 Who defines something as a social problem? ◦ Claims ◦ Claimsmakers  What do they (try to) do about it?  How does it “spread?”  How does it impact those affected?

 Transformation process ◦ Turning a personal problem in to a social problem  Legitimization process ◦ Formalizing how to handle the social problem

 Conflict stage ◦ Occurs when the formal response system is seen as a failure in the amelioration of a social problem.  Outside the system, or change the system? ◦ When stakeholders feels they can no longer work within the system

 Making arguments  Issues and Conclusions  Reasons and Evidence  Stated and Unstated Assumptions  Fallacies of logic

 Karl Marx’s view: ◦  Max Weber’s view: ◦  Our working definition: ◦

 The four most commonly used criteria to measure class: ◦  Other ways we measure class?

 Social Mobility ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  Quote, page 14  Two causes of the drop in mobility ◦ ◦

 The “health” of a society is also a social construction!  …based on economics ◦   

Ask the GINI !

 Capitalism vs. Socialism  What socialism is not  Examples of US Policies that could be defined as socialist: ◦

Is this man a socialist?

◦ Democracy DOES NOT EQUAL Freedom ◦ Is there a difference economically between Republicans and Democrats? ◦ The Capitalist Party System of America! ◦ Did you know your political freedom was limited? ◦ Our laws favor corporations and the wealthy

◦ Income inequality vs. Wealth inequality  Tolerated because we all think we can become wealthy  How the economy has become the dominant institution in America. ◦ ◦ ◦

 Hard to become rich, easier to stay rich  It takes 2 adults to provide the same standard of living one could in the 1980s  Technology increases inequality ◦ ◦

 As a way to discriminate ◦ Social Stratification    ◦ Prejudice and Discrimination 

 Rising inequality and class differences has led to negative changes in: ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

 Defined ◦  Absolute vs. Relative Poverty  Evaluate levels in terms of the standard of living