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8.1: Chapter Introduction and Objectives

  • Page ID
    214260
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    Culture, Globalization & Economics of Migration in the Twenty-First Century

    Learning Objectives
    1. Understand Urbanization and Its Sociological Impact: Explore the brief history of urbanization and analyze it through various sociological perspectives, including conflict theory and functionalism . Understand different types of urban residents and the specific problems associated with urban life, such as fiscal challenges, crowding, housing, homelessness, traffic, transportation, air pollution, mental health issues, and the impact on public education and crime.
    2. Examine Rural Dynamics and Population Issues: Investigate the unique problems of rural life, including aspects of fertility and birth rates, mortality and migration. Understand the dynamics of population growth and decline, including the sociological debate over population issues. Explore the sociological impact of immigration, including efforts to limit immigration, detention practices, and the relationship between immigrants and domestic violence.
    3. Analyze Environmental Challenges and Policies: Delve into global environmental concerns, including the impact of nuclear power, water pollution and inadequate sanitation. Understand the sociological perspective on environmental issues and the interplay between human activity and environmental health. Examine policy responses and societal efforts to address these environmental challenges.

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    The following text is remixed under the CC-BY License Social Problems: Continuity and Change v. 1.0 | Chapter 14 & 15 Understanding Social Problems | OER | published by Saylor Academy | 2012 | CC BY NC SA | Populations and the Environment Saylor Academy 2012

    Urban and Rural Problems

    Introduction: Social Problems in the News

    “Downtown Decay Poses Problem for Community,” the headline said. The downtown district of Charleston, South Carolina, has some of the most beautiful older homes in the country, but it also has its share of dilapidated housing. According to the news article, “There are two distinct sides to downtown Charleston, the postcard perfect homes and the crumbling, rundown houses. Dilapidated buildings near the crosstown aren’t just eyesores, they’re becoming safety hazards.” A neighborhood activist criticized city officials for ignoring the problem of rundown, dangerous houses. “It’s out of sight, out of mind,” he said. Ignoring this problem “wouldn’t happen in the tourist areas,” he added, “but why should it happen in the community where people live and work every day?”

    Source: Davenport, 2012.Davenport, M. (2012, January 11). Downtown decay poses problem for community. WCSC TV. Retrieved from http://www.live5news.com/story/16501227/downtown-decay-poses-problem-for-community.

    America’s cities are centers of culture, innovation, fine dining, world-class medical research, high finance, and so many other hallmarks. Yet, as this news story from Charleston reminds us, our cities also have dilapidated housing and many other problems. So do the nation’s rural areas. This chapter examines urban and rural problems in the United States.

    We will see that many of these problems reflect those that earlier chapters discussed. But we will also see that some problems are worse in cities precisely because they are cities (and therefore are crowded with traffic and many buildings and people). And we'll see that some problems are worse in rural areas precisely because they are rural (and therefore are isolated with long distances to travel). These defining features of cities and rural areas, respectively, should be kept in mind as we examine the problems occurring in these two important settings for American life.


    8.1: Chapter Introduction and Objectives is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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