Sociologists...

[Orangecrush]

Im currently taking a basic Soci class and we have a special topics paper. We have to write a proposal paper and state a research question. Original my research question was - How does the illegal drug market affect the global economy? But my teacher said that we will be covering this issue in class and that it is also very broad so I should pick something else. I thought about maybe doing meth and how it affects the global economy, but I'm not sure if I can find enough information to do it globally.

I'm torn on if I should just go ahead and try to do meth and the global economy or maybe try and do something on marijuana in the U.S. This would be a perfect subject for me because I have to take many things into account, the role of the elite, the middle class, the poor, why people turn to marijuana, etc. I just don't know how I could phrase it in a research question. Any help people may be able to provide for insight into the world of marijuana would be greatly appreciated! Maybe links to great sights that have a balanced opinion for both view points. Thanks in advance guys!

 

[jammo1988]

hows about why certain minority groups are more likely to partake in drug use (fairly basic)

 

[Guest]

how bout this - why do cops and religious ass****s look down on potsmokers and then go home and get drunk and think that alcohol is so much better?

 

[HuffAndPuff]

My advice would be to not write about drugs. I mean, if you wanna for this paper,go ahead- but speaking generally, I would suggest moving beyond writing about drugs, legalization, etc. I say this for a few reasons.

Numero uno, plenty of 'pothead' frosh are going to be doing the same thing, and with ANY topic that will grow tiresome to a grader. Plus, you will be lumped in with that category, and pehaps you have more to offer than that stigma allows. I don't know you, so I have no idea.

Also, as lame as it may sound, I think one should really treat college as a growth experience. This means stepping beyond the bounds of what we are comfortable with, or already know. You are going there to learn, not to try to change the system. We can only change the system once we trick it into thinking that we're a part of it. This happens almost simultaneously with getting your diploma in hand. Maybe I'm reading too much into what you said, but I'd venture a guess that you wrote more than one paper in HS on similar topics. Soc and Criminology class may be the exception, however. And there is the aspect of 'write what you know'.

If you are hell bent on doing drugs, your prof is right, you really need to narrow the scope of this, unless you're writing a post grad thesis. Try something like, "What is the economic (or social) impact of the criminalization of MJ on the state of Cali?" It's specific to location and substance, there is plenty of data available on estimated indoor/outdoor harvests, incarceration stats, etc.

UnerSame actually might have something, too. Something along the lines of "How were racism and xenophobia almost exclusively responsible for our selective, prohibitionist policies against drugs an alcohol?"

If you decide stepping away from drugs sounds like a good idea, post up what you have covered so far and maybe I, or someone else, can come up with something for ya.

I may have to ask you guys something like this at some point, so I'm trying to get in my good karma now.

Stay Safe
HuffAndPuff

 

[Pops]

Huff has some good ideas. A broader topic might be the social impact on American society of the Drug War. Since 1970, over a trillion dollars spent and 36 million arrested. Many have felony convictions, which affects voters,as most can't vote. Who knows what the economic impact really is? There is a tremendous cost to those families with members incarcerated, due to lost income and legal fees. How many family members had to go on welfare due to loss of the primary breadwinner? What is the cost to our society in terms of prisoner expense, building prisons and releasing violent criminals due to overcrowding? There are dozens of paper's worth just in a few of these questions.

 

[VictoryGardener]

Have you read Michael Schwalbe's The Sociologically Examined Life?

What about social marginalization in inner- city America?

Philippe Bourgois wrote an outstanding book about this subject called In Search of Respect. He lived in East Harlem for several years in the early 90's. I would highly recommend it.

 

[VictoryGardener]

You could easily tie the War on Drugs with inner city social marginalization.

 

[Orangecrush]

Those are all great ideas and I thank all of you for your help. For starters, Huff, those were some definitely good points and which is why I am so iffy on doing the topic of marijuana. I have done a project on drugs before, but it was just the affects of meth on the body in a class freshman year.

I can do the paper on absolutely anything that interests me so it has been hard for me to narrow down a topic. I really like your idea Pops, but I don't think my prof would approve of it because he said we will be covering that in our class. =/

I am going to try and do some brief research on some of the topics you guys mentioned and see if I find anything that really interests me. Thanks so much for your help guys! You really got the spark going for me.

 

[HuffAndPuff]

Excellent, brother! Getting excited about it is what its all about. The hokey pokey may also be involved, at some point. Like I said, if you decide to do something else, post up the topics you've covered, and we'll go for round two. It's a useful exercise for me, anyway. Good luck with it, getting motivated is always the toughest part. If it ain't due tomorrow, you're in better shape than most of your classmates, I'd bet.

HuffAndPuff

 

[Depths Of OG]

The intricasies of the real estate/mortgage broker market, and how it is designed to f*ck lower income families.

 

[_angst_]

Im currently taking a basic Soci class and we have a special topics paper. We have to write a proposal paper and state a research question. Original my research question was - How does the illegal drug market affect the global economy? But my teacher said that we will be covering this issue in class and that it is also very broad so I should pick something else. I thought about maybe doing meth and how it affects the global economy, but I'm not sure if I can find enough information to do it globally.

I'm torn on if I should just go ahead and try to do meth and the global economy or maybe try and do something on marijuana in the U.S. This would be a perfect subject for me because I have to take many things into account, the role of the elite, the middle class, the poor, why people turn to marijuana, etc. I just don't know how I could phrase it in a research question. Any help people may be able to provide for insight into the world of marijuana would be greatly appreciated! Maybe links to great sights that have a balanced opinion for both view points. Thanks in advance guys!

I just got a degree in sociology (and another in computer science). Here's what I'd relate to:

The global economy is impacted in the form of prison systems getting rich and the cartels making money all while being funded (primarily) by the (shrinking) middle class. It creates a class of criminals over night due to racism and/or social control. Why is meth schedule 2 and things like pot, crack, heroin schedule 1? Even though meth is clearly more dangerous, why is it less harsh of a penalty (it is)? Meth has a stereotype of being for white people. Pot was for the hippies and mexicans and was made illegal to profile and control certain groups (mexicans/mexican-americans, hippies). By creating a class of criminal overnight, you are going to experience a boom in the prison-population. Some people are even going so far as to say that prisons will be the next big money making institutions. We have over 1 million people (out of ~ 2.2 million) in prison for drug offenses. You're buying your drugs, and paying your taxes, which funds both sides.

You fund the cartel, and then you simultaneously fund the DEA to fight a never ending battle with them. You're paying for Joe Schmoe's rehab, and prison-care.

I dunno, I'm rambling. I've had a hard day.

 

[HuffAndPuff]

Nope, you're definitely on to something with the sentencing disparity. The supreme court is looking at the issue as it pertains to crack vs. cocaine. Ties back into the prohibition fueled by racism theory.
HuffAndPuff

 

[Orangecrush]

Thanks so much for your help guys. I decided to do the growing prison population, why is it so large and how it ties into our economy. I really liked the idea angst gave me and my biggest problem was trying to find legitimate sources for other ideas I had and this one has plenty! Thanks again for all your help and if you guys ever need any help getting the ball moving let me know.