the reader what is being studied. For example, a paper with the title, "African Politics" is so non-specific the title could be the title of a book and so ambiguous that it could refer to anything associated with politics in Africa. A good title should provide information about the focus and/or scope of your research study.
• In academic writing, catchy phrases or non-specific language may be used, but only if it's within the context of the study [e.g., "Fair and Impartial Jury--Catch as Catch Can"]. However, in most cases, you should avoid including words or phrases that do not help the reader understand the purpose of your paper.
• Academic writing is a serious and deliberate endeavor. Avoid using humorous or clever journalistic styles of phrasing when creating the title to your paper. Journalistic headlines often use emotional adjectives [e.g., incredible, amazing, effortless] to highlight a problem experienced by the reader or use "trigger words" or interrogative words like how, what, when, or why to persuade people to read the article or click on a link. These approaches are viewed as counter-productive in academic writing. A reader does not need clever or humorous titles to catch their attention because the act of reading research is assumed to be deliberate based on a desire to learn and improve understanding of the problem. In addition, a humorous title can merely detract from the seriousness and authority of your research. 
• Unlike everywhere else in a college-level social sciences research paper [except when using direct quotes in the text], titles do not have to adhere to rigid grammatical or stylistic standards. For example, it could be appropriate to begin a title with a coordinating conjunction [i.e., and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet] if it makes sense to do so and does not detract from the purpose of the study [e.g., "Yet Another Look at Mutual Fund Tournaments"] or beginning the title with an inflected form of a verb such as those ending in -ing [e.g., "Assessing the Political Landscape: Structure, Cognition, and Power in Organizations"].

Appiah, Kingsley Richard et al. “Structural Organisation of Research Article Titles: A Comparative Study of Titles of Business, Gynaecology and Law.” Advances in Language and Literary Studies 10 (2019); Hartley James. “To Attract or to Inform: What are Titles for?” Journal of Technical Writing and Communication 35 (2005): 203-213; Jaakkola, Maarit. “Journalistic Writing and Style.” In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication . Jon F. Nussbaum, editor. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2018): https://oxfordre.com/communication.

Structure and Writing Style

The following parameters can be used to help you formulate a suitable research paper title:

• The purpose of the research
• The scope of the research
• The narrative tone of the paper [typically defined by the type of the research]
• The methods used to study the problem

The initial aim of a title is to capture the reader’s attention and to highlight the research problem under investigation.

Create a Working Title Typically, the final title you submit to your professor is created after the research is complete so that the title accurately captures what has been done . The working title should be developed early in the research process because it can help anchor the focus of the study in much the same way the research problem does. Referring back to the working title can help you reorient yourself back to the main purpose of the study if you find yourself drifting off on a tangent while writing. The Final Title Effective titles in research papers have several characteristics that reflect general principles of academic writing.

• Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study,
• Rarely use abbreviations or acronyms unless they are commonly known,
• Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest,
• Use current nomenclature from the field of study,
• Identify key variables, both dependent and independent,
• Reveal how the paper will be organized,
• Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major hypothesis,
• Is limited to 5 to 15 substantive words,
• Does not include redundant phrasing, such as, "A Study of," "An Analysis of" or similar constructions,
• Takes the form of a question or declarative statement,
• If you use a quote as part of the title, the source of the quote is cited [usually using an asterisk and footnote],
• Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first words and last words capitalized, including the first word of a subtitle. All nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the first and last words of the title are also capitalized, and
• Rarely uses an exclamation mark at the end of the title.

The Subtitle Subtitles are frequently used in social sciences research papers because it helps the reader understand the scope of the study in relation to how it was designed to address the research problem. Think about what type of subtitle listed below reflects the overall approach to your study and whether you believe a subtitle is needed to emphasize the investigative parameters of your research.

1.  Explains or provides additional context , e.g., "Linguistic Ethnography and the Study of Welfare Institutions as a Flow of Social Practices: The Case of Residential Child Care Institutions as Paradoxical Institutions." [Palomares, Manuel and David Poveda.  Text & Talk: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Language, Discourse and Communication Studies 30 (January 2010): 193-212]

2.  Adds substance to a literary, provocative, or imaginative title or quote , e.g., "Listen to What I Say, Not How I Vote": Congressional Support for the President in Washington and at Home." [Grose, Christian R. and Keesha M. Middlemass. Social Science Quarterly 91 (March 2010): 143-167]

3.  Qualifies the geographic scope of the research , e.g., "The Geopolitics of the Eastern Border of the European Union: The Case of Romania-Moldova-Ukraine." [Marcu, Silvia. Geopolitics 14 (August 2009): 409-432]

4.  Qualifies the temporal scope of the research , e.g., "A Comparison of the Progressive Era and the Depression Years: Societal Influences on Predictions of the Future of the Library, 1895-1940." [Grossman, Hal B. Libraries & the Cultural Record 46 (2011): 102-128]

5.  Focuses on investigating the ideas, theories, or work of a particular individual , e.g., "A Deliberative Conception of Politics: How Francesco Saverio Merlino Related Anarchy and Democracy." [La Torre, Massimo. Sociologia del Diritto 28 (January 2001): 75 - 98]

6.  Identifies the methodology used , e.g. "Student Activism of the 1960s Revisited: A Multivariate Analysis Research Note." [Aron, William S. Social Forces 52 (March 1974): 408-414]

7.  Defines the overarching technique for analyzing the research problem , e.g., "Explaining Territorial Change in Federal Democracies: A Comparative Historical Institutionalist Approach." [ Tillin, Louise. Political Studies 63 (August 2015): 626-641.

With these examples in mind, think about what type of subtitle reflects the overall approach to your study. This will help the reader understand the scope of the study in relation to how it was designed to address the research problem.

Anstey, A. “Writing Style: What's in a Title?” British Journal of Dermatology 170 (May 2014): 1003-1004; Balch, Tucker. How to Compose a Title for Your Research Paper. Augmented Trader blog. School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Tech University; Bavdekar, Sandeep B. “Formulating the Right Title for a Research Article.” Journal of Association of Physicians of India 64 (February 2016); Choosing the Proper Research Paper Titles. AplusReports.com, 2007-2012; Eva, Kevin W. “Titles, Abstracts, and Authors.” In How to Write a Paper . George M. Hall, editor. 5th edition. (Oxford: John Wiley and Sons, 2013), pp. 33-41; Hartley James. “To Attract or to Inform: What are Titles for?” Journal of Technical Writing and Communication 35 (2005): 203-213; General Format. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Kerkut G.A. “Choosing a Title for a Paper.” Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology 74 (1983): 1; “Tempting Titles.” In Stylish Academic Writing . Helen Sword, editor. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012), pp. 63-75; Nundy, Samiran, et al. “How to Choose a Title?” In How to Practice Academic Medicine and Publish from Developing Countries? A Practical Guide . Edited by Samiran Nundy, Atul Kakar, and Zulfiqar A. Bhutta. (Springer Singapore, 2022), pp. 185-192.

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Social Issues Topics: Exploring the Challenges Shaping Our World

Did you know that social issues are not just distant problems affecting others? They are deeply intertwined with our lives and have a profound impact on our daily experiences, shaping the very fabric of our society. From systemic inequality to environmental degradation, these issues have the power to shape the course of history and determine the well-being of generations to come. Get ready to dive into the fascinating realm of social issues topics! In this article, we'll explore their complexities, understand why they matter, learn how to write compelling essays about them and discover a captivating list of the most important social issues examples of our time. This thought-provoking journey will challenge our beliefs and inspire us to take meaningful action for a better future. So, let's dive in and get started!

What Are Social Issues

Social issues are the threads that intricately weave through the fabric of our society, demanding our attention, empathy, and action. They are the challenges and complexities that affect individuals, communities, and even entire nations, often leaving a profound impact on people's lives. These issues stem from the interconnectedness of our world, where various factors like politics, economics, culture, and individual experiences intersect, creating a tapestry of social problems that need to be addressed.

Social issues encompass a wide range of concerns, encompassing everything from poverty and inequality to gender discrimination, environmental degradation, and access to healthcare and education. They represent the barriers that prevent individuals from thriving, the disparities that hinder progress, and the injustices that undermine equality and human rights.

Take poverty, for example. It is not merely a lack of financial resources; it is a pervasive condition that robs individuals of their dignity, opportunities, and hope for a better future. Poverty intertwines with education, as limited access to quality education perpetuates the cycle of disadvantage. It intersects with healthcare, as inadequate medical services disproportionately affect the most vulnerable members of society. And it connects with inequality as wealth disparities widen and prevents social mobility.

As per our essay writing service , to address social issues today, it is crucial to recognize that they are not isolated problems. They are intertwined and interdependent, requiring holistic solutions that encompass multiple dimensions. It takes collective efforts from individuals, communities, governments, and organizations to foster change. Raising awareness, advocating for policy reforms, and promoting equality are essential steps toward ensuring that marginalized groups benefit and creating a more just and equitable society.

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Understanding the Importance of Social Issues in Today's World

Social issues are not abstract concepts confined to textbooks or news headlines. They are pressing challenges that affect real people and demand our attention. By actively engaging with these issues, we have the opportunity to shape a more equitable and compassionate world for ourselves and future generations.

The importance of social issues in developing countries lies in their impact on human rights, well-being, and social progress. By addressing these issues, we strive to build inclusive societies where everyone has equal opportunities and can live a dignified life. It is not only a matter of justice and compassion but also essential for sustainable development and peaceful coexistence.

Moreover, social issues highlight the power of collective action and advocacy. They remind us that we have a shared responsibility to stand up for what is right and work towards positive change. Thanks to the advancements in technology and communication, it is now easier than ever to raise awareness, mobilize communities, and bring about transformative social movements. Social media platforms have become powerful tools for amplifying marginalized voices and shedding light on systemic injustices.

How to Write an Essay About Social Issues

So you've got an assignment on social issues essay topics, huh? Don't worry; we've got your back! Writing about social issues may seem like a tough nut to crack, but trust us; it's a crucial part of academic writing. Social issues are basically problems that affect a whole bunch of people in society. We're talking about everything from politics and economics to education and health and so much more. But hey, no need to stress! Our custom writing experts are here to give you some awesome tips to help you rock that essay and make it super interesting. Let's dive in, shall we?

Choose Your Topic Wisely

Let's begin by taking the first step, my friend! It's all about choosing a topic for research papers that resonates with your heart and feels like a natural fit for your mind. When you opt for a subject that genuinely sparks your personal interest, the research and essay writing process, complete with the proper format of academic paper , will become a delightful adventure.

Engage in brainstorming sessions to generate ideas and conduct thorough investigations to gather factual information. Now, here's a nifty trick: if the chosen issue seems a bit overwhelming with its multiple dimensions, no worries! Just narrow down your focus to a specific aspect. For example, if you're tackling poverty, you can zoom in on the causes, the consequences, or even strategies to alleviate it. The world is your oyster, so let's get cracking!

Support Your Opinion with Examples

When you're writing a research paper about examples of social issues, it's really important to include research and data that support your position. This helps the reader understand why your perspective is necessary and what evidence you have to back it up. For instance, if you're discussing the impact of poverty, you can provide statistics on the number of people in need, how poverty and health problems affect education, and the connection between poverty and crime. Including these kinds of details, just like in economics essay topics , will make your essay more persuasive and engaging.

Keep It Simple

Ensuring your essay is simple and easy to understand is crucial. Instead of using complex words, opt for simpler alternatives that convey the same meaning effectively. By keeping your essay readable, you make it more engaging and easier for the reader to follow. Avoid employing jargon or technical terms that might confuse your audience. Instead, use plain language and take the time to explain any intricate terms or concepts, making the essay accessible to all readers. Following these guidelines on how to write an essay on social issues will help you effectively communicate your ideas and engage your audience.

Revise and Edit

Before you submit your essay, it's important to take a few steps to ensure its quality. Start by checking its structure, making sure it flows smoothly and logically. Verify that your arguments are well-supported and presented in a cohesive manner. Give your essay a thorough review to catch any spelling or grammar mistakes. Additionally, pay attention to formatting, ensuring consistency throughout the entire piece. It can be beneficial to have someone else read your essay and provide feedback as well. Taking these precautions will help you present polished and well-crafted topics for essays .

Social Issues Essay Example

For students seeking a practical example of a well-structured and insightful social issues essay, the pursuit of global citizenship stands as a compelling topic to explore. Through this example, you can gain inspiration and guidance for your own social issues essays, understanding how to construct a compelling argument and convey the importance of promoting positive change in society.

5 Social Issues of Today

Today's society is facing a multitude of social issues that have a significant impact on people's lives. Here is a list of some of the most pressing social issues that affect people worldwide:

• Climate change and global warming : The effects of climate change are already being felt around the world, with rising sea levels, more frequent natural disasters, and changes in weather patterns. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other human activities are contributing to this issue, and it is essential that we take action to reduce our carbon footprint.
• Income inequality : The gap between the rich and the poor is widening, with the wealthiest 1% of the world's population owning more than half of the world's wealth. This inequality can lead to social unrest, and it is important that we address this issue by promoting fair wages, progressive taxation, and other policies that support economic equality.
• War : Armed conflicts continue to plague different regions around the world, resulting in significant humanitarian crises. Wars not only cause immense suffering, displacement, and loss of life but also have far-reaching consequences on infrastructure, economies, and social stability.
• Gender equality : Despite progress in recent years, gender inequality remains a significant issue in many parts of the world. Women still face discrimination in the workplace, unequal pay, and limited access to education and healthcare. It is crucial that we continue to work towards gender equality and empower women to achieve their full potential.
• Mental health issues and addiction : Mental health issues and addiction are becoming increasingly prevalent in today's society, affecting people of all ages and backgrounds. The stigma surrounding mental health can prevent people from seeking help, and it is important that we raise awareness and provide access to affordable and effective treatment options.

Social Issues Essay Topics

Are you feeling stuck while searching for fascinating subjects or a comprehensive list of social issues that can also serve as perfect dissertation topics ? We understand the challenge you're facing, but don't worry! Selecting the right topic is crucial for crafting an exceptional essay and earning your degree from a reputable American college or university. To ignite your creativity, we've compiled a comprehensive list of captivating social issues for you to explore. Get ready to dive in and discover that perfect idea for your next academic project!

👀 Interesting Social Issues Essay Topics

• Income inequality and its impact on modern society.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and activism.
• Mental health stigma and its effects on individuals and communities.
• The challenges faced by refugees and their integration into new societies.
• The impact of technology on interpersonal relationships.
• Gender inequality and the fight for gender equity.
• The effects of climate change on vulnerable communities.
• The basic ethical principles of genetic engineering and human enhancement.
• The impact of globalization on cultural identity.
• The role of education in reducing poverty and social inequality.
• The criminal justice system and its approach to rehabilitation versus punishment.
• The implications of automation and artificial intelligence on employment.
• The impact of media portrayal on body image and self-esteem.
• The effects of racial discrimination and strategies for achieving racial equality.
• The challenges and opportunities of multiculturalism in contemporary society.

🎲 Peace and War Topics

• Causes and origins of the Russia-Ukraine war: Explore the underlying factors that led to the outbreak of the conflict, such as historical, political, and ethnic tensions.
• International response to the Russia-Ukraine war: Analyze the reactions and actions taken by various countries, regional organizations, and global institutions in response to the conflict.
• The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the challenge of achieving lasting peace.
• The Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan: Historical context, current status, and potential solutions.
• The ongoing tensions in the Korean Peninsula: Assessing the prospects for peace and denuclearization.
• The Syrian Civil War and its Regional and global implications.
• The Israel-Palestine conflict: Historical background, current dynamics, and prospects for peace.
• The war in Afghanistan: Challenges, consequences, and prospects for stability.
• The conflict in South Sudan and the impact on regional security.
• The war on terror: Assessing the effectiveness of counterterrorism strategies and the implications for civil liberties.

🔬 Social Science Topics

• The impact of microaggressions on marginalized communities and its implications for mental health.
• Exploring the social and cultural factors that influence body image dissatisfaction among different ethnic groups.
• The role of social capital in fostering community resilience and disaster preparedness.
• Investigating the relationship between cultural heritage preservation and sustainable development.
• Analyzing the influence of social networks on political participation and civic engagement.
• Exploring the social implications of virtual reality technology on empathy and perspective-taking.
• Investigating the role of humor and laughter in social interactions and psychological well-being.
• Analyzing the effects of eco-anxiety on environmental attitudes and behavior.
• The impact of social media accounts activism on social movements and policy change.
• Exploring the cultural and societal implications of the sharing economy and collaborative consumption.

🏙 Migration and Immigration Topics

• The experiences and challenges faced by LGBTQ+ migrants and refugees.
• Analyzing the role of migrant remittances in economic development and poverty reduction in sending countries.
• Exploring the impact of immigration policies on family dynamics and the well-being of immigrant families.
• Investigating the role of social networks in facilitating successful integration of immigrants into host societies.
• The effects of climate change-induced migration and its implications for global governance and social justice.
• Analyzing the influence of cultural identity preservation among second-generation immigrants.
• The impact of labor migration on gender roles and dynamics within migrant communities.
• Exploring the role of language acquisition and proficiency in the social integration of immigrants.
• Investigating the intersections of migration, health, and access to healthcare services.
• Analyzing the economic, social, and cultural contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs to host countries.

🌳 Environmental Social Issues Essay Topics

• The intersection of environmental justice and social equity: Analyzing the disproportionate impacts of environmental degradation on marginalized communities.
• The role of indigenous knowledge and practices in sustainable resource management.
• The impact of consumerism and overconsumption on the environment and social well-being.
• Exploring the social and economic implications of climate-induced migration and displacement.
• The influence of environmental education and awareness on individual and collective environmental behaviors.
• Analyzing the relationship between environmental degradation and public health, focusing on air and water pollution.
• The role of corporate social responsibility in promoting environmental sustainability and addressing social concerns.
• Investigating the social implications of plastic waste and exploring strategies for reducing single-use plastics.
• The impact of urbanization on ecosystems and the social well-being of urban communities.
• Analyzing the social dimensions of renewable energy transitions and the equitable distribution of benefits.

💖 LGBT Topic Ideas

• The historical evolution of LGBT rights movements: From Stonewall to present-day advocacy.
• Exploring the experiences and challenges faced by transgender individuals in healthcare systems.
• Analyzing the representation of LGBT characters in media and its impact on social perceptions.
• The intersectionality of race, gender, and sexuality in the LGBT community.
• Investigating the effects of conversion therapy on the mental health and well-being of LGBT individuals.
• Exploring the experiences of LGBT youth in educational settings and the impact of supportive environments.
• The role of LGBT support organizations and community centers in fostering social inclusion and well-being.
• Analyzing the impact of religious beliefs and attitudes on the acceptance of same-sex marriage.
• Exploring the experiences and challenges of older LGBT adults and the importance of inclusive care and support systems.
• The impact of policies and legislation on LGBT rights and equality, both nationally and internationally.

🏛 Social Justice Essay Topics

• Exploring the concept of reparations for historical injustices and its role in achieving social justice.
• The impact of language and communication barriers on access to justice for marginalized communities.
• Analyzing the social justice implications of algorithmic bias in artificial intelligence systems.
• Examining the role of art and creative expression in advancing social justice movements.
• The intersection of disability rights and social justice: Challenges and advancements.
• Exploring the impact of gentrification on communities and strategies for promoting equitable development.
• Analyzing the role of restorative justice in addressing harm within educational institutions.
• The impact of colonialism on indigenous communities and the pursuit of social justice.
• The role of community organizing in promoting grassroots social justice initiatives.
• Examining the social justice implications of mass incarceration and advocating for criminal justice reform.

🔗 Discrimination and Prejudice Topics

• The effects of racial profiling on marginalized communities and its implications for social justice.
• Analyzing the psychological mechanisms underlying implicit bias and its impact on decision-making processes.
• The intersectionality of discrimination: Exploring how multiple forms of discrimination (race, gender, sexuality, etc.) intersect and compound.
• Discrimination and prejudice in the workplace: Examining challenges and strategies for promoting diversity and inclusion.
• Exploring the effects of religious discrimination on individuals and communities.
• The impact of ageism on older adults and strategies for combating age-related discrimination.
• Analyzing the social and psychological consequences of fat shaming and weight-based discrimination.
• Discrimination against individuals with disabilities and the importance of accessibility and inclusive practices.
• The role of the media in perpetuating stereotypes and its influence on discrimination.
• Examining the effects of prejudice and discrimination on mental health and well-being.

🔪 Violence Topics 

• The role of violence in sports: Examining the impact of aggression and its consequences in athletic competitions.
• Violence against healthcare workers: Analyzing the prevalence, causes, and strategies for ensuring safety in healthcare settings.
• The impact of violence on refugee and displaced populations: Exploring the challenges and interventions for addressing violence in these contexts.
• Violence in the digital realm: Investigating online harassment, cyberbullying, and the psychological effects on victims.
• The relationship between animal cruelty and violence towards humans: Exploring the link and implications for social well-being.
• The effects of violence in video games: Analyzing the debate and research surrounding its potential influence on real-life aggression.
• The role of violence in hazing rituals and initiation ceremonies: Understanding the dynamics and potential harm caused.
• Exploring violence in marginalized communities: Addressing the underlying factors and strategies for promoting community safety.
• Silent Suffering: Unmasking the Reality of Domestic Violence
• Violence in the workplace: Examining the impact of bullying, harassment, and assault on employees and organizational well-being.

👩‍🦯 Humanity Topics

• The power of empathy and compassion in fostering understanding and social harmony.
• Exploring the ethics of artificial intelligence and its impact on human dignity and autonomy.
• The role of forgiveness in healing personal and societal wounds.
• Analyzing the concept of human rights and its universality across different cultures and contexts.
• The pursuit of global citizenship and its potential for promoting peace and cooperation.
• Exploring the intersection of technology and humanity: Examining the benefits and challenges of the digital age.
• The impact of cultural diversity on societal progress and innovation.
• Analyzing the concept of altruism and its role in creating a more compassionate world.
• The importance of intergenerational connections and the wisdom of older generations in shaping our future.
• Examining the concept of identity and the balance between individuality and collective belonging.

Wrapping Up

Social issues are like a cosmic web, connecting countless lives worldwide. This article has been your guide, exploring their intricacies and significance while equipping you to create a powerful social issues essay. Remember, every essay has the power to inspire change.

And here's a little nugget of wisdom: some of the most remarkable social movements in history were sparked by a single person's words on paper. Yes, you heard that right! So, my friend, now you know how to start an essay , so get ready to unleash the power of your pen and leave your mark on the world. Together, we can be the catalysts for a brighter tomorrow!

Are You Ready to Challenge the Status Quo?

Order your eye-opening social issue essay now and ignite a revolution!

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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• BOOK REVIEW
• 27 May 2024

Tackling ‘wicked’ problems calls for engineers with social responsibility

• Susan Krumdieck   ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2333-958X 0

Susan Krumdieck is a professor of mechanical engineering and chair in Energy Transition Engineering at the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

You have full access to this article via your institution.

In the nineteenth century, steamboat explosions were common — until they weren’t. Credit: Universal History Archive/UIG/Getty

Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World Guru Madhavan W. W. Norton & Company (2024)

Society relies on engineers to deliver almost everything it uses, from food and water to buildings, transport and telecommunications. But new technologies are often rushed into service, for market reasons, before potential risks and consumer behaviours are understood, and well before sufficient regulation is put in place to protect the public.

Calling all engineers: Nature wants to publish your research

In Wicked Problems , biomedical engineer and US policy adviser Guru Madhavan considers the implications of these human-made vulnerabilities using striking stories — such as a tsunami of molasses, aeroplane crashes, exploding steamships and infants decapitated by airbags. By exploring the interplay between engineers and policymakers, Madhavan shows how engineering can produce problems that policy cannot fix, and how successful systems can create socially unacceptable risks.

Madhavan focuses on ‘wicked problems’, which emerge “when hard, soft and messy problems collide”. Time and time again, a technology becomes profitable and is widely adopted, then its problems become clear and public alarm grows. A period of debate follows, marked by inflamed emotions, news coverage, litigation, denial of responsibility and political impotence. Eventually, corrective mechanisms are developed, implemented and enforced with updated standards. These patterns and problems of rapid technological development are becoming recognized. And there are plenty of modern examples, from social-media platforms and artificial-intelligence systems to self-driving cars .

Deep dive into disasters

There’s much that can be learnt from history, Madhavan tells us. Take the lucrative business of supplying molasses for whisky and food manufacturing, for example. A massive storage tank built in 1915 in Boston, Massachusetts, had exhibited so many signs of being unsafe that the company managers and workers grew accustomed to the leaks and stress groans. One day in 1919, the tank, filled to capacity, ruptured, sending 10.5 million litres of syrup through the streets in a 10-metre-high surge, destroying buildings, killing 21 people and injuring 150.

In the wake of the molasses disaster, the industry rushed to improve the safety of both ‘hard’, physical infrastructure and ‘soft’ operational standards. Risks and vulnerabilities were assessed, better materials were engineered, designs were improved on and safety and maintenance measures were implemented to reduce the risk of pressure-vessel explosions and collapses.

Warning signs were ignored in the lead-up to the 1919 Boston Molasses Disaster. Credit: Science History Images/Alamy

But why was it normal to accept vulnerability — why did workers and managers ignore the warning signs? A social-responsibility code was needed to tackle the soft problems of human error and risk normalization, as well as the vague problems of greed, mismanagement and hubris. Had such a code existed, it would also have spoken to the ‘messy’ problem of colonial exploitation in sugar-cane-exporting countries. Madhavan brings attention to the need for engineers to take on social responsibility.

The world must rethink plans for ageing oil and gas platforms

Madhavan explores six facets of wicked problems — efficiency, vagueness (about the nature of the problem), vulnerability, safety, maintenance and resilience. Risks are impossible to eliminate, but they can be diminished through ‘mindful’ processes (in which workers have time to run through checklists and identify hazards), workplace cultures of humility and continuous learning, and robust, responsive work structures, such as whiteboards on which issues can be recorded, with processes to stop work to check and report errors.

Systems-safety engineer Nancy Leveson at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, for example, strives to account for social and cultural behaviours in her work. She has studied steam-boiler explosions, which are rare today but were commonplace a century ago. Of course, high-pressure-steam science and pressure-vessels engineering have improved since then — but Leveson points out that the real transition has been in culture. These explosions went from being a tragedy to being unacceptable.

The Wright stuff

Aviation provides a fertile ground for the study of such disasters, and Madhavan makes ample use of examples from this sector. In 1903, aeroplane inventor Orville Wright took on the risks of flying alone; within a decade, he was flying with paying customers. The book goes deep into the 121-year history of aircraft, flight simulators, airmail, navigation technologies, air-traffic management and government interventions. It recounts the early challenges of flying and navigating, and the risk-taking culture that was particularly common among pilots in the first three decades of aviation — resulting in a number of accidents. Flying was so unsafe in the 1960s that in the United States, only one in five people was willing to fly.

Madhavan threads the story of US aviation pioneer Edwin Link throughout the book to explore how a systems approach is needed to address wicked problems. As well as being a pilot, Link was an inventor, entrepreneur and adventurer with a strong sense of responsibility. I was awarded a Link Foundation Energy Fellowship during my PhD studies. The scholarship application asked candidates to discuss how their vision for research was guided by social responsibility — now I know why.

Practice in Edwin Link’s Blue box provided pilots with physical and mental training. Credit: Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Alamy

Link devised a flight simulator, known as the Blue Box, in which trainees gain experience with the flight deck and the controls and get a feel for different manoeuvres. Importantly, beyond technical skills, he organized the training experience around the mental discipline of the pilot. He understood that ‘blind flight’ — when pilots lose visibility of the horizon and landmarks — often led to a catastrophic loss of control because pilots relied too much on their senses instead of on the plane’s instruments. Confining pilots in the Blue Box without visual cues taught them how to trust the altitude, heading and horizontal situation indicators.

Similarly, Madhavan champions the importance of looking at seemingly technical problems through a wider lens — such as the business, policy and social aspects. He makes the case for investing in engineering-research programmes to develop the holistic approaches and methods needed to address wicked problems. He also calls for the field of engineering to expand beyond its typical role of fostering economic growth through technical innovation and take on the political and social aspects of industrial development. Examples include the Endicott-Johnson Shoes Company, then based in Binghamton, New York, which, in the 1910s, started building affordable houses for its workers and reduced their workday from ten to eight hours.

Wicked Problems is a wake-up call for all engineers to expand their mindset. Although I wish that Madhavan’s book had gone a step further, to lay out how us engineers could do that, it does provide a background and argument to pivot our current risky, if successful, endeavours towards safer systems.

Nature 629 , 994-995 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01519-1

Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

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