Although we were not able to address them in class, the three social problem topics that were assigned for reading this week—"Population and Global Inequality," "Family Life," and "Education"—are very key and vital issues that include many overlapping issues at the core that result in inequalities and injustices. In the same instance, however, there are also opportunities and initiatives that can actually and potentially promote positive social change in addressing these same issues. 

For this blog assignment, you are expected to answer the three questions below based on your knowledge/research in the field (with APA references included, as appropriate), as well as your understanding of the relevant Macionis chapters. 

1. What is your personal understanding of what comprises a family? What has shaped your understanding and perception of family life? Do you believe that your personal views may conflict with others? Why or why not? What are the ways in which notions and concepts of family can both cause be problematic issues as well as pose viable solutions to social problems? Please explain and support your responses to the best of your ability. 
2. Why are you pursuing your education and what do you plan to do with your educational qualifications? Given the significant rates of educational inequality that exist across and between racial/ethnic/linguistic groups, gender-based groups, and income/class levels in the U.S., as well as in other parts of the world, do you think that transforming education is the best solution in addressing the various inequalities that exist?  If so, how so? If not, what's the alternative and why? What can you do at the individual level by your utilizing your own education for promoting social transformation? Please explain and support your responses to the best of your ability. 
3. Global inequality is a quite broad and generalized statement to make, because it can encompass a number of social problems and issues at much more complex levels. Nevertheless, it also implies that inequalities and injustices not only exist within countries/territories, but between them as well. Choose a sociological perspective and an accompanying theory from the chapter to explain how global inequality is perceived and addressed. Do you agree or disagree with this perspective and theoretical approach? Please explain and support your responses to the best of your ability. 

This week was definitely packed full of discussions and content relevant to work/the workplace, urban landscapes, technology, environment/ecology, and war and terrorism. While it may be challenging to visualize and comprehend how all these various facets of society may fit, especially within the context of social problems, deeper reflection and critical analysis will most likely reveal the interconnected and/or overlapping relationships that exist between and across these same areas of focus. 

For this blog assignment, please look up a specific war or terrorist act from any time in history in any part of the the world that impacted the physical environment. Include a brief description of the war or terrorist act that you have chosen, and in your own words (make sure to include the APA-style reference(s) in your blog post), and address how this particular conflict resulted in inequality(ies) and/or injustice(s) in relation to one or more of the following factors:

• Work/Labor/Workplace
• Urban Life
• Technology

In addition to providing a description and an analysis based on the criteria above, please also make sure to explain how you believe "war" and "peace" were justified in this specific war/terrorist act. Again, you are expected to support your claim(s) with relevant references.

At this critical juncture in history, the development of more just, responsible, and effective forms of governance has become a vital imperative at all levels of society. At the level of the state, even the most advanced forms of democratic governance are losing legitimacy as a result of their cooptation by powerful interests groups and their inability to address the increasingly complex challenges facing all societies today. At the level of the market, corporate governance is viewed with growing suspicion and distrust as increasingly powerful corporations pursue narrow self-interests at the expense of broader social and ecological concerns. At the level of civil society, the governance of diverse organizations and movements is increasingly undermined as ideological forces and identity politics become sources of increasing division and anarchy. Furthermore, as a result of the complex interactions among all of these levels of governance, the management of human affairs is fraught with increasing difficulties even as the need for coordinated governance has never been greater. In short, in an age of ever-increasing social and ecological interdependence, inherited models of governance are unable to meet the immediate challenges, and guide the long-term progress, of human civilization. 

Based on the statement above, the relevant chapter from the Macionis text, and your personal understanding and knowledge of governance (please see link above for more information), choose and answer TWO of the questions below. 

1. In what ways can governance promote unity and justice?
   
2. How can we redefine power and authority?
   
3. How do we develop new models for collective decision-making?
   
4. How can we raise consciousness and empowerment despite the challenges that bad governance poses?
   
5. How do we build capacities for good governance?