Policy and Social Theory: Assessment 1

Aim: The aim of the task is to demonstrate your understanding of how social theory can be used to explain a social policy issue.

Task: Students should prepare a 750 word (+-10%) paper, excluding references (please refer to the SOSS Harvard referencing guidelines available on the School website).

1. Choose a media article on any social policy issue of concern in social work. You can use traditional or online media sources, and your article should be recent (i.e., published within the past 12 months). Remember to scan a copy of the media article in the word document or provide a link to the media article.

2. Using ONE of the social theories discussed in the lectures in weeks 2-4, which are
Week 2- Karl Marx and its Implications for Policy
Week 3- Emile Durkheim and its Implications for Policy
Week 4- Max Weber and its Implications for Policy Analysis
CHOOSE ONE SOCIAL THEORY ONLY so either Karl Marx and its Implications for Policy, Emile Durkheim and its Implications for Policy or Max Weber and its Implications for Policy Analysis

Explain how the social policy issue is conceptualized (how is it presented? how is it being talked about?) in the media article. It is not enough to state where the elements of the chosen social theory are present in the article (that would be descriptive only) – you should provide a critique of how the theory of your choice underpins the issue under discussion (i.e., provide a critical analysis). You must apply your theoretical understanding to your analysis of the social policy issue.

Please submit a scanned copy of the media article with your paper

Minimum of 4-6 references
Harvard Style