This course will introduce you to a variety of current social problems in the United States and will help you develop critical and sociological thinking through the analysis of these issues. We examine human behaviors and social conditions that violate values of equality and freedom in society or that represent potential threats to quality of life. Much of the material presented in this course will challenge or help support your values and beliefs about social issues. Whether your ideas ultimately change or remain the same, this course should help you clarify why you believe what you believe, help you understand the implications and consequences of those beliefs and help you to compare your perceptions with empirical studies. This course satisfies a general education requirement for the social sciences. There are no prerequisites for the course.