SSCI 301: Introduction to the Social Sciences (Fall 2022) (Professor Weigt)

The Interdisciplinary Presentation assignment asks you to apply your interdisciplinary skills to one of the last two topics that we are studying – the social construction of race or power and politics.  

Work with two other classmates and find three scholarly social sciences sources which explore a social issue of your choosing (a list of suggestions is below). Each of the three sources should examine your social issue from a different social sciences perspective we have studied this term (e.g., sociology, anthropology, geography, etc.). The Social Sciences Librarian will be providing guidance. 

Create an annotated bibliography for each source and bring them for peer review on 4/24. 

Using your scholarly sources, present an integrated interdisciplinary understanding that ties your scholarly sources to course materials. Each group will present their interdisciplinary integration in a 5-7 minute PowerPoint presentation during the last two days of class.  

What should be covered in the presentation? 

• Define the social issue: What is it? How big of a problem is it? What are the origins of this issue? (approximately 1 slide) 
• Explain how our course materials relate to and help you to better understand your social issue. (1-2 slides) 
• Demonstrate your ability to think in an interdisciplinary way. Can you create a new understanding of this social issue using an integrated framework? (1-2 slides) 
• Include a reference slide and cite sources throughout your presentation and on slides as necessary. (1 slide, 2, if needed) 

*Include what you will present to your audience in the notes section of your PowerPoint. 

Suggestions for Social Issues

Food deserts/food apartheid

Food justice/injustice

Food sovereignty

Climate change

Poverty policy in the U.S.

Anti-poverty efforts in the U.S.

Family support policies, such as paid parental leave or childcare, in the U.S.

Voter suppression

Political polarization

Freedom of speech

Hate speech

Political participation and race, class, or gender

Educational inequality

Laws restricting instruction about race, gender and/or sexuality in schools

Economic inequality

Corporate influence in politics