South 고등학교 2학년 Social Issues Inquiry
Chapters: 4
1. Understanding and investigating social problems
What a social problem is · Scientific inquiry into social problems · Collecting data · Attitudes in inquiry
- Social Problems: What They Are and How We Solve Them – A social problem is a condition that harms many people, that many people agree is harmful, that has causes in how society is organised, and that people can change by acting together. Unemployment, pollution, phone overuse among teenagers and an ageing population are examples. Sociologists look at them through different perspectives, investigate them with evidence, trace causes and effects, and test solutions.
- Sociological Research Methods – Sociologists study society by doing research, step by step: choose a topic, write an aim or hypothesis, run a small pilot study, choose a sample, collect data, analyse it and draw conclusions. A sample is a small group picked from the whole population; it should be representative so the results can be generalised. Quantitative data are numbers (from questionnaires, structured interviews, official statistics); qualitative data are words and meanings (from unstructured interviews, observation, documents). Primary data are collected by the researcher; secondary data already exist. Good research is reliable (repeatable), valid (a true picture) and representative. Researchers choose methods based on practical issues (time, cost, access), ethical issues (consent, confidentiality, harm, deception) and theory: positivists prefer scientific, numerical methods, while interpretivists prefer methods that capture people's meanings.
- Research Ethics: Doing Research the Right Way – Research ethics are the rules that keep research fair and safe. Five big rules: do no harm, get informed consent, protect privacy, be honest with data, and give credit to every source. Good research needs both a good method and good behaviour.
2. Everyday social problems
Gender inequality · Youth media use problems
- Gender Equality: Fair Chances for Everyone – Gender equality means people of every gender have the same rights, chances and respect, and share the load of work fairly. Sex is about the body; gender is the roles and rules society teaches. Stereotypes, unequal unpaid care work, the pay gap and fewer women in leadership are signs of inequality. Laws, education, shared housework and gender sensitivity in daily life move us towards equality, which is also UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.
- Media Literacy – Media literacy is the skill of reading, questioning and creating media: news, ads, videos, posts, films and games. Every media text is made by someone, for a purpose, for an audience, using forms, conventions and techniques that shape how we feel. A media-literate person checks the source, evidence, other coverage and the original before believing or sharing, notices bias and filter bubbles, and makes their own media responsibly.
3. Social problems in a changing world
Low birth rate and ageing · Problems from AI
- Population Ageing – Population ageing means older people form a growing share of a population. It has two drivers: fewer births (total fertility rate below about 2.1) and longer lives. Fewer workers per older person strains pensions, health care and the labour supply, while schools need fewer places. Societies respond with support for families, later and flexible retirement, pension and care reforms, technology, lifelong learning and sometimes immigration.
- AI Ethics: Using Artificial Intelligence Fairly and Safely – AI systems learn patterns from data and then make decisions. AI ethics asks whether those decisions are fair, safe and respectful. The main issues are bias (unfair data gives unfair results), privacy (personal data needs consent and protection), transparency (people should know why an AI decided something), accountability (a human stays responsible), safety and misuse (deepfakes, false information), and social impact (jobs, the digital divide, the environment). Responsible AI means checking all of these before and after an AI is used.
4. Case study
Choosing a problem and planning · Gathering data · Analysing and proposing solutions · Sharing results
- Sociological Research Methods – Sociologists study society by doing research, step by step: choose a topic, write an aim or hypothesis, run a small pilot study, choose a sample, collect data, analyse it and draw conclusions. A sample is a small group picked from the whole population; it should be representative so the results can be generalised. Quantitative data are numbers (from questionnaires, structured interviews, official statistics); qualitative data are words and meanings (from unstructured interviews, observation, documents). Primary data are collected by the researcher; secondary data already exist. Good research is reliable (repeatable), valid (a true picture) and representative. Researchers choose methods based on practical issues (time, cost, access), ethical issues (consent, confidentiality, harm, deception) and theory: positivists prefer scientific, numerical methods, while interpretivists prefer methods that capture people's meanings.
- Presentation Skills: Speaking to an Audience – A good presentation is planned for its audience and purpose, has a clear opening, body and closing, uses simple slides that support (not replace) the speaker, and is delivered with a clear voice, eye contact and good timing. Practice turns nerves into confidence.