Transcript Capstone - St. Edward's University

Capstone
Selecting A Topic
What is a Social Problem
• It must harm a significant number of people
or an influential segment of the population
• It must occur frequently (not a 1 time event)
• It must be able to be remedied by collective
human action (this means Government)
What is Not a Social problem
• Something that is produced by natural or
biological conditions (getting older, hair loss)
• Something that is purely a private issue
• Something that is a pure ethical argument
(what is right and what is wrong)
What can We do about it?
• What is social Policy?
• Types of Social Policy
– Preventive Measures- too difficult
– Intervention- most common
– Broad Social Reform- never happens
Should We Solve the Problem?
• Can We afford the Cost?
• Does it create spillover effects?
• Is it Feasible?
Policy makers find that doing nothing is often
the best solution!
If No one is trying to solve your
social problem, then it is not a
political controversy
SOCIAL PROBLEM VS. SOCIAL
POLICY
Examples:
Social Problem
Controversial Solution
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Immigration
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Dream Act
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Failing Public Schools
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Race to the Top
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National Debt
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Fair Tax
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Global Warming
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Cap and Trade
A Good topic has a social problem that
has a solution and decision makers are
actively trying to solve it
GOOD AND BAD TOPICS
Good Topics are not statements
• The thesis is stated in the form of a question
because your Capstone paper explores both
sides of a controversy without bias.
• Check your topic question for neutral
language. Avoid words like “wrong,”
“prevent,” “avoid” that indicate you hold a
position on the topic.
Good Topics are Normative
• The Opposite of Empirical
• Based on what we think should be
• Usually involves the words “should” or “ought
to”
“Should the Federal Government allow off-shore drilling”
Good Topics are controversial
• They do not involve symbolic politics
• There are real people (interest groups,
legislators, political parties) who care about
your topic
• The above groups will answer yes or no to
your question
Good Topics Have A Real Solution
• A political controversy without a solution, is just Drunk
Talk
– Who is/was the best president?
– A lion vs. a bear in a cage match?
– Who would win in a fight Batman or Spiderman?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rMjvemLxLc&feature=related
• Real Solutions take the form of policy outputs (laws)
Good Topics have a clear level of
analysis
• A good topic has some level of government
actively working on it
• A theoretical “government” solution is not a
good topic
What is a unit of analysis?
• The Level of Government that has jurisdiction
over the social problem
• Not all governments are powerful in all areas
• Which means that saying the “government”
simply isn’t enough?
How many units?
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1 Federal
50 State
3,033 County Governments
36,000 Local Governments
13,051 School Districts
37,381 Special Districts
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Utility Districts- PEC
Hospital Districts
Transit Districts- e.g. CAP Metro
Park Districts
Water Districts- e.g. LCRA
And more!
What Does This Mean?
• There are roughly 89,500 governments that have
legal authority over policymaking. 4,835 in Texas
alone!
• Some governments are impotent in certain policy
areas, while extremely powerful in others.
• When selecting a topic, you must choose it in the
context of the proper unit of analysis.
Who is More Powerful?
National Government
State Governments
• National Defense
• Education
• Commerce Policy
• Law Enforcement/Crime
• Environmental Policy
• Macro-level regulation
• Immigration
• Mass Transit/Traffic
• Social Services
A Good Topic is Practical
• Ask yourself, can you write 30 pages on this?
• Can you find people to interview
• Can you do a service project on your topic
What is not a good topic
• Banned Topics
• Dilemmas from other nations and esoteric foreign policy
• Lopsided Topics and Culture War issues (science vs. values)
• Conspiracy theories (short on evidence)
• Issues not subject to government regulation in some way
• Sports Issues: i.e. BCS policies
Where to find good topics
• Google News
• Newspapers
• The White House Page/ State of the Union
• The Library
Good or Bad?
• What are the effects of Embryonic stem cell
research?
• Should the US lift the trade embargo on North
Korea?
• Should the use of cell phones be prohibiting while
driving?
• Why is the war in Afghanistan wrong?
Good or Bad
• Is global warming detrimental to human existence?
• Should the Federal Government pass a cap-and-trade bill to
combat global warming
• Why has the federal government diminished the rights of
citizens since 9/11?
Good or Bad
• Should Texas adopt a pay by the mile gas tax?
• Should the burning of the flag be made
unconstitutional
• Should Botswana charge fees for state
education?
Good Macro Topic Areas
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State and Federal Income programs
Economic Policies
Immigration
Energy and the Environment
Foreign Policy with troublesome nations
Social Security
Budgets and deficits
Education at the State level
Campaign finance/electoral reform
Transportation (federal, state and local)
Health Care Repeal/Reform