college essay social issues

Presentations made painless

• Get Premium

108 Social Issues Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Social issues are complex and multifaceted problems that affect individuals, communities, and societies as a whole. These issues can range from poverty and inequality to discrimination and environmental degradation. Writing an essay on a social issue can be a daunting task, but it can also be a rewarding experience that allows you to explore and analyze important topics that impact the world around you.

To help you get started, here are 108 social issues essay topic ideas and examples that you can use as inspiration for your next writing assignment:

• The impact of social media on mental health
• Income inequality and its effects on society
• Police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement
• The rise of fake news and its impact on democracy
• Gender inequality in the workplace
• Climate change and its effects on vulnerable communities
• The opioid crisis and its impact on communities
• The criminal justice system and racial disparities
• Homelessness and poverty in America
• The refugee crisis and global migration patterns
• LGBTQ+ rights and discrimination
• The rise of nationalism and its impact on global politics
• Gun control and mass shootings in America
• Environmental racism and its effects on marginalized communities
• The impact of globalization on developing countries
• Mental health stigma and access to treatment
• Cyberbullying and online harassment
• The #MeToo movement and sexual harassment in the workplace
• Access to healthcare and the rising cost of medical care
• The impact of technology on social relationships
• Food insecurity and hunger in America
• The effects of gentrification on low-income communities
• Disability rights and accessibility
• The criminalization of poverty and homelessness
• Human trafficking and modern-day slavery
• The impact of colonialism on indigenous communities
• The rise of authoritarianism and threats to democracy
• The education achievement gap and disparities in schools
• Mental health challenges facing college students
• The impact of social isolation on mental health
• The influence of religion on social norms and values
• The effects of gentrification on cultural identity
• The impact of social media on political discourse
• The role of activism in social change
• Access to clean water and sanitation in developing countries
• The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem
• The effects of income inequality on public health
• The criminalization of drug addiction and mental illness
• The impact of climate change on indigenous communities

These are just a few examples of social issues that you can explore in your essay. Remember to choose a topic that you are passionate about and that you feel strongly about. Researching and writing about social issues can be a powerful way to raise awareness and advocate for change in the world. Good luck with your essay!

Want to research companies faster?

Instantly access industry insights

Let PitchGrade do this for me

Leverage powerful AI research capabilities

We will create your text and designs for you. Sit back and relax while we do the work.

Explore More Content

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service

© 2024 Pitchgrade

839 Social Issues Essay Topics, Lists, & Good Ideas

• Icon Calendar 18 May 2024
• Icon Page 7051 words
• Icon Clock 32 min read

Social issues essay topics mean contemporary matters that affect society at large. They encompass many subjects, including poverty, racial and gender inequality, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, climate change, and gun control. These topics offer an in-depth exploration of societal constructs, systems, and beliefs that shape the human world, encouraging critical thinking and fostering empathy toward diverse perspectives. Moreover, discussing hot issues allows people to identify societal imbalances and injustices while proposing solutions for a better and inclusive future. Thus, social issues essay topics can foster personal growth, broaden horizons, and serve as a platform to initiate dialogue and action on pressing problems or challenges in the global community.

Best Social Issues Essay Topics

• Racial Profiling and Its Impact on Modern Society
• Addressing Gender Inequality in the Workplace
• Implications of Cyberbullying in the Digital Age
• The Effect of Mass Media on Body Image
• Balancing Privacy Rights and National Security in Surveillance
• Modern-Day Human Trafficking: A Hidden Crime
• Climate Change: Examining Environmental Racism
• Immigration Policies: Social and Economic Impacts
• Cultural Appropriation in Fashion and Entertainment
• Violence in Video Games: Correlation to Real-World Aggression
• Youth Unemployment: A Rising Social Issue
• Religious Freedom vs. Societal Safety: The Thin Line
• Universal Basic Income: Solution for Poverty?
• Decriminalizing Drugs: The Portuguese Model
• Impacts of Technological Advancements on the Job Market
• Examining the Glass Ceiling Phenomenon
• Body Shaming: A Social Media Issue
• Exploring Mental Health Stigma in Society
• Consumerism and Its Effect on Climate Change
• Evaluating LGBTQ+ Rights Across Different Cultures
• Dissecting the Prison Industrial Complex in the US
• Effects of Single-Parenting on Child Development
• Social Implications of Genetically Modified Organisms
• Income Inequality: Impacts on Health and Longevity
• Discrimination in the Housing Market: A Hidden Problem

Easy Social Issues Essay Topics

• Economic Consequences of Child Labor
• Substance Abuse: A Social or Medical Issue?
• Ageism and Its Impact on Employment Opportunities
• Cybersecurity Threats: A Growing Social Concern
• The Digital Divide: Rural vs. Urban Internet Access
• Child Obesity: The Role of School Meals
• Modern Slavery: A Global Issue Hidden in Plain Sight
• Understanding the Roots of Homelessness in Developed Countries
• Food Insecurity in First-World Nations: Causes and Consequences
• Influence of Social Media on Political Polarization
• Effects of Fast Fashion on Third-World Workers
• Assisted Suicide: Ethical Dilemma or Human Right?
• Transgender Rights in Sports: A Critical Examination
• Terrorism and Its Impact on Social Cohesion
• Stereotypes and their Influence on Criminal Justice
• Understanding Social Exclusion in Public Schools
• Internet Censorship: Freedom of Speech vs. National Security
• Affordable Housing Crisis and Its Social Implications
• GMOs: A Solution for World Hunger or an Ecological Disaster?
• Social and Economic Impacts of Automation on Manufacturing Jobs
• Cultural Relativism: Understanding Human Rights Across Different Societies
• Privacy Issues Arising From Facial Recognition Technology
• Parental Rights vs. Child Protection in Medical Decisions
• Disability Discrimination in Employment: A Silent Crisis

Interesting Social Issues Essay Topics

• Social Impacts of Modernization on Indigenous Communities
• Stigmatization of Sex Work: Society’s View and Legal Status
• Animal Rights: Ethical Concerns Surrounding Factory Farming
• Influence of Television on Children’s Behavioral Development
• Political Corruption: Effects on Social Trust and Development
• Internet Addiction: A 21st Century Mental Health Issue
• Food Deserts: Addressing Urban Nutritional Inequality
• Ethical Dilemmas in Biomedical Engineering and Cloning
• Social Consequences of Aging Populations in Developed Countries
• Regulating Big Tech: Balancing Innovation and Privacy
• Analyzing Sexism in the Advertising Industry
• Impacts of Remote Work on Social Interaction and Mental Health
• Capital Punishment: A Justified Measure or a Human Rights Violation?
• Global Water Crisis: Social and Health Impacts
• Adoption Laws: Discrimination Against Single and LGBTQ+ Parents
• Refugees and Asylum Seekers: A Humanitarian or Security Issue?
• Waste Management: Social and Environmental Implications
• The Role of Education in Preventing Youth Crime
• Social Implications of Autonomous Vehicles on Traffic and Employment
• Cultural Impacts of Westernization in Non-Western Countries
• Animal Assisted Therapy: Evaluating Benefits and Ethical Concerns
• Euthanasia: Medical, Legal, and Ethical Perspectives

Social Issues Research Topics

• Misinformation Spread: Impacts on Democracy and Public Health
• Child Soldiers: An Unresolved Global Crisis
• Identity Theft: The Growing Concern in Digital Age
• Pandemic and Its Impact on Mental Health
• Reality TV: Influence on Perception of Body Image and Relationships
• Genetic Engineering: Balancing Potential Benefits and Ethical Concerns
• Deconstructing Toxic Masculinity: A Psychological Perspective
• Roles of Non-Governmental Organizations in Social Change
• Media’s Influence on Perception of Police Brutality
• Importance of Financial Literacy in Youth Empowerment
• Addressing Period Poverty: The Hidden Barrier to Education
• Sports and Nationalism: The Social Impact of International Competitions
• Intersectionality in Feminism: Need for Inclusion in Activism
• Childhood Vaccinations: Public Health Necessity or Parental Choice?
• Social Media Influencers: Impacts on Youth and Consumer Behavior
• Obesity Epidemic: Fast Food Industry’s Responsibility
• Parenting Styles and Their Effect on Child’s Mental Health
• Impacts of Microfinance on Poverty Alleviation
• Cyberstalking: The Hidden Dangers of the Internet
• Juvenile Delinquency: Factors and Prevention Strategies
• Examining the Ethical Implications of Human Cloning
• The Changing Dynamics of Family Structure in Modern Society
• Online Education: Impacts on Accessibility and Quality of Learning

Social Argumentative Essay Topics

• Analyzing the Impact of Cyberbullying on Teen Mental Health
• Evaluating Measures for Reducing Plastic Waste in Urban Areas
• Addressing Racial Profiling Within Law Enforcement Agencies
• The Role of Affordable Housing in Mitigating Homelessness
• Necessity for Implementing Universal Basic Income
• Exploring the Efficacy of Gun Control Legislation
• Harnessing Technology for Elderly Care: An Imperative Approach
• Balancing Freedom of Speech With Hate Speech Regulations
• Prioritizing LGBTQ+ Rights in Contemporary Societies
• Reforming Education Systems to Promote Equality
• Human Trafficking: A Global Challenge Requiring Immediate Action
• The Growing Threat of Food Insecurity in Developed Nations
• Combatting Domestic Violence: Effectiveness of Current Legal Measures
• The Stigma Around Mental Health and Its Societal Impact
• Mandatory Vaccinations: A Necessary Evil or a Personal Choice?
• Unveiling Hidden Poverty in Affluent Societies
• Addressing Racial Disparities in Health Care Delivery
• Gender Pay Gap: A Persistent Social Issue
• Bridging the Digital Divide: Strategies and Solutions
• Potential Dangers of Unregulated AI Technologies
• Climate Change Denial: An Analysis of Its Sociopolitical Impact
• Child Labor in Developing Countries: Causes and Solutions
• Public Health Challenges of Obesity in Children
• Socioeconomic Impacts of Drug Addiction

Persuasive Speech Topics on Social Issues

• Restorative Justice as a Solution to Overcrowded Prisons
• Empowering Women Through Microfinance in Developing Countries
• Environmental Racism: An Underexplored Aspect of Social Inequality
• Suicide Rates Among Veterans: A Hidden Crisis
• Implementing Sustainable Practices in Urban Development
• The Effect of Advertising on Consumerism and Waste Generation
• Systemic Bias in the Workplace: A Closer Look
• Income Inequality: Examining the Effects on Social Mobility
• Substance Abuse Prevention Programs in Schools
• The Consequences of Child Neglect on Future Generations
• Addressing Stigmatization of HIV/AIDS Patients
• Ethical Issues Surrounding Assisted Suicide Legislation
• The Role of Social Structures in Perpetuating Poverty
• Evaluating the Impact of Religious Discrimination on Society
• The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Academic Achievement
• Advocacy for Animal Rights in Modern Industrial Farming
• Transgender Rights: Overcoming Legal and Social Barriers
• The Effect of Climate Change on Global Poverty
• Exploring Ethical Issues in Genetic Engineering
• Refugees and Asylum Seekers: A Challenge for Global Cooperation
• Accessibility Challenges in Public Transportation for Disabled Individuals
• Overcoming Barriers to Mental Health Services for Marginalized Communities
• Addressing Child Malnutrition in Low-Income Countries

Social Issues Essay Topics on Abortion

• Historical Perspectives on Abortion Laws Globally
• Ethical Dilemmas: The Clash Between Personal Beliefs and Abortion
• Abortion Stigma: Understanding Its Roots and Effects
• Abortion and Religion: A Complex Intersection
• Public Policies Impacting Abortion Rights: A Comparative Analysis
• Emotional Consequences Experienced Post-Abortion
• Legal Implications of Restrictive Abortion Laws
• Safeguarding Women’s Health: The Role of Safe Abortion Services
• Evaluating the Economic Factors That Influence Abortion Decisions
• Exploring Medical Advancements in Abortion Procedures
• Adolescents and Abortion: Addressing the Legal and Social Implications
• Diverse Perspectives on Abortion: A Multicultural Examination
• Understanding the Relationship Between Abortion and Mental Health
• The Battle Between Pro-Life and Pro-Choice: An Ongoing Debate
• Sex Education’s Influence on Abortion Rates
• Roles of Feminism in the Fight for Abortion Rights
• Medical Ethics and Abortion: A Critical Examination
• Abortion’s Societal Impact: A Quantitative Study
• Dissecting the Stance of Various Political Parties on Abortion
• Access to Abortion Services: Disparity in Urban and Rural Areas

Social Issues Essay Topics on Animal Rights & Animal Welfare

• Unveiling the Truth: Animal Testing in Cosmetic Industries
• Captivity vs. Conservation: The Dilemma of Zoos
• From Farm to Plate: The Reality of Factory Farming
• Whales in Danger: Consequences of Commercial Whaling
• Shedding Light on Fur Trade: Ethical Concerns and Alternatives
• Animal Rights in Fashion: Examining the Use of Leather
• Exploring Ethical Dimensions: Use of Animals in Medical Research
• Wild At Heart: The Controversy Surrounding Trophy Hunting
• Lessons from Wildlife: The Impact of Habitat Destruction
• Outlawing Animal Cruelty: Legislation Across Different Countries
• Paws in Pain: The Distressing World of Puppy Mills
• Silent Sufferers: Effects of Climate Change on Animals
• Revealing the Dark Side: Illegal Animal Trade and Smuggling
• Spotlight on Animal Welfare: Importance of Veterinary Care
• Fins at Risk: Shark Finning and Its Ecological Consequences
• The Stolen Freedom: Circuses and Animal Entertainment Industry
• Livestock’s Long Journey: Animal Welfare in Transport
• Animal Rights vs. Religious Customs: A Delicate Balance
• Raising Awareness: The Role of Media in Animal Rights
• Laying Bare: The Deplorable Conditions of Animal Shelters
• Elephant Tusk Trade: A Dire Threat to Biodiversity

Consumption & Development Social Issues Topics

• Inequities in Global Resource Distribution: The Ethical Dilemma
• Technological Progress: Is It a Boon or a Bane for Sustainable Consumption?
• The Dark Side of Fast Fashion: Exploitation and Waste
• Climate Change: Impact on Global Food Security and Consumption
• E-Waste Management: Solutions for a Growing Global Concern
• Plastic Pollution: Analyzing Current Measures and Future Alternatives
• Economic Growth versus Environmental Conservation: Can They Coexist?
• Unchecked Tourism: Deciphering Its Impact on Natural Resources
• Overpopulation and Consumption: The Unsustainable Global Footprint
• Modern Agriculture’s Roles in Overconsumption and Soil Degradation
• Fast Food Culture: A Critical Look at Health and Environment
• Socioeconomic Disparities: How Do They Influence Consumption Patterns?
• The Rise of Electric Vehicles: Assessing Environmental Impact and Sustainability
• Impacts of Consumerism on Mental Health: Unmasking the Materialistic Culture
• Consumption in the Digital Age: E-Commerce and Its Environmental Consequences
• Urban Sprawl: Analyzing Its Effects on Natural Resources and Wildlife
• Influences of Advertising on Consumer Behavior: A Critical Analysis
• Access to Clean Water: A Global Crisis of Consumption and Pollution
• Global Supply Chains: Assessing Labor Exploitation and Sustainability
• The Role of Government Policies in Controlling Resource Overconsumption

Social Issues Topics on Cultural Appropriation & Stereotyping

• Identifying the Line Between Cultural Appreciation and Cultural Appropriation
• Stereotypes and Their Impact on Multicultural Relationships
• Consequences of Racial Stereotypes in Media Representation
• Commercialization and Exploitation of Indigenous Artifacts: Is It Cultural Appropriation?
• Stereotyping in Advertising: A Social Issue Worth Investigating
• Cultural Appropriation in the Fashion Industry: A Matter of Concern?
• Dissecting the Influence of Stereotypes on Academic Achievement
• Roles of Stereotyping in Gender Bias and Discrimination
• Music Genres: The Unseen Consequences of Cultural Appropriation
• Stereotypes in Children’s Books: Effects on Young Minds
• Influence of Cultural Appropriation on Traditional Cuisine and Recipes
• Roles of Stereotyping in Perpetuating Social Inequalities
• Cultural Appropriation in Yoga and Mindfulness Practices: Is It Problematic?
• Examination of Racial Stereotypes in Sports and Athletics
• Analyzing the Consequences of Cultural Appropriation in Hair and Beauty Trends
• Impact of Stereotyping on Mental Health and Self-Esteem
• Cultural Appropriation in Hollywood: Does It Harm or Help Cultural Understanding?
• Stereotypes in Video Games: Reflection of Society or Cause of Bias?
• Ethics of Cultural Appropriation in Literature and Fiction
• Stereotyping in Job Interviews: Its Effect on Employment Opportunities
• Linguistic Stereotypes and Their Consequences on Communication

Social Issues Topics on Cultural Property

• Protection of Indigenous Artifacts: Upholding Cultural Integrity
• Ethics of Art Repatriation: Addressing Historical Injustices
• National Museums’ Roles in Preserving Cultural Property
• Legislation Governing Cultural Heritage: An International Perspective
• Exploitation of Cultural Resources: Implications for Native Communities
• Antiquities Trade and Cultural Property: A Critical Analysis
• Cultural Patrimony: The Need for Enhanced International Cooperation
• Digitization of Cultural Property: Challenges and Opportunities
• Illicit Traffic of Cultural Goods: A Global Concern
• Respecting Intangible Heritage: Measures for Cultural Safeguarding
• Modern Architecture as Cultural Property: Preservation Challenges
• Safeguarding Underwater Heritage: Issues in Maritime Archaeology
• War Effects on Cultural Heritage: A Case Study
• Postcolonial Dynamics in Cultural Property Ownership
• Religious Institutions and the Preservation of Cultural Property
• Consequences of Tourism on Cultural Sites and Artifacts
• Climate Change Impact on Cultural Heritage Sites
• Archaeological Excavations: Ethical Considerations in Cultural Property Handling
• Historical Sites and Urban Development: A Balancing Act
• Sacred Objects Repatriation: Ethical Dilemmas

Current Social Issues Topics in America

• Unequal Access to Healthcare: A Crisis in American Communities
• Evaluating the Implications of Police Reform Movements
• Climate Change and Its Effect on US Coastal Cities
• Dissecting the Racial Disparities in American Public Education
• Homelessness Crisis: Solutions and Strategies for American Urban Areas
• Obesity Epidemic: America’s Unseen Public Health Dilemma
• Addressing the Wage Gap: Women’s Fight for Economic Equality
• The Struggle for LGBTQ+ Rights and Recognition in America
• Cybersecurity Threats: The Invisible War on American Infrastructure
• Investigating the Opioid Epidemic: Its Socioeconomic Ramifications
• The Future of Immigration Policy and Its Impact on American Society
• Free Speech vs. Hate Speech: Striking a Balance in the Digital Age
• Childhood Obesity: A Growing Issue in American Society
• Veterans’ Struggles: The Unaddressed Trauma and Its Consequences
• Gun Control and Second Amendment Rights: A Polarizing Debate
• The Role of Technology in Exacerbating Income Inequality
• Confronting Racism in American Sports: A Silent Scourge
• Democracy and Disinformation: The Threat of Fake News
• Youth Suicide Rates: The Silent Epidemic in American Schools
• Implications of Artificial Intelligence on the American Job Market
• Challenges Facing Indigenous Peoples: Reservations, Rights, and Resources

Social Issues Essay Topics on Disability & Accessibility

• The Role of Universal Design in Fostering Inclusivity
• Exploring the Physical Barriers That Hinder Accessibility
• The Effect of Societal Attitudes on Disability Acceptance
• Modern Technology’s Impacts on Accessibility for the Disabled
• Employment Opportunities and Disability: A Global Perspective
• Understanding Disability Representation in Media
• Disability Rights Movements: Their Evolution and Impact
• Societal Implications of Disability Stereotypes
• Investigating the Intersectionality of Disability and Race
• Disabilities and Education: Tackling Systemic Challenges
• Mental Health and Its Relation to Disability
• Accessibility in Public Transportation: An Unsolved Problem
• Sports Participation and Its Significance for Disabled Individuals
• Chronic Illness: Unseen Disabilities and Societal Perception
• Inadequacies in Health Care Services for People With Disabilities
• The Influence of Disability on Social Identity
• Assessing the Current State of Assistive Technology
• Cultural Perspectives on Disability: A Comparative Study
• Barriers to Effective Disability Legislation: Overcoming Challenges
• Disability Advocacy: Celebrating Prominent Figures and Their Contributions

Social Issues Topics on Discrimination & Prejudice

• Unraveling the Causes and Consequences of Religious Discrimination in Contemporary Society
• Ageism in the Workplace: An Overlooked Issue in the Modern Professional Environment
• Investigating Homophobia: The Role of Media in Shaping Attitudes Toward the LGBTQ+ Community
• Ethnic Prejudice in Education: Analysis of Its Impact on Minority Students’ Performance
• Stereotypes in Advertising: Their Influence on Consumer Perception and Bias
• Discrimination Against Immigrants: Exploring Its Socioeconomic Consequences
• Intersectionality: The Complex Overlay of Gender, Race, and Class Discrimination
• Roles of Legislation in Reducing Workplace Discrimination: A Comparative Study
• Body Shaming: Prevalence and Impact on Mental Health in Adolescents
• Cyberbullying and Online Hate Speech: The New Frontier of Discrimination
• Colorism: A Forgotten Aspect of Racial Discrimination in Society
• Disparity in Criminal Sentencing: Examining Racial Bias in the Justice System
• Prejudice Toward Mental Health: Evaluating Society’s Misunderstandings and Fear
• Parental Discrimination: The Unseen Prejudice Against Single Fathers in Society
• Obesity Stigma: The Social and Psychological Impacts of Weight Discrimination
• Ableism in Popular Media: Effects on Perception of Disabled Individuals
• Wealth Inequality: The Role of Discrimination in the Widening Socioeconomic Gap
• Transgender Rights: Unpacking Discrimination in Public Policy and Healthcare
• Xenophobia and Its Influence on Nationalistic Politics
• Linguistic Discrimination: The Unaddressed Bias Against Accents and Dialects
• Socioeconomic Discrimination: Implications for Access to Quality Education

Social Issues Topics About Education & Access to Education

• Exploring the Digital Divide: Impact on Rural Students’ Access to Education
• Gender Bias in Educational Resources: A Global Perspective
• Implications of Socioeconomic Status on Educational Attainment
• Understanding Disability-Inclusive Policies in Modern Education Systems
• Effectiveness of Online Learning for Underserved Communities
• Analyzing Racial Disparities in Standardized Testing
• Mitigating the Influence of Poverty on Student Performance
• Unraveling the Impact of Cultural Differences in Bilingual Education
• Diversity in School Curricula: The Need for Greater Representation
• Cyberbullying: Its Effect on Student Mental Health and Academic Performance
• Improving Immigrant Student Assimilation Through Culturally Sensitive Teaching Methods
• College Affordability: The Rising Student Debt Crisis
• School-to-Prison Pipeline: Effects of Zero Tolerance Policies
• Inequalities in Education: Comparing Urban and Rural Schools
• Reducing High School Dropout Rates: Successful Intervention Strategies
• Reforming Educational Policies for LGBTQ+ Students
• Evaluating Mental Health Support in Schools
• Public vs. Private Education: Impact on Student Success
• The Role of Technology in Modernizing Classroom Infrastructure
• Promoting Female Participation in STEM Fields

Environmental Social Issues Topics

• Consequences of Deforestation on Global Biodiversity
• Climate Change: Its Impact on Polar Ice Caps
• Analyzing Plastic Waste: Threats and Alternatives
• Overpopulation: Evaluating Its Effect on Natural Resources
• Water Scarcity: A Deep Dive Into Its Global Impact
• Impacts of Urbanization on Natural Habitats
• The Significance of Green Architecture in Reducing Carbon Footprint
• Industrial Pollution: Evaluating Its Effect on Air Quality
• The Importance of Sustainable Agriculture in Maintaining Soil Health
• Coral Reefs: Threats and Conservation Strategies
• Ocean Acidification: The Invisible Climate Threat
• Endangered Species: Exploring the Role of Poaching
• Genetic Modification in Agriculture: Boon or Bane for Biodiversity
• E-Waste Management: A New Global Challenge
• Pollution Control: Scrutinizing the Efficacy of International Laws
• Landfill Dilemmas: Exploring the Potential of Waste-to-Energy Technologies
• Invasive Species: Assessing Their Impact on Native Ecosystems
• Food Waste: A Hidden Contributor to Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Renewable Energy: A Possible Solution to Fossil Fuel Dependence
• Hydropower Projects: Weighing Environmental Costs Against Energy Benefits
• Sustainable Tourism: Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Preservation

Feminism Social Issues Topics

• Evolution of Feminism in the 21st Century: A Historical Perspective
• Unveiling the Multidimensional Impact of Cyberfeminism
• Feminist Literary Criticism: An Examination of Its Influence on Modern Literature
• Intersectionality: A Pivotal Factor in Feminism
• Dissecting the Representation of Women in the Media
• Glass Ceiling Phenomenon: A Feminist Analysis
• Analysis of Feminism’s Role in Promoting Equal Educational Opportunities
• Unpacking the Implications of Feminist Legal Theory
• Unveiling Men’s Roles in the Feminist Movement: A Contemporary Perspective
• Analysis of Body Positivity: A Feminist Perspective
• Understanding the Intersection of Feminism and Environmental Justice
• Exploring the Gender Pay Gap Through the Lens of Feminism
• Queer Theory and Feminism: An Unfolding Narrative
• Ecofeminism: An Analysis of Its Relevance in the Modern World
• Transnational Feminism: Exploring Its Impact on Global Gender Equality
• Impacts of Feminist Economics on the Global Financial System
• Dissecting the Influence of Feminist Activism on Social Change
• Gender Stereotypes: Feminism’s Response to Societal Norms
• Exploring the Role of Feminism in Promoting Reproductive Rights
• Comparative Analysis of Feminist Movements Across the Globe

Social Issues Essay Topics About Gender Identity & Transgender

• Understanding the Struggles of Transgender Teens in Public Schools
• Intersectionality in the Transgender Community: Race, Class, and Gender
• Gender Dysphoria: Psychological Perspectives and Treatment Approaches
• Public Restroom Access: A Crucial Issue for Transgender Individuals
• Fostering Safe Spaces: Inclusion of Transgender People in Sports
• Media Representation: Portrayal of Transgender Characters in Film and Television
• Debunking Myths: Unraveling Misconceptions About Non-Binary Identities
• Transgender Rights: Analyzing Global Legal Landscapes
• Queer Theory and Its Influence on Transgender Studies
• Gender Affirmation Surgeries: Accessibility and Ethical Dilemmas
• Workplace Discrimination: Challenges Faced by Transgender Employees
• Religious Perspectives: Understanding Transgender Acceptance in Different Faiths
• Bias in Healthcare: Addressing Transgender Medical Discrimination
• Parental Support: Influence on Transgender Youth Mental Health
• Evolution of Language: The Importance of Pronouns in Transgender Identities
• Activism’s Role in Advancing Transgender Equality and Justice
• Fashion Industry: Promoting or Hindering Transgender Inclusivity?
• Racial Disparities: Exploring Transgender Experiences Within Minority Groups
• Military Service: Transgender Inclusion and Barriers
• Legislation Impact: Tracing Changes in Transgender Rights Over Time
• Education Reform: Incorporating Gender Identity Into School Curriculum

Social Issues Topics About Gun Control & Second Amendment

• Influences of Media Portrayals on Gun Control Attitudes
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Current Gun Control Measures
• The Second Amendment: A Historical Perspective
• School Shootings and Proposed Gun Control Solutions
• Rights of Individuals vs. Societal Safety: A Critical Analysis
• Roles of Firearms in Domestic Violence Cases
• Arguments for Stricter Gun Control Laws in the United States
• Mental Health Considerations in Gun Control Discussions
• Diverse Opinions on Gun Control: A Comparative Study
• Gun Control Policies: A Comparative Analysis Between States
• Perspectives on Concealed Carry Laws Across America
• Examining the Link Between Gun Ownership and Crime Rates
• Impacts of Gun Control on Suicide Rates
• Gun Shows and the Loophole in Gun Control Laws
• Stand-Your-Ground Laws: An Examination of Gun Rights
• Gun Control Debate: Rural vs. Urban Perspectives
• Racial Disparities in Gun Control Enforcement
• Influence of Political Parties on Gun Control Legislation
• Constitutional Interpretations of the Second Amendment
• Gun Control Laws and Their Effect on Hunting Culture

Social Issues Topics About Healthcare & Access to Healthcare

• Exploring the Implications of Mental Health Stigma in Healthcare Access
• Impacts of Socioeconomic Status on Quality of Medical Care
• Evaluating the Role of Education in Preventive Healthcare
• Assessing Challenges Faced by the Homeless in Obtaining Essential Medical Services
• Childhood Obesity: Tracing the Societal and Systemic Contributors
• Unpacking the Barriers to Healthcare in Rural Communities
• Telemedicine: Assessing its Effect on Health Equity
• Roles of Health Insurance in Shaping Healthcare Accessibility
• Gender Disparities in Healthcare: A Critical Examination
• Health Literacy: Its Influence on Patient-Care Provider Interactions
• Analyzing the Intersectionality of Race, Gender, and Healthcare Access
• Effects of Pandemics on Healthcare Inequality
• Transgender Health: Overcoming Challenges in Access and Understanding
• The Influence of Immigrant Status on Healthcare Access
• Comparing Global Health Systems: Lessons for Improved Access
• Food Insecurity and Its Link to Chronic Health Conditions
• Reproductive Rights: A Deep Dive Into Accessibility and Quality of Care
• Tackling Ageism in Health Services: A Study on Elderly Care
• Health Disparities Among Indigenous Populations: Causes and Solutions
• Holistic Healthcare: How Accessibility to Alternative Medicine Matters
• Substance Abuse Treatment: A Study on Access and Stigma

Health-Related Social Issues Essay Topics

• Stigma Attached to Mental Health Disorders in Society
• Obesity Epidemic: Societal Factors and Solutions
• Impacts of Socioeconomic Status on Nutritional Choices
• Alcoholism and Its Societal Consequences
• Social Implications of Ageing Population Dynamics
• Vaccination Hesitancy: A Public Health Crisis
• Intersection of Racism and Health Inequalities
• Domestic Violence: Hidden Health Crisis in Homes
• Effects of Urbanization on Public Health
• Bullying and Its Influence on Adolescent Mental Health
• Climate Change: Potential Impact on Global Health
• Exploring Substance Abuse Within Marginalized Communities
• Roles of Education in Promoting Sexual Health
• Chronic Illness and Social Isolation: A Silent Dilemma
• Investigating the Link Between Poverty and Disease Prevalence
• Health Insurance: The Great Divide in Medical Access
• Gender Disparities in Health: Biological or Societal?
• Exploring the Correlation Between Illiteracy and Poor Health
• HIV/AIDS Stigmatization: A Barrier to Effective Treatment
• Roles of Government Policies in Obesity Prevention

Social Issues Essay Topics About Homelessness & Housing Insecurity

• Addressing the Root Causes of Housing Instability: Poverty and Inequality
• The Intersection of Race and Homelessness in Society
• Promoting Social Inclusion for the Homeless Community
• Innovative Approaches to Sheltering the Unhoused
• Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness: Rehabilitation Programs
• Supporting Homeless Veterans: Ensuring Their Well-Being
• Substance Abuse and Its Impact on Homelessness
• Rethinking Urban Development to Address Housing Insecurity
• The Role of Education in Preventing Homelessness
• Legal Rights and Protections for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
• The Link Between Homelessness and Food Scarcity
• LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness: Upholding and Supporting Vulnerable Communities
• Improving Healthcare Access to Reduce Homelessness
• Overcoming Housing Challenges in Rural Areas
• Gentrification and Its Effects on Housing Instability
• Safe Spaces for Homeless Families With Children
• Homelessness and the Aging Population: Ensuring Support and Dignity
• Natural Disasters and Their Impact on Housing Insecurity
• Challenging Stereotypes: Changing Perceptions of Homelessness
• Collaborative Solutions to Homelessness: Public-Private Partnerships
• Housing First Approach: A Pathway to Stability

Social Issues Topics About Human Trafficking & Modern Slavery

• Unveiling the Dark Reality: Exploring the Causes and Consequences of Human Trafficking
• International Cooperation: Strengthening Efforts to Combat Modern Slavery
• Gender, Race, and Class: The Intersectionality of Human Trafficking
• Shaping Public Opinion: Media’s Influence on Raising Awareness about Human Trafficking
• Linkages Between Global Migration and Human Trafficking
• Preventing Human Trafficking: The Vital Role of Education
• Strengthening Legal Frameworks and Policies against Human Trafficking
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Addressing Human Trafficking in Supply Chains
• Healing and Recovery: Understanding the Psychological Impact on Human Trafficking Survivors
• Complex Nexus: Exploring the Connection Between Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation
• Unmasking the Hidden Reality: Investigating Human Trafficking and Forced Labor
• Grassroots Movements for Change: The Role of NGOs in Combating Human Trafficking
• Breaking the Cycle of Exploitation: Human Trafficking and Child Labor
• Bridging the Gap: Human Trafficking and Human Rights
• Emerging Challenges and Opportunities: Technology’s Impact on Human Trafficking
• A Harsh Reality of Modern Warfare: Human Trafficking in Conflict Zones
• Identifying and Prosecuting Human Traffickers: Law Enforcement’s Crucial Role
• Addressing the Root Causes: Exploring the Role of Demand in Human Trafficking
• Protecting Vulnerable Populations: Human Trafficking and Labor Migration
• An Alarming Nexus: Human Trafficking and Organ Trafficking

Humanity Social Issues Topics

• Gender Inequality: Challenging Societal Norms
• Combating Racism and Promoting Equality in Society
• Mental Health Stigma: Breaking the Silence
• Human Rights Violations and the Importance of Advocacy
• Overcoming Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation
• Economic Disparities: Addressing Wealth Inequality
• The Power of Empathy in Fostering Social Change
• Access to Healthcare: Bridging the Gap
• Eradicating Child Labor: A Pathway to a Better Future
• Challenges of Immigration and Refugee Integration
• Promoting Ethical Practices in the Business World
• Social Media and Its Impact on Human Connection
• Tackling Food Insecurity: A Humanitarian Imperative
• Promoting Cultural Diversity in a Globalized World
• Addressing Human Trafficking: Protecting the Vulnerable
• Disability Rights and Inclusion: Building an Accessible Society
• The Role of NGOs in Addressing Humanitarian Crises
• Challenging Ageism: Valuing the Wisdom of the Elderly
• Ending Domestic Violence: Empowering Survivors
• Fighting Corruption: Preserving Societal Integrity
• Overcoming Religious Intolerance: Promoting Interfaith Dialogue

Illiteracy Social Issues Topics

• Overcoming Educational Disadvantages: Illiteracy and Poverty
• Digital Divide: Overcoming Barriers to Illiteracy
• Empowering Women through Literacy Education
• Illiteracy and Its Effect on Health and Access to Healthcare
• Education for All: Tackling Illiteracy Challenges
• Harnessing Technology to Combat the Illiteracy Crisis
• The Role of Parental Involvement in Reducing Illiteracy
• Social Exclusion and Illiteracy: A Vicious Cycle
• Bridging the Gap: Accessible Education in Rural Areas
• Early Childhood Literacy Programs: Building a Strong Foundation
• Illiteracy and Environmental Sustainability: Raising Awareness
• Media Literacy: Breaking Illiteracy Barriers to Information
• Empowering Refugees through Literacy Education
• Addressing Illiteracy in the Aging Population
• Illiteracy and Crime: Disrupting the Connection
• Indigenous Communities and Literacy: Empowering Cultural Heritage
• Innovative Approaches to Adult Literacy Programs
• Illiteracy’s Role in Perpetuating Gender Inequality
• Language Access in Adult Literacy Initiatives
• Overcoming Stigma: Transforming Perceptions of Illiteracy

LGBT Social Issues Topics & Ideas

• Intersectionality: Exploring the Experiences of LGBTQ+ People of Color
• Religion and Homosexuality: Bridging the Gap
• LGBTQ+ Representation in Media: Significance and Challenges
• Conversion Therapy: Harmful Effects on LGBTQ+ Individuals
• Aging and Healthcare Access for LGBTQ+ Individuals
• Workplace Equality: Upholding LGBTQ+ Rights
• Parental Acceptance and Support for LGBTQ+ Youth
• Education and LGBTQ+ Inclusion: Fostering Acceptance
• Homosexuality and the Criminal Justice System: Challenges and Progress
• Protecting and Empowering LGBTQ+ Refugees
• LGBTQ+ Activism: Historical Milestones and Future Directions
• Bisexuality: Challenging Stereotypes and Biphobia
• Non-Binary Identity: Embracing Gender Non-Conformity
• LGBTQ+ Representation in Politics and Leadership
• Transgender Healthcare: Addressing Barriers and Disparities
• LGBTQ+ Families: Diverse Dynamics and Parenting
• Homelessness and Housing Discrimination Among LGBTQ+ Individuals
• LGBTQ+ Pride Parades: Celebration, Solidarity, and Resistance
• Isolation and Support for LGBTQ+ Elders
• Asexuality: Beyond the Binary Norms and Misconceptions
• Combating LGBTQ+ Hate Crimes: Strengthening Legislation and Awareness

Social Issues Essay Topics on Mental Health & Mental Illness

• Addressing Mental Health Disparities Among Marginalized Populations
• Understanding the Relationship Between Trauma and Psychiatric Conditions
• Promoting Mental Health Support in Educational Institutions
• Examining the Role of Genetics in Mental Health Disorders
• Integrating Mental Health Care into Primary Healthcare Systems
• Challenging Gender Stereotypes and Societal Expectations Surrounding Mental Health
• The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Mental Well-Being Outcomes
• Advocating for Mental Health Education in Academic Settings
• Exploring the Link Between Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Disorders
• The Role of Art Therapy in Enhancing Mental Health
• Investigating the Connection Between Mental Health and Homelessness
• Supporting Children and Adolescents Coping With Mental Health Challenges
• Breaking the Cycle: Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System
• Addressing Mental Health Stigma Within the LGBTQ+ Community
• The Impact of Nutrition on Mental Well-Being
• Exploring the Effects of Climate Change on Psychological Health
• Promoting Mental Health in Rural Communities
• Examining the Intersectionality of Mental Health and Disability
• The Relationship Between Exercise and Emotional Wellness
• Supporting Veterans Dealing With Psychological Challenges

Social Issues Topics About Migration & Immigration

• Enhancing Access to Healthcare for Undocumented Individuals
• Effects of Immigration Policies on Family Unity
• Assessing the Link Between Immigration and Crime Rates
• The Economic Contribution of Immigrant Entrepreneurs
• Balancing National Security and Humanitarian Responsibility in Migration Policies
• Examining the Impact of Migration on Cultural Diversity and Identity
• The Role of Social Services in Assisting Migrants
• Implications of Climate Change on Migration Patterns
• Promoting International Cooperation in Managing Migration Flows
• Explaining the Effects of Immigration on Wage Disparities
• Addressing the Integration Challenges Faced by Immigrant Women
• Assessing the Economic Impact of Deportation Policies
• Media’s Influence on Public Perception of Immigration
• The Role of Education in Immigrant Integration and Empowerment
• Securing Borders and Enforcing Immigration Laws
• Analyzing the Impact of Brain Drain on Developing Nations
• Non-Governmental Organizations’ Assistance to Migrants
• Rights and Responsibilities of Immigrants in Host Countries
• The Impact of Immigration on Social Welfare Systems
• Language Acquisition and Immigrant Integration
• Exploring the Effects of Migration on Housing Markets

Peace and War Social Issues Topics

• Healing the Wounds: Restorative Justice in Post-War Communities
• Education as a Catalyst for Peaceful Coexistence
• Media’s Roles in Influencing Public Perception of Conflict and Harmony
• Safeguarding Human Rights in Times of Armed Strife
• Environmental Degradation: Implications for Peaceful Societies
• Ethics of Intervention: Balancing Sovereignty and Responsibility
• Economic Disparity: A Driver of Conflict
• Addressing the Underlying Causes of Strife: Social, Economic, and Political Factors
• Empowering Women for Lasting Peace: Achieving Gender Equality
• Religion’s Influence on Peaceful Coexistence: Bridging Divides or Exacerbating Tensions?
• Cyber Warfare: Emerging Battlegrounds and the Imperative for Digital Harmony
• Curbing Arms Trade: Mitigating Weapons Proliferation for Global Security
• Refugee Crises: Humanitarian Responses and the Quest for Peace
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Mediating Conflict and Fostering Reconciliation
• Nationalism’s Roles in International Relations: Building Bridges or Deepening Divisions?
• Nuclear Disarmament: The Urgency of Global Collaboration
• Ensuring Accountability for War Crimes: Pursuing Justice for Victims
• Promoting Peace through Education: Instilling a Culture of Nonviolence
• Complexities of Peacekeeping: Triumphs, Trials, and Lessons Learned
• Art and Literature: Conveying Messages of Peace and Facilitating Healing

Social Issues Essay Topics on Police & Criminal Justice

• Community Impacts of Mass Incarceration: Reevaluating Strategies
• Balancing Rehabilitation and Punishment in Criminal Justice Systems
• Juvenile Justice: Empowering Youth Through Rehabilitation
• Examining the Consequences of Privatizing Prisons
• Safeguarding Civil Liberties: Evaluating Police Militarization
• Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Fostering Equal Opportunities
• Achieving Gender Equality in the Criminal Justice System
• Bridging the Gap: Mental Health Support in the Criminal Justice System
• The Ethics of Capital Punishment: Alternatives and Reflections
• Enhancing Public Safety: Police Training and De-Escalation Tactics
• Restorative Justice: Healing Communities, Reducing Recidivism
• Promoting Equity: Reforming Bail Systems
• Rethinking Drug Policies: Consequences and Alternative Approaches
• Collaboration and Trust: Strengthening Community Policing
• Combating Cybercrime: Law Enforcement’s Evolving Role
• Preserving Innocence: Addressing Wrongful Convictions
• Addressing Sentencing Disparities: Pursuing Fairness
• Transparency and Accountability: Police Internal Affairs
• Successful Reintegration: Rehabilitation Programs for Offenders
• Balancing Privacy and Security: The Impact of Technology in Policing
• Combating Hate Crimes: Bias Awareness and Law Enforcement

Pornography Social Issues Topics

• Addiction to Sexual Material: Understanding and Treating the Issue
• Feminist Perspectives on Obscene Material and Objectification
• Pornography and Its Influence on Adolescent Development
• The Economic Implications of the Adult Entertainment Industry
• Representations of Gender in Erotic Media and Their Impact
• Media Literacy and Critical Thinking: Analyzing Sexual Content
• The Connection Between Adult Material and Violence Against Women
• Addressing Consent and Boundaries in Explicit Productions
• Sexualized Media and Body Image Issues: Unrealistic Standards
• Education’s Roles in Preventing Harmful Sexual Content Consumption
• The Intersection of Pornography and Technology: Challenges and Solutions
• Cultivating Healthy Sexual Expression in the Age of Explicit Material
• The Erosion of Intimacy in Long-Term Relationships: Pornography’s Role
• The Impact of Sexual Material on Youth Sexual Education
• Addressing the Demand for Exploitative Content: Legal and Social Approaches
• Media Responsibility: Portrayal of Sexuality Beyond Obscenity
• Pornography and Sexual Violence: Unraveling the Connection
• Rehabilitation and Support for Individuals Affected by the Adult Entertainment Industry
• The Role of Social Media in the Accessibility and Consumption of Sexual Content
• Educating about Consent: Empowering Individuals to Make Informed Choices

Social Issues Essay Topics About Poverty & Income Inequality

• Addressing Poverty and Reducing Income Disparities
• Implementing Effective Policies for Economic Equality
• Ensuring Equal Opportunities for Economic Advancement
• Bridging the Wealth Gap: Strategies for Equity
• Alleviating Poverty Through Sustainable Development
• Tackling Income Inequality: Fair Wealth Distribution
• Empowering Marginalized Communities in Overcoming Poverty
• Reducing Income Disparity: A Holistic Approach
• Combating Poverty Through Education and Skill Development
• Promoting Social Mobility to Address Income Inequality
• Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Empowering Future Generations
• Strengthening Social Safety Nets for the Impoverished
• Increasing Wages: A Step Toward Reducing Income Inequality
• Raising Awareness About Poverty and Wealth Disparities
• Encouraging Corporate Responsibility to Address Poverty
• Advocating Affordable Housing for Poverty Alleviation
• Empowering Women to Overcome Income Disparities
• Promoting Financial Inclusion to Reduce Poverty
• Addressing Income Inequality in Developing Nations
• Overcoming Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Wealth and Poverty
• Enhancing Healthcare Access for Vulnerable Populations

Racism Social Issues Topics

• Uniting Communities: Building Bridges to Eradicate Racial Prejudice
• Addressing Implicit Bias: Challenging Stereotypes and Racial Profiling
• Racial Injustice Within the Criminal Justice System: Reforming Policies and Practices
• Equality in the Workplace: Fostering Diversity and Inclusion
• Eradicating Hate Speech: Promoting Respectful Communication
• Racism in Healthcare: Ensuring Equitable Access and Quality Treatment
• Environmental Racism: Protecting Marginalized Communities From Toxic Exposure
• The Role of Education in Combating Racism: Promoting Cultural Understanding
• Racism and Mental Health: Addressing the Psychological Impacts
• Promoting Racial Justice in Immigration Policies
• Racial Disparities in Wealth and Economic Opportunities: Bridging the Gap
• Segregation in Residential Areas: Promoting Integration and Equality
• Challenging Colorism: Overcoming Prejudice Based on Skin Tone
• The Intersectionality of Racism and Sexism: Empowering Women of Color
• Racial Profiling and Policing: Ensuring Fair and Just Law Enforcement
• Inequality in Voting Rights: Safeguarding Democracy for All
• Racism and Sports: Promoting Inclusivity and Fair Play
• Historical Reparations for Racial Injustices: Acknowledging Past Wrongs
• Addressing Racism in the Digital Sphere: Countering Online Hate
• Racism in Immigration Policies: Promoting Fairness and Compassion

Social Issues Essay Topics Related to Social Media

• Analyzing the Effectiveness of Social Media in Facilitating Social Movements
• Shaping Public Opinion and Perception: The Role of Social Media
• Recognizing and Managing the Consequences of Social Media Addiction
• Empowering Marginalized Communities Through Online Activism
• Unmasking Misinformation: Combating Fake News on Social Media
• Exploring Social Media’s Impact on Interpersonal Connections
• Transforming Education: Leveraging Social Media for Learning
• Enhancing Cybersecurity on Digital Platforms: Safeguarding Users
• Social Media and Online Activism: A Comparative Study
• Ethics and Data Collection on Social Media: An Analytical Perspective
• Bridging Political Polarization through Social Media Engagement
• Analyzing the Influence of Social Media on Youth Culture and Identity
• Mobilizing Communities for Change: Social Media and Civic Engagement
• Fostering Inclusivity: Promoting Diversity on Digital Platforms
• The Dark Side of the Internet: Cyberstalking and Online Harassment
• Navigating Social Media Algorithms: Challenges and Strategies
• Balancing Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech on Digital Platforms
• Global Perspectives on Digital Activism: The Power of Social Media
• Social Media’s Influence on Political Campaigns and Elections
• Environmental Activism in the Digital Age: Leveraging Social Media
• Promoting Online Safety and Digital Citizenship on Social Platforms

Justice Essay Topics on Human Rights Issues

• Privacy in the Digital Age: Balancing Security and Individual Rights
• Criminal Justice Reform: Addressing Systemic Injustices
• Promoting LGBTQ+ Rights: Striving for Inclusion and Acceptance
• Eradicating Child Labor: Protecting the Future Generation
• Climate Change and Human Rights: Mitigating Environmental Injustices
• Disability Rights: Promoting Inclusivity and Accessibility
• Indigenous Peoples’ Rights: Recognizing and Preserving Cultural Heritage
• Freedom of Speech: Navigating the Boundaries of Expression
• Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Ensuring Protection and Support
• The Right to Healthcare: Overcoming Barriers to Access
• LGBTQ+ Adoption Rights: Fostering Loving Families
• Racial Profiling: Combating Discrimination in Law Enforcement
• Workers’ Rights: Empowering Labor in the Global Economy
• Right to Religious Freedom: Respecting Diverse Beliefs
• Genital Mutilation: Eliminating Harmful Traditional Practices
• Social Media and Human Rights: Navigating the Online Landscape
• The Right to Adequate Housing: Addressing Homelessness
• Children’s Rights in Armed Conflict: Protecting Innocence
• The Right to Water: Combating Water Scarcity and Inequality
• Combatting Hate Crimes: Promoting Tolerance and Unity

Social Justice Essay Topics

• Environmental Injustice: A Call for Sustainability
• Eradicating Hunger: Addressing Food Insecurity
• Affordable Housing: Combating Homelessness
• Access to Quality Healthcare: A Social Justice Imperative
• Reforming Prisons: Reducing Mass Incarceration
• Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Upholding Migrant Rights
• Combating Islamophobia: Promoting Religious Tolerance
• Ending Exploitation of Child Labor: Ensuring Access to Education
• Breaking Mental Health Stigma: Expanding Support Services
• Respect for the Elderly: Combating Ageism
• Safeguarding Online Spaces: Combating Cyberbullying
• Equal Pay for Fair Work: Closing the Gender Wage Gap
• Native American Rights: Preserving Indigenous Cultures
• Combating Human Trafficking: Ensuring Justice for All
• Access to Clean Water: Addressing Underserved Communities’ Needs
• Animal Rights: Advocating Ethical Treatment
• Protecting Religious Minority Rights: Eliminating Discrimination
• Prisoners’ Rights: Rehabilitation and Reintegration
• Accessible Transportation: Empowering People With Disabilities
• Ensuring Voting Rights: Expanding Electoral Participation
• LGBTQ+ Housing Equality: Eliminating Discrimination

Social Issues Essay Topics on Science

• Socioeconomic Disparities in Access to Healthcare and Breakthroughs
• Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Job Market Dynamics
• Gender Equality in Science: Overcoming Stereotypes and Biases
• Combating Misinformation in Scientific Research
• Contributions of Science to Sustainable Development Goals
• Balancing Public Interest and Corporate Influence in Science and Politics
• Challenges of Science Communication in the Digital Era
• Promoting Science Education and Equity in Underprivileged Communities
• Advancements in Renewable Energy Sources
• Technological Innovations and Social Inequality
• Addressing Food Insecurity Through Agricultural Science
• Ensuring Ethical Standards in Clinical Trials and Human Experimentation
• Accessibility in Science: Inclusive Solutions for Persons With Disabilities
• Science and Social Justice: Examining Biases in Research and Outcomes
• Roles of Science in Public Health Crises, such as Pandemics
• Influence of Corporate Funding on Scientific Research
• Ethical Considerations in Animal Testing for Scientific Research
• Science and Cultural Diversity: Recognizing Indigenous Knowledge Systems
• Breakthroughs in Mental Health Treatment and Reducing Stigma
• Ethics of Human Enhancement Technologies

Social Issues Topics About Substance Abuse & Addiction

• Combating Human Trafficking: Addressing a Global Crisis
• Overcoming Substance Dependency: The Path to Recovery
• Breaking the Cycle: Ending Child Abuse
• Addressing the Root Causes of Substance Abuse
• Empowering Survivors: Supporting Victims of Abuse
• Domestic Violence in LGBTQ+ Relationships
• The Role of Education in Preventing Substance Abuse
• Exploring the Link Between Childhood Trauma and Addiction
• The Economic Burden of Substance Abuse on Society
• Challenging Gender Stereotypes in the Context of Abuse
• Effective Intervention Strategies for Combatting Substance Abuse
• Elder Abuse: Protecting the Vulnerable in Society
• Addiction as a Disease: Shifting Perspectives and Approaches
• Raising Awareness: The Importance of Public Campaigns against Abuse
• Overcoming Stigma: Supporting Individuals in Recovery
• Media Influence on Substance Abuse and Violence
• Healing through Art: The Therapeutic Potential for Survivors
• Preventing Substance Abuse in Teenagers: A Holistic Approach
• Breaking the Silence: Encouraging Reporting of Abuse Cases
• Substance Abuse in the Workplace: Impacts and Solutions
• Digital Abuse: Navigating the Dark Side of Social Media
• Tackling Substance Abuse in Prisons: Rehabilitation vs. Punishment

Technology & Privacy Social Issues Topics

• Digital Surveillance: Protecting Individual Privacy in the Digital Age
• Ethical Implications of Facial Recognition Technology in Public Spaces
• Cyberbullying: Addressing Online Harassment and Protecting Users
• The Impact of Social Media on Privacy and Personal Relationships
• Artificial Intelligence: Balancing Innovation and Privacy Concerns
• Data Breaches and Cybersecurity: Safeguarding Personal Information
• The Right to Be Forgotten: Ensuring Digital Privacy and Data Erasure
• Online Privacy Policies: Transparency and User Consent
• Privacy vs. National Security: Striking a Balance in the Digital Era
• Digital Divide: Bridging the Gap in Access to Technology and Privacy Protection
• Online Harassment: Combating Threats and Protecting Users’ Safety
• Internet Service Providers: Preserving Net Neutrality and User Privacy
• Algorithmic Bias: Examining the Ethical Implications of Automated Systems
• Government Surveillance: Protecting Civil Liberties in the Digital World
• Internet of Things: Privacy Challenges and Security Risks
• Online Identity Theft: Preventing Fraud and Identity Misuse
• Location Tracking: Privacy Implications and Personal Safety
• Privacy in Health Tech: Balancing Benefits and Confidentiality
• Children’s Online Privacy: Safeguarding Vulnerable Users
• Privacy and Biometric Data: Ethics and Consent in Digital Identification

War & Violence Social Issues Essay Topics

• Psychological Effects of War on Veterans and Their Families
• Promoting Peace Education to Prevent Violence
• Rebuilding Societies After Civil Wars: Challenges and Opportunities
• Nonviolent Resistance Movements: Lessons From History
• War Crimes and International Criminal Justice
• The Arms Trade and its Influence on Global Conflicts
• Ethical Considerations of Drone Warfare
• Exploring the Link Between Poverty and Violence
• Peacekeeping Operations: Successes and Failures
• Protecting Children’s Rights in Times of War
• Resolving Ethnic and Religious Conflicts Through Dialogue
• Preventing Radicalization and Extremism in Post-War Societies
• Diplomacy’s Roles in Conflict Resolution
• Media Censorship in War Zones: Implications for Democracy
• Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Former Child Soldiers
• Environmental Devastation Caused by Warfare
• Addressing Domestic Violence During and After Armed Conflicts
• NGO Contributions to Peace and Reconciliation Efforts
• Exploring the Link between Economic Inequality and Violent Conflict
• Ethical Dilemmas Surrounding Torture in War
• Disrupting Education Systems in Times of War

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

502 Ethics Essay Topics & Ideas

• Icon Calendar 3 July 2023
• Icon Page 4032 words

568 Reflective Essay Topics & Good Ideas

• Icon Calendar 1 July 2023
• Icon Page 5028 words

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

64 Examples of Social Issues Topics for 2024

May 21, 2024

Writing assignments asking students to engage with social justice/social issues topics target skills vitally important to success in college and beyond. They require writers to demonstrate critical, ethical, and dynamic thinking around demanding topics that present no quick and easy solution. Often, they will call for some amount of research, building textual and media literacy and awareness of the research process. In other words, these kinds of essays can be valuable in teaching students how to think and learn for themselves. But another, underappreciated learning outcome of these essays has to do with their function as communication.

This last feature can be easy to overlook in the context of writing assignments. Questions of audience, authority, and impact seem less significant when you know your teacher must read your essay. However, taking these questions seriously can not only enhance your odds of writing an excellent essay, but could also foster skills instrumental to real-world writing situations.

This article provides a list of social justice topics carefully selected to demonstrate the range and scale of available subjects. It also explains how you might approach writing about these issues with an eye for defining them and understanding the audience. Identifying a great topic that interests you enough to write about is an important early step. But what’s equally or even more important is to understand how to write about it clearly, directly, and persuasively.

How to Write a Successful Essay Grappling with Social Issues Topics

Writing about social issues topics is best improved through asking questions about purpose, context, and outcome. Why this topic and not another? Who is the audience, what do they know, and where might they stand on an issue? What are the typical ways others address the issue? What knowledge, perspective, or plan of action has been missing from that conversation? Why is this topic important to think about? Why is this essay important to read? These questions are crucial to delimiting which social justice topics to focus on and the strategy for writing about them. Answering them in the process of selecting a topic and developing a writing plan can help achieve the following components of good essays:

1) Defining the Issue

A frequent problem with student writing involves tackling questions or issues that are overly broad or vaguely defined. When selecting from social issues topics, it’s actually a smart strategy to think small. Rather than purporting to solve world peace, essays work better when drilling down into more localized and easily defined issues. This will help to communicate clearly what the issue is, convince the reader of its relevance, and successfully indicate that a short piece of writing could meaningfully contribute to the conversation around the issue.

2) Finding and Using Evidence

In many cases, essays on social issues topics will require some amount of research. When incorporating secondary evidence, it’s vital to find sources that are relevant to the topic and signal their credibility. However, even if research is not formally required, it can help toward establishing the purpose of a piece of writing within a larger discussion. Looking toward how others typically address an issue can help toward understanding whether an essay should aim to fill a gap in knowledge, supply a missing perspective, or outline actions that have not been proposed.

Successful Essay Grappling with Social Issues Topics (Cont.)

3) understanding audience.

Student essayists are not overly incentivized to think about questions of audience. However, understanding audience can help toward both defining an issue and acknowledging the purpose of writing. The most important thing to reflect on is the audience’s reason for reading a piece of writing. Why should they care about this social issue and what the essay will say about it? Understanding the reason for reading will help toward envisioning the ideal reader. Then, the essay’s language and arguments can be tailored to what that ideal reader already knows about the topic and their likely attitudes and beliefs.

4) Making an argument

This step follows the others and builds upon each. After clearly defining an issue that is appropriate in scope, an essay should clearly state its purpose or position. It should then interpret relevant evidence to support that position or fulfill its purpose. Then, it should aim to convince the audience by organizing evidence and reasoning into paragraphs structured around topic sentences that support the purpose or position. As these steps make clear, the argument is the essay. Making an argument entails justifying the act of writing itself, as well as the reader’s decision to follow the writer in focusing on an issue from a unique vantage point.

The following list of examples indicates some of the range of social issue essay topics. When considering these or other examples, writers should consider how they can foster purposive essays that understand how they are entering and changing the conversation around the issue.

Example Social Issues Topics – Tech and Labor

Artificial intelligence and digital technology.

• The environmental impact of emerging AI technologies and industries.
• Whether AI is a paradigm-shifting revolution or part of a long, gradual history of technology-assisted creative or technical work.
• The biases that exist in AI systems and data and ways of redressing them.
• The emergent use of AI tools in modern warfare.
• How a specific political movement or group of activists has embraced digital communication technologies to advance a cause.
• How digital self-publishing has affected trends and systems in the publishing industry.
• How social media algorithms promote addictive behaviors and their effect on minors.
• A surprising or disturbing effect of government and corporate digital surveillance practices.

Social Issues Topics (Continued)

Economic and labor issues.

• Causes and effects of unionization in industries connected to the gig economy.
• Disparities in wages between men and women affecting a key industry like tech.
• How changes in minimum wage policies affect other wage earners.
• The impact of globalization on labor rights and standards in the film industry.
• Comparing the outcomes of universal basic income and guaranteed minimum income as novel social welfare programs.
• How faculty and graduate student unionization movements respond to shifting labor and ideological conditions at universities.
• What geographical factors and/or trends in property ownership shape income inequality within a select area?
• Job fields under threat by automation and AI and strategic responses to the prospect of job replacement.

Example Social Issues Topics –Education and the Environment

• The effects of the COVID pandemic on textual and media literacy in children and young adults.
• How educators are responding to the challenges and opportunities of generative AI.
• Areas of learning affected by bans on “critical race theory” and LGBTQ-related topics in schools.
• How digital culture has affected the attention spans of young learners.
• The sources of increased student debt and its effects on the culture of higher education.
• The history and educational role of political protest on college campuses.
• How the end of affirmative action could affect the role colleges have played in promoting wide social mobility.
• The source of debates around “school choice” and how it is changing the face of education.

Environment and Sustainability

• Geopolitical tensions salient to the transnational effort to combat climate change.
• Protest and advocacy strategies adopted by environmental advocates and different ways of measuring their effectiveness.
• Solutions for the disproportionate environmental burdens on marginalized communities.
• Whether mass consumer behavior or the practices of the economic elite are most responsible for climate crises.
• Comparing the effectiveness of political optimism and pessimism in efforts to redress climate change.
• Environmental challenges that result from destructive practices of modern warfare including ecocide.
• Global meat consumption, its contribution to climate change , and proposed solutions.
• The benefits and drawbacks of green capitalist and “de-growth” movements as radically contrasting approaches to combatting climate change.

Example Social Justice Topics – Human Rights and Geopolitics

Human rights and equality.

• How the end of Roe v. Wade has changed the political landscape around women’s reproductive rights.
• Whether cultural or legal solutions could work best to prevent violence against women.
• The alliance between feminists and political conservatives that has emerged in the clash over LGBTQ rights.
• How news media outlets have influenced widespread political efforts to curtail the rights of transgender people.
• Tensions between private corporations and governments around diversity and inclusion efforts.
• The effect of enhanced police oversight by civilians on the disproportionate use of force against minority communities.
• Barriers to housing, employment, or health services faced by people with disabilities.
• How exploitative work practices affecting minors exist despite legal efforts to curtail them.

International and Geopolitical Issues

• How migrant crises have influenced new border and immigration policies.
• How contemporary proxy wars differ from earlier methods of international conflict.
• Tensions that exist between global humanitarian aid agencies and actors in Global South countries that receive aid.
• How efforts to ensure affordable access to medicines across the world were affected by the COVID pandemic.
• How globalization has changed the world distribution of wealth inequality.
• Weighing the humanitarian costs of solar and electric energy production against those of the oil industry.
• How cultural differences around gender and sexuality influence global movements for women’s equality and LGBTQ rights.
• How authoritarian and/or religious political movements have become internationalized.

Example Social Justice Topics – The Legal System and Government

Justice and legal system.

• Restorative justice alternatives to traditional carceral approaches in the legal system.
• Efforts to eliminate cash bail and their potential effect on disparities in pretrial detention and bail practices.
• Legal challenges that new technologies have created in terms of defining or prosecuting crime.
• Methods of preventing and prosecuting police brutality and harassment.
• How the locations of prisons affect local communities and economies.
• Ways to combat mass incarceration through rethinking policing and sentencing standards.
• Academic, professional, and legal services in prisons and their effect on imprisoned populations.
• Mental health challenges present in the legal and carceral systems.

Politics and Governance

• Methods of global governance that have emerged to address transnational challenges like climate change and public health.
• Questions related to freedom of speech principles that have emerged in the digital age.
• Mutual aid efforts that address areas of public need that have been unaddressed through traditional political methods.
• How participatory media encourages broader civic engagement and government transparency.
• Political solutions for addressing the phenomena of food deserts or food apartheid.
• Responses of local governments to sharp increases in homelessness after the COVID pandemic.
• The internationalization of culture wars and political polarization around issues relating to race/ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
• Philosophies about the conflict between ideals of multicultural openness and respect for cultural differences.

Final Thoughts – Social Issues Topics

The above social justice topics provide a sense of the large range of urgent issues an essay might topic. However, it’s best to reflect on how a piece of writing can define an issue so as to make clear that it is capable of doing something meaningful with it. That could entail looking for similar, more niche issues to address. Or it could mean deeper thought about an issue for which the writer anticipates they could provide missing information, perspectives, or plans of action. While many readers care about many topics, it’s vital to understand how an essay can create a tangible relationship with an ideal reader. Only then can a writer spur others to think or act in novel and potentially transformative ways.

Additional Resources

• Good Persuasive Speech Topics
• Debate Topics
• Argumentative Essay Topics
• 60 Senior Project Ideas for High Schoolers
• 101 Topics for the Science Fair 
• 100 Creative Writing Prompts 
• High School Success

Tyler Talbott

Tyler holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Missouri and two Master of Arts degrees in English, one from the University of Maryland and another from Northwestern University. Currently, he is a PhD candidate in English at Northwestern University, where he also works as a graduate writing fellow.

• 2-Year Colleges
• ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High Schools
• Homeschool Resources
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Outdoor Adventure
• Private High School Spotlight
• Research Programs
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

100+ Eye-Opening Social Issues Topics for Your Next Essay

In this article, we’ll share a massive list of social issues topics for your academic papers.

College students often struggle with choosing a topic worthy of this type of essay. Social issues are controversial and, thus, challenging to cover. This article is here to help you with the job. You’ll learn how to choose a good topic on social issues, how to write about them, and what social issue-related topics are worth covering this year.

And remember:

When in doubt, you can always share a “ write my essay ” request and get our experts to assist you with your writing tasks.

What Are Social Issues?

Social issues are problems affecting a large group of people within a society. They are states of affairs that negatively impact personal or social lives, and there is usually disagreement about their nature, causes, and potential solutions.

Top 5 current social issue niches:

• War. Do you know that 50+ armed conflicts are taking place around the world today? Not only do wars cause suffering and loss, but they also affect economies and social stability.
• Climate change. We already feel the effects (weather changes, sea levels rising, and natural disasters happening more frequently), so it’s time to act towards reducing our carbon footprint.
• Gender equality. Despite some progress being made in recent years, it remains a significant problem in many countries.
• Mental health / addiction. There’s still a stigma surrounding these issues, preventing people from seeking help and getting affordable treatment options.
• Income inequality. Only 1% of the world’s population owns more than half of the world’s wealth, a gap that leads to social unrest.

Talking about social issues is essential because they influence human rights and social progress. If you know how to write a narrative essay , you understand the power a story can have on minds, emotions, and decisions. So, in writing about social issues, we highlight the power of collective action and our shared responsibility to work towards justice, sustainable development, and positive change for the sake of peaceful coexistence.

How to Choose Good Social Topics for Essays?

How do you know that the social topics you plan to cover in your essay are worth discussing?

These are your three steps to take when choosing an essay topic:

• Spend time on research. Do you remember how to write a book title in an essay ? Check out some of those reputable and academically approved books to determine your area of interest and see if you have enough sources to use as references to support the claims in your essay.
• Consider trending topics. Choose current social issues for your paper: The audience is more emotional about them, and they’ll allow you to gain more recognition and responses.
• Add a personal touch. Write about issues that bother you personally: It will help you create an original essay with a unique perspective while engaging a broader audience.

How to Write About Social Issues

• Decide on a clear thesis on the social issue you’ll support and explore in your essay.
• Consider the audience. (How much do your readers know about your topic? Will they understand your point if you use specific terms? How involved are they in the issue?)
• Support your claims with evidence and examples. (For that, remind yourself how to write an argumentative essay .)
• Keep it simple. (Use the right words and clear language to express your point and explain what you mean. Do your best to avoid causing misunderstandings and confusing your readers.)
• Format the draft and cite your references according to the assigned citation style. (This is how to write an essay in APA format , for example.)
• Remember to edit and proofread your draft. (Ensure the message is clear, logical, and coherent; check for typos as well as grammatical and stylistic mistakes.)

Social Issues Topics: 11 Areas to Cover in Your Essays

Below is a massive list of social issues topics for your essays or other college papers. All are brand new and related to the prevailing social issues today. So, scroll down to the subcategory you are interested in — and choose a topic you’ll cover.

Environmental social issues topics

Let’s start with ecological and climate change-related topics. You could consider some of them when learning how to write a diagnostic essay , but these are fresh enough to discuss in your argumentative or critical papers as well.

• Renewable energy: How to lower carbon emissions
• Deforestation and its impact on global biodiversity
• The future of sustainable agriculture in combating climate change
• The ethics of geoengineering as a solution to climate change
• Climate change and its effect on global migration trends
• Environmental injustice: Climate change’s toll on marginalized communities
• The role of corporate responsibility in environmental sustainability
• Climate change education: Integrating ecological awareness into school curricula
• The effect of ocean acidification on marine life
• Sustainable urban development: Balancing growth and ecological preservation

War and peace topics

• How international organizations like the UN mediate and resolve conflicts
• The impact of war on mental health
• War and technological advancements: Dual-use dilemmas
• The influence of propaganda on modern warfare
• Child soldiers: Causes, consequences, and rehabilitation
• Economic implications of prolonged conflicts
• Women’s contributions to peacekeeping and conflict resolution
• Cyber warfare: The new frontier of global conflict
• The humanitarian crisis in war zones: Case studies and responses
• The post-war reconstruction and development of Ukraine

Topics on discrimination and prejudice

The ten social issues topics below will work best for your papers on discrimination and the different prejudices related to it.

• Systemic racism in criminal justice systems
• The impact of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation on community well-being
• Discrimination in healthcare: Barriers to access for marginalized groups
• Challenges and solutions to dealing with ageism in the workplace
• Cultural appropriation vs. cultural appreciation
• The impact of immigration policies on racial discrimination
• Religious discrimination in secular societies
• Discrimination in education: What’s the gap?
• The role of allyship in combating prejudice
• Gender bias in STEM fields

Humanity topics

• The ethics of autonomous weapons systems in warfare
• Human rights violations in modern supply chains
• The role of art and culture in promoting human rights
• Philanthropy and its impact on the alleviation of global poverty
• The right to privacy in the digital age
• Human trafficking: Causes, consequences, and prevention
• Genetic engineering and human enhancement: Ethical considerations
• The global refugee crisis: Causes and responses
• Education as a catalyst for fostering global citizenship
• Human rights and environmental justice

Essay topics on immigration

Due to the numerous military conflicts worldwide, we can’t ignore migration and immigration topics in our papers. Here are some ideas:

• How immigration affects host nations
• Cultural integration vs. cultural preservation among immigrants
• Technology’s role in streamlining immigration procedures
• The psychological impact of immigration on children
• The influence of media on the public perception of immigration
• Sanctuary cities: Policies and controversies
• The effect of immigration policies on family unity
• Skilled vs. unskilled immigration: Economic and social implications
• The role of international organizations in protecting migrants’ rights
• Climate change as a driver of migration

You should also check our Sociology Research Paper sample before writing an essay on any of the above topics. It will help you understand the nature and structure of this type of writing better.

Mental health / addiction topics

• Perspectives on and stigma attached to mental illness in different cultures
• The effectiveness of teletherapy in mental health treatment
• The connection between social media and anxiety disorders
• The role community plays in supporting addiction recovery
• Mental health resources in educational institutions
• The impact of work culture on employee mental health
• Genetic and environmental factors in substance abuse disorders
• Innovative approaches to treating PTSD in veterans
• How diet and exercise influence mental health
• The role of policy in addressing the opioid crisis

LGBTQ+ essay topics

To celebrate and praise Pride Month in June or give these social issue topics more publicity, try any of the titles below for your next essay:

• The legalization of same-sex marriage and its societal impact
• The representation of LGBTQ+ individuals in media
• Challenges facing LGBTQ+ youths in educational institutions
• Health disparities in the LGBTQ+ community
• Advancing LGBTQ+ rights: The crucial role of allies
• Intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ community
• The impact of religious beliefs on LGBTQ+ acceptance
• Transgender rights: Legal and social challenges
• The history and evolution of the Pride movements
• LGBTQ+ representation in politics

Violence-related topics

• The psychology of violent behavior
• Domestic violence: Causes, consequences, and prevention
• Evaluating the effectiveness of gun control legislation in reducing violence
• The role of media in perpetuating violence
• Violence in schools: Causes and prevention
• The impact of war on civilian populations
• Gang violence and community responses
• The effect of substance abuse on violent behavior
• Gender-based violence: Global perspectives and solutions
• The role of law enforcement in preventing violence

Social justice topics for essays

Why not try social issues essay topics related to social justice? For more practice or assistance before researching and outlining, check our writers’ Social Media Essay sample .

• The impact of economic inequality on social justice
• Criminal justice reform and social justice
• The role of education in promoting social justice
• Environmental justice: Addressing disparities in environmental health
• Social justice movements: Strategies and outcomes
• Healthcare inequities and social justice
• The intersection of technology and social justice
• The role of art and culture in social justice advocacy
• Social justice and labor rights
• Housing inequality and social justice

Human rights and equality topics

• The universal declaration of human rights: Successes and shortcomings
• Freedom of speech vs. hate speech: Balancing rights and protection
• How international organizations uphold human rights
• Human rights violations in authoritarian regimes
• Gender equality: Progress and persistent challenges
• The right to education: Barriers and solutions
• The impact of globalization on human rights
• Disability rights and inclusion
• Civil society’s influence on the progress of human rights 
• Human rights in the digital age

Social issue topics related to animal abuse

• Ethical dilemmas in using animal testing for scientific gain
• Factory farming and animal welfare
• The role of legislation in preventing animal cruelty
• Is there any connection between human violence and animal abuse?
• Wildlife trafficking: Causes, consequences, and solutions
• The ethics of zoos and aquariums
• Animal rights vs. cultural practices
• Addressing Pet Overpopulation: The Significance of Spaying and Neutering
• How climate change impacts animal habitats
• Promoting animal welfare through education and advocacy

Over to You

With so many brand new social issues topics handed to you on a plate, which one will you choose for your next essay?

Whatever your topic, remember to revise the final draft via plagiarism checkers and a reputable AI writing checker to ensure your essay looks professional and original.

Photo by Clay Banks from Unsplash

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

What our customers say

Our website uses secure cookies. More details

Get professional help from best writers right from your phone

Grab our 3 e-books bundle for $27 FREE

Community Essay Examples

When crafting your college applications, writing strong essays is essential. Through your essays, you demonstrate who you are–from your values and passions to your lived experiences. Indeed the personal statement is the most common college essay. However, you will also likely have to write some supplemental essays as part of your college application requirements. One of the most common supplemental essay types is the community essay. This essay type is also known as a describe the community you live in essay, cultural diversity essay, or community service essay.

In this article, we will introduce several community essay examples. Most importantly, we’ll describe why they are considered college essays that worked. Specifically, we will share community essay examples from the two schools:

• Princeton University
• Columbia University

By studying these admissions essay samples, you can see what makes these college community essay examples strong and apply those same principles to your writing.

Reviewing Types of College Essays

Each school has different supplemental essay prompts for their college application requirements. However, there are a few types of essays that are most common. By becoming familiar with these essay types, you can begin to brainstorm and strategize what you will write about early on. You might start as early as sophomore or junior year in high school. 

Now, let’s take a look at the most common supplementary essay questions.

Common Supplementary Essay Questions

1. why school.

A Why School essay is, as it sounds, about why you wish to attend a specific institution. The key to answering this prompt well is to be specific. You should identify examples of what you like about a school. Avoid general comments such as “it is a top school” or “it is diverse.” Share specific programs, professors, teaching approaches, cultural elements, or unique opportunities such as research or study abroad.

2. Why Major

The Why Major essay asks you to share specific reasons behind your choice of major and how it relates to your future goals. A strong response to a Why Major essay will highlight your specific motivations. But it will also connect those motivations to a school’s unique opportunities. For example, perhaps you wish to be a pre-law history major, and the school you are applying to offers law-related internships. By highlighting these specific connections, you draw a compelling connection between yourself and the school.

3. Extracurricular Activity

Many schools ask you to describe an extracurricular activity that is particularly meaningful for you. When responding to this question, do not feel limited to only talk about the most popular extracurricular activities for college applications, like clubs or sports. Consider all of the activities you do outside of school. Then choose the one that is most meaningful to you. Also, give specific examples of how you grew or made an impact within your extracurricular activities for college.

4. Community Essay

The Community Essay can have slightly different angles to it. But, the uniting factor is that the school wants to know how you engage with others around you. Some types of community essays are a describe the community you live in essay or a cultural diversity essay. In recent years, the cultural diversity essay has been a more common college application requirement.

Coming up, we will share a bit more about how to break down community essay prompts. We’ll also take a look at college essays that worked. By reading these examples, you’ll know how to approach these common prompts.

How to identify a community essay?

While community essays can have slightly different focuses, they all share the goal of learning about where you come from. A supplemental essay prompt might ask you to share more about your background via a group you are part of. This is likely a community essay. Indeed, a community essay can also be called a describe the community you live in essay, or a cultural diversity essay. Other college community essay examples focus on how you will contribute to a college campus. Finally, in a describe a community you belong to essay example, you will see that students highlight any community that is meaningful to them.

You may be wondering why so many colleges have community essays as a college application requirement. For one, many colleges use a holistic admissions process. This means they care about all aspects of who you are, not simply your grades and test scores. How you engage with your communities shows them your character and values. For example, a describe the community you live in essay example about visiting church every Sunday demonstrates your commitment to religion. Similarly, a cultural diversity essay helps colleges learn more about your cultural background. 

Additionally, colleges want to learn more about how you will engage with their on-campus community. You’ll notice this important factor in the college community essay examples we will share. To some degree, how you have engaged with previous communities can be an indicator of how you will show up on their campus.

How is a community essay different?

As we mentioned, community essays can have slightly different focuses. Some prompts ask you to write a describe the community you live in essay. These types of community essays are more like cultural diversity essays. 

Keep in mind that the word “community” can have many different meanings. A community can be your school, church, or neighborhood. It could also stem from your interests. For example, your dance or robotics team can form your community.

Some community essay prompts want to know specifically how you help strengthen your communities. These types of essays are considered a community service essay. Another term for community service is “civic engagement.” An example of civic engagement might be getting people in your cultural community to sign up to vote. Or, another could be helping with church fundraisers to ensure that your local community has the resources it needs to thrive. 

In sum, the keywords you might see in a community essay prompt are “civic engagement,” “community service,” “serve your community,” “contribute to your community,” or “diversity.” No matter how it’s phrased, your essay should demonstrate the impact you’ve had on your community–whichever one you choose to highlight. 

What are some examples of community essays?

In this article, we will share several community essay examples. Specifically, we will highlight Princeton essay examples and Columbia essays examples. Let’s look at these two colleges’ essay prompts. 

The first Princeton supplemental essay prompt is a part of our college community essay examples and our cultural diversity essay examples. Here is the prompt:

Princeton Community Essay Prompt #1: Cultural Diversity Essay and College Community Essay Examples

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. as a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. what lessons have you learned in life thus far what will your classmates learn from you in short, how has your lived experience shaped you  (please respond in 500 words or fewer.).

In this cultural diversity essay prompt, Princeton wants to know about your lived experiences. By this, they refer to any experiences that have shaped you profoundly. A lived experience can be a specific event, such as experiencing a car crash or winning an award. Or, it could be a set of experiences that resulted from life circumstances, such as being a first-generation college student or having taken a gap year .

This essay prompt will also lead to college community essay examples. Indeed Princeton wants to read about your lived experiences and how they impacted you. But, they also want to know how you will bring those lessons to the Princeton community, should you enroll . Also, note that this prompt mentions challenging ideas and beliefs via conversation. As you respond, look for ways to highlight how you have engaged in fruitful dialogue and how you would do so at Princeton.

To answer this prompt effectively, share specific examples. Additionally, be sure to answer all parts of the prompt. 

Princeton has a second supplemental essay prompt that focuses on how you engage with your community outside of the classroom. The prompt is as follows: 

Princeton Community Essay Prompt #2: Civic Engagement

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words or fewer) .

To answer this prompt well, you must highlight specific examples of how you have positively impacted your community. As a starting point, consider which of your communities you have most engaged with. How have you done so and what results did you have?

The Columbia Community Essay Prompt is another of our college community essay examples. It is a cultural diversity essay, as well. Here is the prompt: 

Columbia Community Essay Prompt: A Cultural Diversity Essay

A hallmark of the columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to columbia’s diverse and collaborative community. (150 words or fewer).

While this prompt is similar to Princeton’s, it also references perspectives and viewpoints. In doing so, the prompt opens you up to share opinions or values that are important to you. You might consider highlighting values in your family or community that you either hold close or disagree with. 

Note that Columbia also highlights the word “collaborative” in this prompt. This indicates that your cultural diversity essay should also show how you collaborate with others.

Which schools require a community essay?

In addition to Princeton and Columbia, many other schools have community essays as part of their college application requirements. Here are some other examples of community essay prompts:

In this UNC-Chapel Hill prompt , you must describe a specific example of how you made an impact on a community. The prompt reads:

The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill: A Community Service Essay Prompt

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (250-word limit).

In responding, be sure to highlight what community you are referencing, the specific impact you made, and what personal quality helped you do so.

This prompt from UMichigan is a describe a community you belong to essay example, as well as a cultural diversity essay:

The University of Michigan: Describe a Community You Belong to Essay Example

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (required for all applicants. 1,500 character limit.).

In addition to describing the community, make sure to share how you engage with it and what it has taught you. Remember that community is a broad term. So, for this prompt you can respond with any type of community in mind, whether physical or cultural. In contrast to the describe the community you live in essay, you do not have to be geographically close to the community you describe here.

Duke University: Cultural Diversity Essay Prompts

Duke offers students five supplemental prompts to choose from, of which they can reply to two. Of these supplemental prompts, four are examples of cultural diversity essays:

1. We believe a wide range of viewpoints, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to maintaining Duke as a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community.

2. we believe there is benefit in sharing or questioning our beliefs or values; who do you agree with on the big important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with what are you agreeing or disagreeing about, 3. duke’s commitment to inclusion and belonging includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. feel free to share with us more about how your identity in this context has meaning for you as an individual or as a member of a community., 4. we recognize that not fully “fitting in” a community or place can sometimes be difficult. duke values the effort, resilience, and independence that may require. feel free to share with us circumstances where something about you is different and how that’s influenced your experiences or identity..

Each of these prompts is a slightly different type of cultural diversity essay, from sharing a range of opinions to not fitting in within a community. Choose the essay prompts that most resonate with you. And share specific examples that bring your cultural diversity essay to life.

In this Yale University supplemental prompt , you must choose a community that you feel connected to and describe why it is meaningful. Here’s the prompt:

Yale University: Describe a Community You Belong to Essay Example

Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. why is this community meaningful to you you may define community however you like. (400-word limit).

When responding, be sure to highlight what you have learned or how you have grown from this community. In contrast to a describe the community you live in essay, this essay can be about any community, near or far, that resonates with you. Indeed, the prompt gives you plenty of leeway in what you consider community. 

When responding to the UC system prompts , you must choose four of the eight available personal insight questions. One of the PIQs is a community service essay prompt:

The University of California Personal Insight Question: A Community Service Prompt

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place, things to consider: think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. you can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community, why were you inspired to act what did you learn from your effort how did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community.

Similar to many of the other prompts, when answering this question, be sure to identify the specific impact you made on your community.

Now that we have looked at various examples of community essay prompts, we can explore community essay examples. Reading essay examples is a great way to get inspired to write your own college essays. 

In each of the highlighted college essays that worked, note what the author did expertly. Rather than trying to copy their responses, topics, or ideas, consider how you can apply those same skills to your writing. 

Princeton Community Essay Examples

In this section, we will highlight Princeton essay examples that respond to their two community essay prompts: a cultural diversity essay and a community service essay. 

The first of our Princeton essay examples responds to the following Princeton prompt: 

Princeton Essay Examples #1: Cultural Diversity Essay

Now, let’s take a look at a student’s response to this prompt focusing on lived experiences. 

Princeton Essay Examples #1 Student Response

I have spent most of my life living in a 41% minority town of 1.8 square miles called Highland Park, NJ. This typically overlooked town has introduced me to a diverse array of people, and it has been the main influence on my life experiences and core values.

In the face of distinct cultures and customs, we forge a single identity as Highland Parkers and come together to organize large community events. The most prevalent example is our highly touted annual Memorial Day parade, where we join together with neighboring New Brunswick to invite military service members, family members of our fallen war heroes, our legislative and congressional representatives, and our townspeople. Moreover, as our high school band’s vice president, I help organize and lead our ensemble into these performances with a positive and uplifting spirit. We communicate with the town government and arrange the performances every year to perform at the parade. The parade is an example of many of our large community events that serve as a unifying force for our diverse community, reminding us that we are fundamentally connected as one cohesive group, despite our differences. 

As someone deeply interested in historical and political matters, I am well aware of the consequences that arise from dictatorial protocols that limit the freedom of speech and diversity of voices. From my experiences debating in Model UN conferences, I have grown accustomed to being able to present viewpoints from both sides of the argument, and I have learned to incorporate and respect the viewpoints of all sides of an issue before making up my own mind. For example, in a Model Congress debate, I found myself advocating for the interests of a state heavily reliant on traditional fossil fuels. While researching and articulating that perspective, I gained insights into the economic challenges faced by the states that are reliant on these resources. This experience not only broadened my understanding of the complexities surrounding environmental policies but also highlighted the necessity of considering diverse viewpoints for comprehensive decision-making. 

My background and experiences have fostered in me a profound appreciation for the value of diversity, inclusivity, and the pursuit of knowledge. At Princeton University, I will seek to contribute as an active participant in the community, actively provide unique perspectives and insights, and respect and learn from others’ perspectives even if there are disagreements. I wish to partake in student government, which has like-minded peers who want to make a substantive impact, and also participate in service programs like the Civic Leadership Council. Also, I hope to increase my impact from the leadership positions I currently hold on the Red Cross club and teen mayoral advisory council using the platforms in Princeton. I look forward to making a positive impact on both the campus and the broader community. 

Why This Cultural Diversity Essay Worked

In the first of our Princeton essay examples, the student successfully responds to all parts of the Princeton prompt. They begin by describing their community and sharing some details about its makeup. Indeed, the first sentence hooks the reader–it is unique and compelling. 

Then, the student illustrates how they specifically contribute to their community each year by leading the high school band in the Memorial Day parade. They also highlight how their experience in Model UN shaped their appreciation for diverse perspectives. In sharing these two examples, the student demonstrates their leadership and open-minded thinking. Finally, the student ends by highlighting how they would use these values to contribute to Princeton’s community– by partaking in student government and Civic Leadership Council, among other activities.

In the second of our Princeton essay examples, the student responds to the second Princeton prompt which is: 

Princeton Essay Examples #2: A Community Service Essay

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words or fewer).

And, here is a student’s response:

Princeton Essay Examples #2 Student Response

My first experience with the Red Cross was when my older sister was desperately trying to recruit people to join the club during the harsh COVID year. Things were so bad for the club that I, as a freshman, ran for the position of treasurer unopposed. My first blood drive experience was marked by masks, social distancing, and low turnout among blood donors. Even many donors who showed up ended up being turned away due to health-related issues. Needless to say, it was not the greatest first high school service experience, and I admittedly started to doubt if the time I spent on this front was worth it. 

However, as we returned in person, things quickly turned around. As the vice president of the club, I helped recruit more than twice the club membership compared to the previous year, and our blood drives started to regain momentum; our blood targets have been exceeded every time since. Organizing and participating in blood drives has become a passion. It’s fulfilling, especially when I personally donate, to know that I’m actively serving the community and saving lives. I have realized that, despite my relatively young age, I am capable of making an impact through public service. I plan to continue my commitment to the Red Cross’s adult program and participate in service programs like Community Action at Princeton to serve the Princeton community and abroad.

Why This Essay Worked

In this admissions essay sample, we learn about a student’s volunteerism with the Red Cross as an example of civic engagement. This essay works for several reasons. First, it provides a specific example of the student’s civic engagement and demonstrates their impact by becoming vice president and increasing membership. Secondly, the essay provides an honest take on the struggles of this service experience, which lends credibility and authenticity to the story. 

The student also demonstrates an important lesson learned. This aligns with Princeton’s values– that students can have a positive impact on society. 

Columbia University Essay Examples

In this section, we will highlight Columbia essays examples that landed students admission to the prestigious Ivy League university. The first of our Columbia essays examples is written by the same student who responded to the first Princeton prompt above. Here’s a reminder of the Columbia prompt: 

As you read the example below, notice how the student edited their Princeton cultural diversity essay to meet the prompt and lower word count for Columbia:

I have spent most of my life living in a 41% minority town called Highland Park, NJ. This typically overlooked town has introduced me to a diverse array of people, and it has been the main influence on my life experiences and core values. 

HP has convinced me that we can build institutions that are strong and united while embracing a wide variety of voices and perspectives. It has shaped my core values of diversity and inclusion. An English teacher used to encourage me to talk in front of the class by saying even if I believed my thoughts were “dumb,” I could only enrich the conversation.

At Columbia University, I will seek to continue my contributions as an active participant in the community and look to actively provide unique perspectives and insights. Actively engaging in student groups such as ColumbiaVotes will be a big part of my experience. 

The Columbia essay prompt only allows for a 150-word response. This could pose a challenge for many students. What makes this essay among the Columbia essays examples that worked is how succinctly it completely answers the prompt. 

The response begins by hooking the reader with a relevant detail of the student’s community. Then, the student shares how this community shaped them by influencing their values of diversity and inclusion. Finally, the student shares how they would engage with a Columbia organization that also supports diverse viewpoints. Though short and sweet, this response clearly answers all parts of the Columbia prompt. 

More Community Essay Examples

The final of our community essay examples is a community service essay. Let’s look at how student framed their service experience:

“I don’t believe that’s the best way to do this.” 

The moment I thought this the first time I volunteered at my local soup kitchen was one that resulted in a drastic change. When I was informed of the way the food was being served to the public, the initial excitement that I had felt diminished. We were told that the plates would be served before anyone arrived and would remain in an area where people could pick it up and seat themselves. I felt that this method was impersonal and inconsiderate, and disappointment washed over me. 

I turned to the people that were around me and discovered that they shared the same disapproval I felt. When we agreed that a change must be made, we exchanged ideas on how to present this to the woman in charge of the program. I suggested that we should serve each person one-by-one, and only give them the food if they wanted to/could eat it. They suggested multiple ideas, including that we should offer to seat them, hold their plates for them, continue to check in on them, and dispose of their plates once they finish their meal. We believed that this way would genuinely make them feel better and would allow us to get to know some of them personally. A simple smile and conversation could be enough to improve their day. 

From this day on, the way in which the local soup kitchen serves our community has changed dramatically. This experience taught me the importance of speaking up for what you believe in. In a group setting, it is likely that there will be others who share the same end goal and are willing to contribute different ideas to achieve the goal. These different perspectives can allow you to see situations in ways that you previously hadn’t, and can result in better outcomes. It also showed me the importance of leadership.

If I had never spoken up about the way the food was being served, a change might have never happened. When you work in the group, the end goal may not be for the benefit of anyone in the group, but for others who are in need. This experience also showed me the beauty in doing good for others and making others happy, even through small things such as serving them food to their liking.

In this community service essay, the student shares their experience volunteering at a soup kitchen. Volunteering at a soup kitchen is not necessarily unique in the list of extracurricular activities for college applications. However, the student highlights several aspects of the experience that make it meaningful to them. 

To start, the student shares their experience challenging the way that food was served. The student suggested that food be served directly to attendees in order to better connect with community members. Through this experience, the student learns about leadership and working with others to achieve a common goal. This specific example demonstrates the student’s collaborative values and compassionate way of thinking, both of which are great attributes to highlight in college applications.

How To Write A Community Essay

As we saw in the community essay examples, there are several hallmarks of college essays that worked. To write a good community essay, whether it be a community service essay, a cultural diversity essay, or a describe the community you live in essay, you must start by understanding the prompt. Once you have carefully read through the prompt, brainstorm examples from your own life that relate to it. Sharing specific details and examples will make your response stronger and more unique. 

Additionally, showcase how you grew throughout your response. In each of the community essay examples we shared, the student discussed a skill or perspective they developed through their experiences. Finally, connect your response to the school you are applying to. If you are writing a cultural diversity essay, for example, demonstrate how you would contribute to the cultural diversity at that school, both inside the classroom and in your extracurricular activities for college.  

Topics To Avoid In Your Community Essay

When writing community essays, there is technically no topic that you cannot discuss. However, how you discuss certain topics is important. 

For example, in a community service essay, it is important to not come off as a savior of a community with less privilege than yourself. Similarly, if you are writing a describe the community you live in essay or a cultural diversity essay, you will want to avoid stereotyping any community. Speaking from your own personal experience as a member of a community is fine. However, generalizing your experience to the community at large can come across as insensitive to that community’s diversity. To avoid these pitfalls, have a variety of people read your community essay examples and look for these dynamics.

Additional Tips for Community Essays

We’ve highlighted the strengths in the community essay examples above. Now we will now share some more tips for making your community essays a strong part of your college applications:

Tips for Writing Community Essays

1. research the college.

When reviewing our college community essay examples, you will notice that students highlight specific clubs, programs, or groups on campus to which they will contribute. If you are specific, you demonstrate real interest in the school which adds strength to your college applications.

2. Tell a story

In each of the college essays that worked, students gave details that told a full story . This story incorporated where they come from and what they learned through their experiences. Rather than telling us who they were, the students used this particular story to show us.

As the college admissions landscape gets ever more competitive, students are sometimes tempted to read other students’ essays and copy ideas. Or, more recently, they may even want to use artificial intelligence to write their essays. However, AI and other students’ experiences won’t show admissions who you really are. Don’t worry about whether you have the best extracurricular activities for college or the most unique cultural diversity essay. Instead, talk about the experiences that truly matter to you. By being honest, you are more likely to come across as convincing and interesting. In each of our college community essay examples, students presented a true and well-thought-out response to the prompts.

Other CollegeAdvisor Essay Resources to Explore 

As you work on your college applications, you might be in search of additional resources. CollegeAdvisor has a wealth of webinars and articles that can help you navigate writing your essays. Here are a few:

More CollegeAdvisor Resources for Essays

1. short essay examples.

Some of the cultural diversity essays you may write will be short, meaning that they are 150 words or less. This article with short essay examples can help you understand how to write short and sweet cultural diversity essays.

2. Cultural Diversity Essay Examples

In this article , you will find additional examples of cultural diversity essays. Many community essays are also cultural diversity essays. As such, becoming familiar with how students write about their cultures is useful.

3. The Ultimate Guide to Supplemental Essays

In this webinar , CollegeAdvisor experts provide a rundown of how to write strong supplemental essays for your college applications. In particular, this webinar will help you decode essay prompts and make sure you answer each prompt fully.

4. Editing Your Supplemental Essays

Once you have read up on college community essay examples and written your cultural diversity essays, you might need help editing them. This webinar will provide tips for how to edit your supplemental essays effectively.

Community Essay Examples – Final Thoughts

Completing your college applications can be a daunting task, especially when you must write multiple essays. For some students, writing cultural diversity essays is challenging. These prompts ask you to dig deep and reflect upon your life influences.

In this guide to community essays, we provided an overview of what a community essay is and how to respond to the different types of community essay prompts. We shared cultural diversity essay examples and describe the community you live in essay examples. We also described what makes these essays strong and how they meet college application requirements. 

In short, the key to writing stand-out essays is to be authentic and thorough in your responses. If you need additional help writing your cultural diversity essay, seek out the support of a trusted resource like CollegeAdvisor. We are here to help you craft the best college applications that could gain you admissions to the school of your dreams!

This article was written by Courtney Ng. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

Essay On Social Issues

500 words essay on social issues.

Social Issues is an undesirable state which opposes society or a certain part of society. It refers to an unwanted situation that frequently results in problems and continues to harm society . Social issues can cause a lot of problems that can be beyond the control of just one person. Through an essay on social issues, we will learn why they are harmful and what types of social issues we face.

Drawbacks of Social Issues

Social issues have a lot of drawbacks that harms our society. They are situations that have an adverse and damaging result on our society. They arise when the public leaves nature or society from an ideal situation.

If you look closely, you will realize that almost all types of social issues have common origins. In the sense that they all are interconnected somehow. Meaning to say, if one solves the other one is also most likely to resolve.

Social issues have a massive lousy effect on our society and ultimately, it affects all of us. In order to solve some social issues, we need a common approach. No society is free from social issues, almost every one of them has some social issue or the other.

For instance, in India, you will find a lot of social issues which the country is facing. It ranges from the caste system to child labour and gender inequality to religious conflicts. Thus, we are going through a critical time where we all must come together to free our society from undesirable social evils.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Major Social Issues

There are a lot of social issues we are facing right now, some more prominent than the others. First of all, poverty is a worldwide issue. It gives birth to a lot of other social issues which we must try to get away with at the earliest.

Further, countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and more are facing the issue of the caste system since times unknown. It results in a lot of caste violence and inequality which takes the lives of many on a daily basis.

Moreover, child labour is another major social issue that damages the lives of young children. Similarly, illiteracy also ruins the lives of many by destroying their chances of a bright future.

In developing countries mostly, child marriage still exists and is responsible for ruining many lives. Similarly, dowry is a very serious and common social issue that almost all classes of people partake in.

Another prominent social issue is gender inequality which takes away many opportunities from deserving people. Domestic violence especially against women is a serious social issue we must all fight against.

Other social issues include starvation, child sex abuse, religious conflicts, child trafficking, terrorism , overpopulation, untouchability, communalism and many more. It is high time we end these social issues.

Conclusion of the Essay on Social Issues

A society can successfully end social issues if they become adamant. These social issues act as a barrier to the progress of society. Thus, we must all come together to fight against them and put them to an end for the greater good.

FAQ on Essay on Social Issues

Question 1: What is the meaning of social problem?

Answer 1: A social problem refers to any condition or behaviour which has a negative impact on a large number of people. It is normally recognized as a condition or behaviour that needs to be addressed.

Question 2: What are the effects of social issues?

Answer 2: Social issues affect our society adversely. Most importantly, it disturbs the harmony of society and gives rise to hostility and suspicion. Moreover, it creates large-scale social dissatisfaction, suffering and misery.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

190 Dominant Social Issues Topics for Academic Writing

Table of Contents

Wonder what topic to choose for your essay? If yes, then we would suggest you write about the latest social issues. Typically, when compared to the most popular and frequently selected ideas, preparing essays on current social issues topics would give a wide scope of discussion and will also help you in fetching good grades. In case, you need a list of the trending social issues topics for your academic writing, continue reading this blog. Here, you will get 150+ interesting topics related to social issues and will also get to know the effective ways to craft a detailed social issues essay.

How to Write an Academic Paper on Social Issues Topics

If you are asked to write a controversial essay , then choosing any social issues topics for discussion would help you to earn an A+ grade. But is identifying the best topic alone enough to score high grades? Definitely not! To score excellent marks on your assignment, you should write well-structured, understandable, and engaging content.

Remember, social issues are sensitive and important topics to discuss. Hence, when writing a research paper, essay, or presentation on social issues topics, you should carefully write the content in a way to create awareness among your readers.

So, how to write a good academic paper on social issues topics that will fetch you an A+ grade? Here are a few important steps you should follow to craft a high-quality academic paper.

• First, search and identify a relevant social problem wisely.
• Perform deep research on the social issues research topic you have chosen and collect relevant examples supporting your points of discussion from academically approved sources.
• Sketch an academic essay outline with the information you have gathered.
• With the help of the outline you have created, begin writing the first draft of the academic paper coherently with valid examples in the standard academic paper format that includes components such as an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• After completing the first draft, proofread and edit the grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors in the content. Remember, your final draft should be plagiarism-free and flawless.

Essays on social issues are one of the best ways to express your opinions about an issue that prevails in our society. In order to avoid confusing your readers, it is advisable to write the academic paper in a simple and concise manner by addressing the social problem using the right words from a clear point of view.

List of Social Issues Topics and Ideas

For writing an academic paper on social issues, there are plenty of topics available. In particular, you can choose to compose a paper on social issues like discrimination, war, gender inequality, sexual violence, poverty, illiteracy, and many more that affect the development of an individual and nation.

If you have no idea what topic to select, then feel free to get help from the list of 150+ social issues topics suggested below.

Latest Social Issues Topics

• Global Pandemic and COVID-19
• Green Energy Conversion
• The challenges of remote education
• The Black Lives Matter Social Movement
• Healthcare bias in modern society
• Cyberbullying
• Gay marriage
• Beauty standards
• Poverty and Social Life
• The Arctic Pole Environmental Situation
• Discrimination and marginalization of the people belonging to the LGBTQ2+ community
• The refugee crisis in the 21 st Century
• Gun violence become a public health crisis: Explain
• Inequality and discrimination are the key reasons for poverty: Discuss
• Discuss the effects of social interactions on FGM (female genital mutilation) practice

Police and Criminal Justice Topics for Research Paper

• Are labor laws fair?
• Describe the social standing of police officers in your country.
• Debate castration as a punishment for sexual offenders.
• The safest ways to de-escalate riots.
• Are convicts still punished after serving time?
• How do recovering addicts deal with social injustice?
• What makes white-collar crimes more socially acceptable than others?
• Debate the use of body cameras by police officers.
• Should law enforcers need to request permission before using firearms?
• Explore the connection between militarization and police violence.
• How can one save their reputation after committing a crime?
• Human services issues from the point of income inequality.
• How does crime differ in various social classes?
• Would society profit from the abolition of prisons?
• Victimology and traditional justice system alternatives.
• Why do private prison benefits need to be prohibited in every country?
• Compare and contrast substance abuse prevention strategies of the United States and Australia.

War and Peace Essay Topics

• The role of women in war.
• War crimes across the world.
• The role of media in wartime.
• How do the economics of war affect society?
• What is the use of war monuments?
• How does war influence the development of children?
• In how far has globalization impacted violent behavior?
• Describe the “guns vs. butter” model.
• Rape and sexual harassment in the military.
• Why do people join the army?
• Discuss the impact of yellow journalism on warfare between two countries.
• Critical analysis of the cause and effects of the war between Russia and Ukraine
• Discuss the concept of Divine Love in The Case of Platon and Natasha in War and Peace
• Analysis of the role of Liza’s character in war and peace
• Analyze the Possible Views of Immanuel Kant on a nuclear Weapon and nuclear deterrence
• Describe the impact of racial and cultural insensitivity on war and peace
• Analyze the representation of the suicide problem in Anna Karenina and war and peace
• Discuss the role played by religions in bringing peace and igniting a war
• Is it important to teach primary school students about the importance of peace over war? If yes, then why?
• Analyze the impact of war on a nation’s socio-economic development
• Describe the role played by technologies in war
• Describe the factors responsible for causing most of the deadliest wars between 1900 and 2023
• Discuss the impact of fake and manipulated political news on the war

Read more: Best Social Studies Topics To Consider For Academic Writing

Essay Topics on Migration and Immigration

• Forced migration.
• What are the factors behind illegal immigration?
• How should governments plan for migration?
• Describe the notion of ecological migration.
• Deportation of refugees and illegal immigrants.
• Does migration cause destabilization?
• Is immigration from developing countries a threat to wealthier nations?
• Is there a connection between immigration rates and crime?
• How does the American green card lottery work?
• Do illegal immigrants negatively impact their host country’s society?

Environmental Issues Research Topics

• The impact of bottled water on the environment.
• What caused the rise in climate activism in recent years?
• How can we use our natural resources responsibly?
• The role of packaging in marketing, food safety, and the environment.
• What are the best things everyone can do to protect the environment?
• Explore the connection between nature and religion.
• What effects does a deteriorating environment have on labor conditions?
• The effect of self-driving electric vehicles on urban environments.
• Debate how Greenpeace influences political decision-making.
• The role of zoos in wildlife endangerment.

Discrimination Topics for Research

• Discrimination against pregnant women.
• Hate speech on social media.
• Discrimination in Sports
• Trace the development of anti-discrimination laws in your country.
• Gender discrimination and anti-harassment movements at the workplace.
• How does discrimination differ in rich vs. developing countries?
• How much of a problem is reverse discrimination?
• Racial profiling and its effects.
• Common stereotypes in American society.
• Discrimination against gay people.

Research Topics on Racism

• Discuss subtle forms of everyday racism.
• How has racism changed over the past hundred years?
• Nelson Mandela and his fight against apartheid.
• Racial prejudice in the movie industry.
• Does nationalism always lead to racism?
• Racism as a barrier to educational opportunities.
• The Internet’s contribution to alleviating racism.
• Is “All lives matter” a racist statement?
• The best ways to educate children about race.
• Who benefits from structural racism?

Gender-based Social Issues Topics

• Describe how the patriarchy holds back women.
• Does feminism need to be radical?
• Are quotas the only way to guarantee equal hiring processes?
• Should women be more encouraged to join the military?
• Does society need gender roles to function properly?
• Debate the importance of LGBT studies.
• Is gender a purely social construct?
• Should men and women play and compete in mixed sports teams?
• Should men be entitled to more extended paternity leave?
• Do school uniforms promote gender inequality?
• Should girls capitalize on their attractive looks?
• What can a woman do to become more empowered?
• What makes a profession traditionally female?
• Why is the number of women in positions of power still low?
• Gender identity: promotion of equality for sexual orientation.

Research Topics on Social Media Issues

• Can social media help overcome the problem of illiteracy?
• How to deal with social media bullying?
• Should children be allowed to have social media accounts?
• Are online networks promoting stalking?
• Are people on social media more aggressive than in real life?
• Ways in which social media impacts your interactions with other people.
• Social media and youth: does it make puberty harder?
• Explore the effect of the Internet on students’ lives.
• Debate social media policies and code of conduct.
• How does participating in Instagram challenges for social justice help?

Health-based Social Issues Topics

• What should a person do if they can’t afford medical treatment?
• Who should care for the elders?
• Debate whether a ban on tobacco advertising would help decrease smoking.
• Should we change the drinking age limit?
• What does it mean to die with dignity?
• The benefits of over-the-counter contraception.
• How does being malnourished affect a child’s psyche in the long run?
• Why is access to quality healthcare unevenly distributed?
• What are the social determinants of health?
• Examine the connection between poverty and health problems.

Powerful Social Issues Topics

• How successful is PETA in helping animals?
• Climate refugees: examine the disasters that cause people to flee their homes.
• Causes and effects of the world’s overpopulation:
• Mental disorders and vulnerability to homicidal death.
• Should girls dress modestly to avoid being abused?
• What is the origin of domestic violence?
• Why do women hesitate to report rape cases?
• Can dictatorships ensure human rights?
• An overview of Japanese mafia culture.
• Find out how racism manifests itself in your native language.
• What are the best ways to prevent street violence?
• Ways to manage verbal abuse in social care.
• What triggers aggression against healthcare workers?
• Discuss the legitimization of prostitution.
• How do witness protection programs work?
• Compare the types of social segmentation .
• Capital punishment versus. The right to live.
• Describe the consequences of voter fraud.
• Is ageism similar to racism?

Critical Social Issues Topics

• Movies and violence.
• Abuse in the world of sports.
• Aggression in children.
• Strange superstitious beliefs exist in Asian countries.
• Children and consumption of fast food.
• How can businesses influence consumption trends?
• How can financial illiteracy harm you?
• Is society paying enough attention to peace education?
• Weird burial customs.
• Dealing with leaked personal pornography vide
• White privilege in society
• Personal isolation and technology in communication.
• Does the internet shorten our attention span?
• How important is data safety?
• Compare projects that help people overcome their addictions.
• Discuss the social acceptance of autism spectrum disorders.
• Investigate methods for responsible consumption.
• What are the most common reasons for murder?
• Discuss the concept of juvenile crimes.
• Effective ways to integrate displaced people.

Intriguing Social Issues Research Topics

• How to handle addiction to pornography.
• addressing child pornography
• Is consent in the porn industry actually enforceable?
• Do pornstars experience social stigmatization?
• Why do pornstars kill themselves?
• coping with personal pornographic film leaks.
• the strain in the porn sector.
• Pornstars who transitioned to other fields.
• Does pornography affect family life?
• When to recognize that you are a porn addict.

Engaging Social Issues Essay Topics

• What causes gentrification in American cities?
• Find reasons why peaceful protests turn into violent riots.
• What are the harmful effects of urban sprawl?
• Why do conversations about periods make people feel uncomfortable?
• How important is bipartisan cooperation?
• What are the most significant human rights issues today?
• Are restrictive laws concerning hijabs violating religious freedom?
• Explore the link between global movement and the spread of diseases.
• Describe the types of events that can cause major forced displacement.
• What caused populist groups to gain popularity in recent years?

Hopefully, the list of social issues essays and research topics suggested in this blog would help you in crafting an outstanding academic paper worthy of an A+ grade. In case, you are unsure what topic to choose for your academic writing or if you struggle to compose a detailed paper on social issues topics, then contact us immediately.

Related Post

110 Hard Words to Spell for Students and Adults

Learn How to Avoid Passive Voice in 3 Simple Steps

117 Best Greek Mythology Essay Topics For Students

About author.

Jacob Smith

I am an Academic Writer and have affection to share my knowledge through posts’. I do not feel tiredness while research and analyzing the things. Sometime, I write down hundred of research topics as per the students requirements. I want to share solution oriented content to the students.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

• Featured Posts

140 Unique Geology Research Topics to Focus On

200+ outstanding world history topics and ideas 2023, 190 excellent ap research topics and ideas, 150+ trending group discussion topics and ideas, 170 funny speech topics to blow the minds of audience, who invented exams learn the history of examination, how to focus on reading 15 effective tips for better concentration, what is a rhetorical analysis essay and how to write it, primary school teacher in australia- eligibility, job role, career options, and salary, 4 steps to build a flawless business letter format, get help instantly.

Raise Your Grades with Assignment Help Pro

Social Issues Essays

It is quite unfortunate that social issues in today’s world have not been entirely solved. This is because more social issues like poverty, unemployment, and racism are still on the rise. Social issues essays focus on specific issues being faced by a particular society at a particular time. You will find that for reference, social issues essays examples are always brought up even from earlier days to consult, borrow ideas, and see progress.

Social issues essays example will tend to focus on informing and educating the masses on social issues that are being faced in regards to a particular region, race, or economic status. To get a better understanding of social issues, college essays about social issues will either focus on the issues the students face or they choose what social issue they relate to and do research on it. The main objective of social issues essays is to educate, inform and find a solution to the issues.

Honourable judges, Respected principal madam, teachers, academic staff and my dear friends! A very Good Morning to one and all present here. I am present before you today in this Elocution competition on behalf of my House to speak a few lines on the topic— “Corruption-greatest obstacle for the growth and development of our country. […]

In The Chrysalids by John Wyndam, Waknuk is a community throughly brainwashed by tribulation that causes the citizens to believe “normality” is the main focus in life. Consequently, Waknuk became a hostile environment totally intolerant of differences, which causes judgment, discrimination, and alienation to occur in everyday life. This quality of life is clearly evident […]

During World War II, Mexican-Americans played a crucial role by actively participating in the war despite the challenging conditions. Men and women of Mexican heritage both made notable contributions to the war effort. Both men and women from Mexican-American backgrounds actively participated in the war, which serves as compelling evidence of their heroic actions. According […]

Does rap/hip-hop music encourage negative behavior? Some people feel rap and hip-hop music encourages degradation of women, violence, and crime. Other people think that rap offers an opportunity for political commentary and self-expression. Also people argue that rap music provides valuable information to young listeners. They feel that it tells the story of the black […]

It has been a popular misconception that minority students especially the African-American and Hispanics have no interest in pursuing a college degree nor are they likely to be successful in it. Asian-Americans, although still considered as a minority seem to be categorized in terms of college success in the same level as whites because they […]

CNN’s Terry Frieden reports that the Immigration and Naturalization Service has observed a significant increase in unauthorized entries into the United States, resulting in an estimated 7 million individuals living illegally in the country. The majority of these individuals are reportedly from Mexico. According to the Justice Department’s spokesperson, Jorge Martinez, the number of unlawful […]

The original development of impression management theory can be attributed to sociologist Erving Goffman. In 1959, Goffman proposed that even seemingly innocuous actions can be intentional in depicting a favorable image of oneself. He believed that people are essentially performers whose primary objective is constructing identity (Giacalone & Rosenfeld, 1989). Impression management theory relies on […]

The Stolen Generation was a time when children, usually half-cast children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds were taken away from their family’s in-order to assimilate the Indigenous people. The removal and policies were organised by the Aborigines Protection Board, which was formed in 1909. They had the power to remove children without a […]

here are three factors that affect international support roles; these include, diversity, cultural differences and times zones. Diversity is the quality or state of having different forms. For instance, different races, cultures, ages and gender. Cultural differences refers to differences among people because of their racial or ethnic backgrounds, language, dress and traditions. And lastly, […]

1945-1955: We can see an improvement due to Truman’s policies. As a senator he consistently supported legislation to abolish the poll tax (which prevented the majority of Blacks from voting in the South) and to stop lynching. Truman established a liberal committee to investigate violence against Blacks in 1947 gave a report ‘To secure These […]

Harry S. Truman was President of America from 1945 to 1952. During his time in office, the state of race relations in America improved, and several advances were made in achieving equality for African-Americans. Politically, his support for civil rights showed before his presidency; he was noteworthy during his tenure as Senator of Missouri ( […]

Consider how Shakespeare’s themes of prejudice and chaos versus order were received by his contemporary audience. How does Geoffrey Sax’s production continue to find relevance in these issues for the modern audience? Othello is a play of tragedy; that examines the darker aspects of human existence, and forces us as audience to contemplate what it […]

Formal Writing-What organizations face a lack of attachment to wider society? What is lacking attachment? Lacking attachment is not having a link to something. Be it a material object or objects, or human life. In my opinion, one of the most severe issues illustrated in the Shawshank Redemption, a film directed by Frank Darabont, is […]

“Equality of opportunity is a political ideal that is opposed to caste hierarchy but not to hierarchy per se” (Arneson). The rational behind this political ideal is that society is uneven, with privileges, standing and potential for success being heavily influenced by many different factors predetermined by birth. The political ideal places an individual in […]

Kozol asserts that segregation remains prevalent in numerous schools throughout the United States. The majority of inner-city schools are primarily attended by African American and Hispanic students, resulting in a lower white enrollment rate. As evidence, Kozol references Adlai Stevenson High School in Brooklyn where just 0.8% of students were white while 97% were black […]

In the past, it was uncommon for women to participate in jobs and activities alongside men. However, society has significantly changed since then. Nowadays, women are involved in various roles such as serving as combatants overseas in our armed forces, working on construction sites, and owning and operating businesses. Personally, I believe that the delayed […]

Oprah Any person experiences growth of different aspects of personality during various points of time. In fact, it is the day to day good and bad experiences that shape the personality of an individual. There are different theories of growth of personality of an individual. In this assignment, I will take up the case of […]

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird utilizes the mockingbird and snowman symbols to highlight social and racial prejudice. The symbols illustrate how ingrained biases in a community harm innocent individuals and reinforces the concept of innocence. Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, explores how entrenched prejudice can hinder logical thinking. Set in Maycomb, […]

Responsible for the Crimes of their Children How can someone who does not commit a crime get charged for the crime committed. This is starting to happen around the country with parents getting charged for the crimes of their children. Although parents are responsible for raising and teaching their children what is right or wrong, […]

In the film Roger and Me, Michael Moore tells the story of the exploitation of the numerous workers in his hometown, Flint, Michigan. He follows the numerous employees of General Motors who have lost their jobs and consequently, tries to contact the power steering CEO of General Motors, Roger Smith. Smith closed down a large […]

Barbara Ehrenreich is a journalist who posed as an unskilled worker in 1998 to highlight the struggles encountered every day by Americans attempting to live on minimum wage. Ms Ehrenreich had always been interested in poverty. As the result of the new law, people would be expected to leave welfare and get jobs, sounds good. […]

A topic that is very dear to me and strikes me is African-Americans not embracing their self as a whole. Ever since the early days of slavery, many people have felt that their skin color is ugly. Time after time after time, white people perception of superiority and desecration of the Africans skin color has […]

Popular Questions About Social Issues

Haven't found what you were looking for, search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards.

• Enter your topic/question
• Receive an explanation
• Ask one question at a time
• Enter a specific assignment topic
• Aim at least 500 characters
• a topic sentence that states the main or controlling idea
• supporting sentences to explain and develop the point you’re making
• evidence from your reading or an example from the subject area that supports your point
• analysis of the implication/significance/impact of the evidence finished off with a critical conclusion you have drawn from the evidence.

The Biggest 15 Social Issues We Are Facing Today

No matter where we live, what communities we belong to or what we care about, we are affected by social issues. It’s the price of living in a society, and while challenges like poverty, climate change and discrimination can feel overwhelming, we have the power to take action. The first step is understanding what issues we’re up against. In this article, we’ll explore 15 of the biggest social issues facing the world today.

#1. The global housing crisis

Shelter is a human right, but hundreds of millions of people lack adequate, affordable housing. According to the World Bank, the housing crisis is global, and it could impact as many as 1.6 billion people by 2025. That number will only grow with time. By 2030, the world needs to build 96,000 new affordable homes per day to meet the needs of 3 billion people. What’s driving the global housing crisis? According to Albert Saiz in a paper for the MIT Center for Real Estate, economic factors like rising costs and income inequality are prevalent. Addressing these issues now is critical to protecting people in the future.

#2. Gender inequality

Societies have been working to improve gender inequality for centuries, but we still have a long way to go. Globally, women still make less money than men, have poorer health outcomes, have fewer opportunities and endure more gender–based violence. According to 2023 data, the global gender gap won’t close until 2154 . Even the most gender-equal country, which is Iceland , still has social issues to address. Some of the issues are recognized – women are still being subjected to physical and sexual violence – while there are gaps in data related to things like unpaid care, domestic work, gender and the environment, and so on.

#3. Climate crisis

The climate crisis is one of today’s most urgent social issues. Earth.org outlines a list of major climate events in 2023 , including severe droughts, wildfires, higher ocean surface temperatures and storms. That same year, the IPCC released a summary of its previous five reports, showing how human activity is causing severe damage to the planet, and, if trends continue, parts of the earth will become unlivable in just a few decades. The world can fight the climate crisis, but we have to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and turn to renewable energy sources.

#4. Overconsumption

Greenhouse gas emissions are a primary driver of climate change, but overconsumption is hurting the planet, too. Unfathomable amounts of food, clothing, plastic and other things are thrown into landfills and the ocean every day. However, it’s not a problem for everyone. According to research, just 20% of the world’s population is responsible for consuming 80% of the globe’s natural resources. The richest 500 million people release half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. To break it down even further, if every person in the world consumed resources at the rate as people in Canada and the United States did, we would need at least five earths .

#5. Global hunger

Global food insecurity is a serious problem. According to data, about 735 million people endured chronic hunger in 2022, and with issues like climate change, the lingering effects of the pandemic and conflict, it will be very challenging to end hunger by 2030. Children typically suffer the most. When kids don’t get enough to eat, they become more vulnerable to diseases like measles, malaria and diarrhea. According to the World Food Programme, “hotspots” for hunger include Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan and Palestine.

#6. Threats to LGBTQ+ rights

At the same time as LGBTQ+ rights have expanded, certain countries have pushed back. In the summer of 2023, the first Ugandan was charged with “aggravated homosexuality,” a crime punishable by death. In its 2023 review, the Electronic Frontier Foundation also found an increase in anti-LGBTQ sentiment , including more laws that restrict privacy and freedom of expression, and censorship of LGBTQ+ websites. Even in places like the United States, which is seen by many as a haven for the LGBTQ+ community, legislative threats are on the rise .

#7. Reproductive justice

Reproductive justice, which includes things like abortion access and maternal health, is a social issue affecting every corner of the world. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, most countries are expanding abortion rights, while just four – the United States, Poland, Nicaragua, and El Salvador – rolled back abortion rights . Globally, about 40% of women live in places with “restrictive” abortion laws. Related social issues include menstrual health, prenatal and maternal health, access to contraception and so on.

#8. Educational disparities

When people get a good education, they’re more likely to have higher incomes, better health, healthier children and other benefits. On a larger scale, education also helps countries achieve overall wealth and health. There’s been significant progress on closing the gender gap in education. According to a blog on the World Bank, boys and girls complete primary school at almost an equal rate . However, around 130 million girls are still being denied an education. Wealth also plays a role in educational disparities. In the United States, one study found that wealth affects a student’s chances of finishing college. On a global scale, wealth also impacts where a family lives and what school options are available, as well as tutoring opportunities, whether a student needs a job and much more.

#9. Health and healthcare

Health and the ability (or inability) to access good healthcare are major social issues. Unfortunately, healthcare systems around the world are struggling. COVID-19 continues to be a problem, but hospitals are also facing staff shortages and competition . Not everyone is affected equally. According to the World Health Organization, refugees and migrants experience worse health outcomes due to language barriers, cultural differences, discrimination and legal restrictions on what services they can access.

#10. Income inequality

Global income inequality fluctuates, but according to a 2023 Oxfam study , the world’s richest 1% took almost ⅔ of all the new wealth created since 2020. That gave them almost twice the amount of money held by the bottom 99%. Income inequality can cause serious problems , such as lower economic growth, worse social cohesion and political polarization. There are also ethical consequences to income inequality, which human rights and social justice advocates often discuss. Can society ever be truly good or free when only a handful of people hold all the wealth?

#11. Global unemployment (and underemployment)

High unemployment rates – and low-paying jobs – drive income inequality and poverty. In a 2023 report, the International Labour Organization found that the world is still experiencing slow employment growth . There was a slight recovery in 2021, but as the economy slows again, people are forced to take jobs that pay less, provide fewer hours and/or offer poor working conditions. South Africa, which is the most industrialized economy in Africa, also has one of the highest unemployment rates. According to Reuters, reasons include structural issues related to the shadows of colonialism and apartheid. To fight issues like poverty and gender inequality, countries need to address unemployment and low-paying jobs.

#12. Increased migration

People move all the time, but issues like war and climate change force people to leave their homes. Sometimes, they move within the borders of one country, but other times, they’re forced to take long, dangerous journeys to countries they’ve never visited. According to the Migration Policy Institute, “humanitarian migration” increased in 2023, while policies could impact elections in 2024. The social issues related to migration, such as the rights of migrants, affordable housing, health services and more, will all be relevant for the foreseeable future.

#13. Artificial intelligence

The presence of artificial intelligence has exploded in recent years, but the technology has several issues. Ethics is just one of them. According to a guide on UMA Libraries, AI has problems with gender and racial bias, plagiarism, generating fake news and supporting scams. It also takes a lot of energy to train and run AI programs, so as the use of AI increases, so will its carbon footprint . As the technology continues to develop, new regulations, legislation and guidelines will need to be created, as well.

#14. Debt bondage

Rates of labor trafficking have been increasing over the years. According to research, about ⅕ of those in forced labor trafficking are in debt bondage . Debt bondage is a very common type of trafficking where a person is forced to work off a loan. However, because the debt is often so high and they are paid so little, it’s impossible to escape the situation. Perpetrators also often have no intention of freeing the people they’re exploiting; debt bondage can even pass on to children. While bonded labor is technically illegal in some places, like India, it persists , especially in rural areas. Because trafficking is an illicit practice, it’s very difficult to get accurate numbers, but it’s most likely worse than what’s reported.

#15. Threats to journalism

By providing vital information to the public, journalists are essential to freedom of speech, freedom of expression, democracy and the protection of other human rights. In recent years, journalism has been under threat. According to the 2023 World Press Freedom Index , the environment for journalism was “bad” in seven out of 10 countries, while it was “satisfactory” in just three out of 10 countries. The reasons include a surge in fake news and propaganda. Journalists also face threats to their lives. UNESCO found that in 2023, there was a near doubling of deaths of journalists working in conflict zones. As conflicts in Ukraine, Palestine and other countries continue, the safety of journalism will remain a social issue.

Essay on Social Justice

Students are often asked to write an essay on Social Justice in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Social Justice

Understanding social justice.

Social justice is the fair treatment of all people in society. It’s about making sure everyone has equal opportunities, irrespective of their background or status.

Importance of Social Justice

Social justice is important because it promotes equality. It helps to reduce disparities in wealth, access to resources, and social privileges.

Role of Individuals

Every person can contribute to social justice. By treating others fairly, respecting diversity, and standing against discrimination, we can promote social justice.

In conclusion, social justice is vital for a balanced society. It ensures everyone has a fair chance to succeed in life.

250 Words Essay on Social Justice

Social justice, a multifaceted concept, is the fair distribution of opportunities, privileges, and resources within a society. It encompasses dimensions like economic parity, gender equality, environmental justice, and human rights. The core of social justice is the belief that everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social opportunities irrespective of race, gender, or religion.

The Importance of Social Justice

Social justice is pivotal in fostering a harmonious society. It ensures that everyone has access to the basic necessities of life and can exercise their rights without discrimination. It is the cornerstone of peace and stability in any society. Without social justice, the divide between different socio-economic classes widens, leading to social unrest.

Challenges to Social Justice

Despite its importance, achieving social justice is fraught with challenges. Systemic issues like discrimination, poverty, and lack of access to quality education and healthcare are significant roadblocks. These challenges are deeply ingrained in societal structures and require collective efforts to overcome.

The Role of Individuals in Promoting Social Justice

Every individual plays a crucial role in promoting social justice. Through conscious efforts like advocating for equal rights, supporting policies that promote equality, and standing against discrimination, individuals can contribute to building a just society.

In conclusion, social justice is a fundamental principle for peaceful coexistence within societies. Despite the challenges, each individual’s conscious effort can contribute significantly to achieving this noble goal. The journey towards social justice is long and arduous, but it is a path worth treading for the betterment of humanity.

500 Words Essay on Social Justice

Introduction to social justice, origins and evolution of social justice.

The concept of social justice emerged during the Industrial Revolution and subsequent civil revolutions as a counter to the vast disparities in wealth and social capital. It was a call for societal and structural changes, aiming to minimize socio-economic differences. The term was first used by Jesuit priest Luigi Taparelli in the mid-19th century, influenced by the teachings of Thomas Aquinas. Since then, the concept has evolved and expanded, encompassing issues like environmental justice, health equity, and human rights.

The Pillars of Social Justice

Social justice rests on four essential pillars: human rights, access, participation, and equity. Human rights are the fundamental rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled. Access involves equal opportunities in terms of resources, rights, goods, and services. Participation emphasizes the importance of all individuals contributing to and benefiting from economic, social, political, and cultural life. Equity ensures the fair distribution of resources and opportunities.

Social Justice in Today’s World

Despite the progress, numerous challenges to social justice persist. Systemic and structural discrimination, political disenfranchisement, economic inequality, and social stratification are just a few. Moreover, the rise of populism and nationalism worldwide has further complicated the fight for social justice, as these ideologies often thrive on division and inequality.

Promoting social justice requires collective action. Individuals can contribute by becoming more aware of the injustices around them, advocating for policies that promote equity, and standing up against discrimination. Education plays a crucial role in this process, as it can foster a deeper understanding of social justice issues and equip individuals with the tools to effect change.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essays Samples >
• Essay Types >
• College Essay Example

Social Issues College Essays Samples For Students

10437 samples of this type

Do you feel the need to examine some previously written College Essays on Social Issues before you begin writing an own piece? In this free database of Social Issues College Essay examples, you are provided with a thrilling opportunity to discover meaningful topics, content structuring techniques, text flow, formatting styles, and other academically acclaimed writing practices. Applying them while composing your own Social Issues College Essay will surely allow you to complete the piece faster.

Presenting high-quality samples isn't the only way our free essays service can aid students in their writing efforts – our authors can also compose from point zero a fully customized College Essay on Social Issues that would make a genuine foundation for your own academic work.

Example Of Alcohol Addiction Essay

Question 1: comparing alcohol problems in the united states among adolescents and adults as compared to the 1970s in the united states as well as other societies today, example of power in the society essay, good cyber vigilantism essay example.

Don't waste your time searching for a sample.

Get your essay done by professional writers!

Just from $10/page

Development Standards Essays Example

- is the so called developed world, in fact overdeveloped is this the standard to which the rest of the world can or should aspire or is it an unsustainable level that over consumes resources, food and energy.

A procedure is a sign of development, in which new techniques are introduced in the society by the current systems of reproduction and production. The development strategy is based on environmental resources, gender, class and several other axes of inequality.

Good Mate Selection Essay Example

Reflection paper, good criminal crime essay example.

“Criminal law involves prosecution by the government of a person for an act that has been classified as a crime” (Criminal law | Wex Legal Dictionary / Encyclopedia | LII ). Civil lawsuits, on the other hand, include persons and establishments pursuing to solve legal arguments. In criminal suits, the state, through a DA, starts the suit, while, in a civil indictment, the sufferer produces the suit. Individuals sentenced of a corruption might be imprisoned, penalized, or both. However, individuals found accountable in a civil litigation could only have to surrender possessions or repay cash, but are not jailed.

Who I Am Essays Example

In everyone’s life, there are some actions or events that define who or how a person is. I am also not an exception. But among all, there is one that disillusioned me of a lifelong misconception about myself. The irony of my life led to a subconscious false and flat (stereotypical) lifestyle that needed a shock (climax) to wake me up to true self discovery.

Good Example Of Essay On Crime Prevention Programs

Essay on american family, introduction, sample essay on community corrections.

Community Corrections have formed an integral part of the criminal justice system. Over the years, community corrections provide criminal offenders with numerous viable options to incarceration as a means to deter crime and promote community safety. Parole, bail supervision program, probation, intensive supervision probation and community service order are some of the alternatives accorded to offenders in different stages of a correctional process. Community corrections help to separate criminals from law abiding citizens, reduce government expenditure on deterring crime (cost-savings) and create a favorable environment to reintegrate the offenders to the society.

Essay On Ethical Management

Question 1: ethical management:, free importance of taking notes in a crime scene essay sample.

When investigating crimes, taking notes is very important. Those investigating should make sure that they make notes that are very specific. Throughout the process of investigating the notes can be used as references. Immediately an investigator arrives at a scene where there has been a crime, they should start making notes on the scene, the area that surrounds it and they should also take notes of the statements that are made by people who witnessed the crime. (Becker 2009)

Good Coontz and Folbre Essay Example

Free the rage of achilles essay example, gdp discussions essay sample, discussion post, essay on employment laws, 1. describe the pros and cons of government legislation on issues of employment and give some specific examples of employment law., good example of essay on investigative criminal procedure.

Criminal Procedure is the legal process of engaging state or government rules in outlying the procedures followed by law enforcing agencies in enforcing the criminal laws of the state. Criminal procedure hence encompasses the whole process of ensuring that crime offenders are brought before law and charged if found guilty and if not are acquitted (Esmein 21). Criminal law therefore includes sections such as investigative, evidence and adjudicative procedure that ensures non-tolerances to crime in the society. In this case, I am going to discuss the Investigative crime procedure.

Good Essay About Identifying Organizations

Drug and substance abuse are a social problem present in every community. Some of the organization set to address this social issue includes the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). This organization is an organ of United Nation. The member states established the UNODC to assist their local community addressing the issue of crime that emanates from drug abuse. This organization focuses on interrelated issues that seek to prevent crime and the use of illegal drugs (Leon- Guerrero, 2012). This organization has fashioned its mandate that focuses on three pillars.

Essay On Is Criminal Behavior Determined Biologically

Good investigating the global south essay example.

This paper concentrates on financial strategies and judges their prosperity focused around their effect on development and neediness decrease. The Millennium Development Goal of splitting compelling pay destitution by 2015 communicates the accord of the worldwide advancement group that neediness decrease is of overriding essentialness. There is likewise agreement that national neediness lessening methodologies and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers specifically, are an essential vehicle for centering national arrangements on decreasing destitution. Underneath this obvious agreement, there are, be that as it may, huge contrasts.

Why is Proper Order Fragile Essay Samples

Sample essay on race in admissions decisions, whether race should be used by colleges and universities when making admissions decisions.

It is a widely debated phenomenon whether race should be used by universities and colleges while taking admission decisions. Initially, the advocates have emphasized on the necessity of compensating American African students as it has a wider impact on children, whereas the opponents argued that the Constitution should work blindly in this respect. However, finally the debate concluded with affirmation that eliminating race discrimination provides various educational benefits to the minorities or racially diverse people that is the underlying principle for its selection that is unwillingly accepted by the Supreme Court (Los Angeles Times).

Free Essay About Cultural Identity

Write a response essay.

It is hard enough being I is an essay by Anna Lisa Raya where she explains to the reader how it is hard for her being a Latino in a place that is populated by white Americans. The author is the daughter of a second- generation Mexican American and a Puerto Rican mother. She wrote this essay when she was an undergraduate student in the University of Columbia, where she faced challenges on her identity. The main response to the essay is the issue of culture shock and discrimination faced by minorities in a society that is populated by white people.

Good Poverty and Social Inequality Essay Example

Example of is urbanization good or bad for society essay.

Most people opt to leave countryside to achieve greater opportunities offered in the cities. Such a move carries with it plenty of disadvantages to the environment and people as well. The benefits and drawbacks relating to urbanization range in a wide and comprehensive scope. Nowadays, the urbanization issue is in frequent discussions more than mostly due to the increasing impacts for human lives as well as the environment (Mellor 92). This urbanization phenomenon results in poor conditions of living and working while other negative effects are on environmental quality.

Theories of Crime and Delinquency Essay Sample

Example of business analytics and economerics essay.

A pricing strategy used by the businesses to charge a different price to each customer for the same product or service is known as the price discrimination. Technology has raised the level of awareness for the consumers and also eased up their lives by giving them direct access to everything (Conitzer & Taylor et al., 2010). Computer and internet has earlier been perceived as the friends of a consumer as it eases the shopping and lowers the price. But recently it has been discovered that online shopping is actually triggering the price discrimination and hurting the customers in general.

Free Scholars Essay Example

Victim and villain essay sample, john f kennedy essay example.

Every year in the late November, the American press remembers the murder of John F. Kennedy, mentioning thus about Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, the Mafia, Castro, the Warren Commission. And each time it emphasizes that murder mystery was not solved. This is true. Probably it cannot be finally solved in principle. The shots in Dallas are the result of hidden movements - the state, public, criminal ones.

Sample Essay On Sonnys Blues

Good essay on context and divorce rates.

Correlations normally show the relationship between two variables. The three types of correlations are either positive, negative or no correlation at all.

Good Beverly Tatums Book Essay Example

Beverly tatum’s book ‘why all black students sited together in the cafeteria’, good example of socio economic inequality essay, inter tribal marriage in saudi arabia essay, philosophy and social justice essays examples, racial and ethnic groups essay samples, free the arrest of three teenagers essay sample, free ferguson protesters shut down essay sample, sample essay on relative poverty.

Relative poverty is a measure of standard of living of an individual or a group of persons relative to the people they live around within the area. It may also be the minimum amount that a person or an individual requires in order to maintain an average standard of living. On the other hand, absolute poverty is a measure of poverty that is based on a set standard and is the same in all countries. The standard does not change over time and may involve living below certain measure poverty such as $1 a day.

Good The Confessions Essay Example

The notable actions of the case in the Norfolk case is that they arrived very fast after receiving a call from William a neighbour to the deceased ``woman”. In most instances, Police take unnecessary long time before responding to a crime scene call. However, their response in this case is commendable.

Good Essay On Rural Poverty in Rwanda

Good example of essay on i know why the caged bird sings, sample essay on how straights will benefit, free essay on data mining techniques.

Data mining refers to the computational process useful for the discovery of large sets of data, which employs methods on knowledge for artificial intelligence, statistics analysis, machine learning and database systems. The data mining process aims at extracting information from a set of data to transform it into a clearly understandable form that is useful for further analysis. Apart from the raw analysis move, the process involves database and data management processes, data pre-processing, model and interface considerations, interestingness metrics, considerations for complexities, post processing for obtained structures, visualization, as well as online updating (Frand, 2013).

Development in India Essay

Free essay on cause and effect.

A well-known saying seems so obvious: “We are what we eat”, though food is frequently taken for granted. Nowadays a serious eating disorder, obesity, is prevalent among both adults and children. Empirical evidence suggests that obesity should be regarded as a serious disease. A woman became 30 kilos overweight over a short period of time and that marked change shaped her destiny. Though the causes and the consequences of obesity might seem apparent, excessive accumulation of body fat raises considerable concerns.

Good Example Of Essay On Minimum Wage

Example of essay on impact of literature on racism.

- Impact of Literature on Racism

- The world has changed a lot as compared to the earlier times, but still we often find people to be distinguishing them on the basis of race and color. We all know about how the blacks were treated as slaves by the whites. On the other hand, there have been several poems and other literature written on racism and trauma. The journey of life for any individual becomes difficult once they are affected with racism (Peters 50).

- Racism and evolution that began

Income Inequality Essays Examples

Good example of institutional racism essay, the mass shootings in schools essay sample, violent crimes essay examples, 1. what does “behavior reflects personality” mean how is physical evidence related to behavior explain modus operandi and signature aspects of violent crimes. finally, explain the components of crime classification that you learned about., good essay on victim advocacy, a cat in the rain essay, free essay about gary becker.

Gary S. Becker was an American economist. He was one of the first individual economists to become interested in and formulate theories on issues surrounding crime, punishment, discrimination, and altruism; his theories often crossed the boundary between economics and sociology (Clement 2002). Although this is a common practice today, when Becker began his work as an economist, the two fields were vastly different; this paper will investigate the overlap between Becker’s work and sociological fields, as well as the major contributions he made to the field of economics.

Free Frances Lefkowitz Essay Sample

Example of martin luther king essay, good essay about poverty.

According to a survey on global issues almost half the world i.e. over three billion people, live on less than $2.50 a day. People are born in different cultures where they set up different definitions of an ideal life. Anybody living below that is not respected or is looked down. There is a bar set for that life which everybody should achieve. Even if one’s requirements are being met society will not accept, it since it is not meeting their requirements, and they would be looked down at with disgust, if not, then pity.

Good Essay About Class and Schooling

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

• About Project
• Testimonials

Business Management Ideas

Essay on Social Issues

List of essays on social issues, essay on social issues – for children (essay 1 – 200 words), essay on social issues (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on social issues – 10+ lines on social issues written in english (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on social issues – for school students (class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 standard) (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on social issues – short essay (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on social issues – poverty, corruption, caste system, dowry system, child labour, uncleanliness and others (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on social issues in india – for college and university students (essay 7 – 750 words), essay on social issues in india – long essay for competitive exams (essay 8 – 1000 words).

Social issues have plagued the life of too many people. Many times you may have noticed that a lot of things in the society which doesn’t seem good. For instance, you must have noticed poor children begging on the streets. They don’t go to school. They have been forced to beg for a living. Such circumstances along with others which affect the population at large are social issues.

Begging is an issue which arises out of poverty. Poverty is itself is one of the major social issues in India. It is important to understand the general social issues of our society and how they impact the lives of the people of the country. Therefore we have come up with long essays for students which shall throw more light on social issues.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 Standard) and college students. Furthermore, those students preparing for competitive exams like IAS, IPS and UPSC  can also increase their knowledge by studying these essays.

Social issues include issues like poverty, violence, crime, religion, illiteracy and racism that affect society.

What is a Social Issue?

A social issue is a problem that influences a considerable number of individuals. It is an aspect of society that people are concerned about and would like to get it changed. The concern of a social issue may be objective or subjective. A social issue arises due to diverse opinions of individuals based on what is perceived as right. Social issue does not necessarily refer to an ill to be solved, but it may be a topic to be discussed. Social issues can be different for different groups, societies, countries and world.

Causes of the Social Issues:

There are many causes of the social issues. Social issues arise due to inequalities in society. Different individuals and different societies may have different perceptions about a problem giving rise to a social issue. There can be disagreements about which social issue is important and worth solving, or which should take precedence.

Solving Social Issues:

There are a variety of methods to resolve variety of social issues. These include political processes, non-profit organizations, community groups and volunteering to have public dialogue on a social issue and arrive at a most acceptable solution.

Introduction:

‘Social Issues’ are the main factors that hinder the growth of a nation. The social issues that roots up in each society affects the country as a whole. Social issues are caused by humans and it is the humans who face its worst consequences also.

A social issue is something of real concern that affects a certain group of people . Social issues are not caused by a single person; it is the result of various happenings that are beyond a person’s control. This essay will take us through some of the social issues that are of great concern in today’s world.

Poverty means lack of money or material possessions and it is one of the most important social issue. The poverty level is higher in the rural areas as compared to urban areas. Poverty leads to many other social problems such as lack of food, education and health.

Gender Bias:

Discrimination based on gender is another social issue which is commonly found in most of the developing countries. Importance is given only to male and the voice of female is less heard even in the households.

Caste Discrimination:

Discriminating people based on their castes is a social issue that needs to be plucked out. This is a serious social issue because this has taken many innocent lives. Poverty and lack of education are the main reasons for such social issue to rise.

Conclusion:

Most of the social problems still exists because people are ignorant of its consequences. The Government and NGO’s must work together to eliminate the social issues from society by educating the people through awareness programmes.

Social issues have plagued the life of too many people. Our society in particular is crippled with several social issues. There was a time when social issues like dowry, child marriage, and sati and so on were prevalent. It took a lot of efforts for some of the social issues to be banned completely. The tradition of sati wherein women ended up burning themselves after the death of their husband was something which called for a ban.

The Modern Day Society:

Even though we have become independent and are en route to the modern society, there are plenty of social issues which need to be addressed. The fact that women are not at par with men and the presence of gender disparity is surely one concern which should be addressed.

Not only this, it is also important to address social issues like poverty, mismanagement of wealth, caste system and so on. The people of lower caste are still looked down upon and the concept of untouchables is still present in our society.

The Remedial Measures:

Mere talking about the problem is not going to do anything. It is important to really seek the right solution. If you want to get rid of social issues, it is about time that we create the right awareness for it.

Education needs to be offered to the masses so that they understand why the presence of certain social issues needs to be eradicated. When women would be educated enough to know that they deserve the same as men, they would fight for their own cause.

So, try to create an awareness channel and educate the masses about how certain social issues are doing nothing but crippling our society. We need to be the change that we are looking to bring. Often, it is one movement which triggers a phenomenal change.

Social issues are found in abundance in our country. Some of the common social issues which seem to have plagued the Indian society are child abuse, illiteracy, drug abuse, child trafficking, poverty, unemployment, gender disparity, and so on. It is really important for the nation to come together and take a stand against these problems.

If we do not do our bit right now, these social issues might become too huge for our country to function properly.

The Dark Future:

The reason we are emphasizing so much when it comes to eradicating social issues is because it can put our future in grave trouble. Think of a country whose youth is largely uneducated and unemployed. Do you really believe that such a country can steer forth in the right direction? How will such a nation prosper if our leaders of tomorrow have barely any knowledge of how the world economy functions? Education and employment are two of the vital things that form the base for all kinds of progress.

Gender Disparity:

Further, when we are talking about the possible issues regarding gender disparity, it is important to understand that women too deserve the right position in the Indian society. If you are not willing to give women the equal rights and they cannot walk at par with men, the future of the nation doesn’t look too bright. In today’s times, it is really important to address such social issues because women are equally talented and if it is so, they deserve the same thing as men.

It is a shame that in a lot of Indian households, women aren’t granted the right to higher education nor are they allowed to work. What type of society is this and what is the example we are showing to the rest of the world!

Addressing the Social Issues:

When you are looking to remedy the situation and improve the condition of the society, we need to think of the best way to handle social issues. We believe that it is with the right educational awareness that changes can be brought. Try and have sessions wherein we educate the masses about the need to get rid of such social issues and come up with strategies and plans regarding how you can do so.

Every little step can end up creating a ripple effect and might help you strip the country of the woes of social issues. So, do your bit now!

Social issues are a general word that is used for a variety of situations and actions that affect the society. These issues can be changed only with a certain kind of social planning.

Social issues affect every member of the society directly as well as indirectly. Some people considered the social issues as the issues or disputes which are linked to the people’s moral values.

Social Issues in the Society:

The following are the 4 main groups in which the social issues can be categorized:

1. Political Social Issues:

Politics is a procedure in which some groups of people utilize their power and impact to function in an organized way for mutual decision making. It is also considered as one of the biggest social issues as the maximum number of verdicts declared by the governments might not essentially help the poor people in the society. In fact, the leaders gratify their self-centered interests with the misuse of public funds.

2. Pollution Social Issues:

Pollution results in instability, illness, harm or distress to the environment. The human activities such as industrial activities have made this problem one of the major social issues. The man-made activities result in the pollution of the soil and water to a great extent.

3. Climate change Social Issues:

It is the alteration in statistical dispersal of climate which might include the change in the weather or change in the amount of rainfall due to human activities like pollution. These social issues influence the patterns of weather in diverse areas.

One of the recent examples of this social issue is global warming which is instigated by human activities from the past several years. Altering patterns of climate influence the economic activities like farming that result in poverty among the people who survives on it.

4. Poverty Social Issues:

It is the absence of general human requirements, like clean water, nutrition, health care, clothing and shelter, and education. This social issue occurs due to the lack of funds that can help in meeting the expenses of the daily needs.

Mainly, there are 2 kinds of poverty i.e., relative poverty and absolute poverty. In relative poverty, there are comparatively fewer resources or fewer funds in the society in comparison to other societies of the world. On the other hand, Absolute poverty means when there are no resources.

Poverty is one of the biggest social issues as it decreases economic development owing to less production. At present, steady and constant economic growth of the nation has been inhibited by the absence of economic independence for numerous persons owing to related issues like political uncertainty, exploitation, as well as unemployment.

All the above four social issues influence every country and society in the world. It is very important to deal with these social issues seriously if we want to relish the quality life.

The problem of global warming is an inkling to reverse the entire human progress that is attained in so many years. In fact, it will make efforts towards the poverty reduction unattainable. Besides this, the political solutions are also needed for overcoming all types of social issues in the future.

Social issues are those problems in a society by which a significant population is affected and requires immediate solution. Right from the most basic problem of poverty that kills people physically to the problem of social media that affects children mentally, there are a variety of social issues in the society that have affected considerable amount of population and requires solution urgently.

It is shocking to note that Global Hunger Index places India on the 97th position in terms of starvation. Statistics also indicate that about 15% of the Indian population is undernourished. Therefore, it has become an undeniable fact that poverty exists in India although the politicians, the media and the general public have failed to recognise it. Food security is the basic right of every citizen and the Government must ensure effective laws to fulfill it.

Corruption:

Corruption is a social issues which includes the misuse of authority in public and private services for personal gains. It is the root cause for all other social evils and backwardness in the society. Though India is developing into a super power on the one hand, it is being pulled down on many grounds due to corruption. If the general public restrains from offering bribe, then truthfulness and transparency would prevail in the administration. It requires a change from both the corrupted and affected people.

Caste System:

Caste System discriminates the citizens and causes unnecessary tensions in the society. Though many leaders and stakeholders have been working since independence days, it still remains a social issue. The first step in this direction is the removal of reservations based on caste system. Though inter-caste marriages have been prevalent in the last few decades, the reservations have been adding fuel to the waning caste system.

Dowry System:

The dowry system has been affecting the women of the society in many ways. Though many pioneers have worked to eradicate this social issue for several decades, it has also been prevalent in the society. Some steps that help overcome this social issue includes economic freedom to women through inheriting family properties and employment. It requires the combined effort of both the offending and affected parties to root out this social evil.

Child Labour:

This social issue against children prevents the right of a child to enjoy its childhood and attend regular schooling. The inability of parents and selfishness of employers work together to promote child labour. Online help systems have been initiated to locate child labourers, rescue them and provide relief from their suffering. The general public requires more awareness to eradicate this social issue.

Uncleanliness:

The progress of a society is determined by the cleanliness maintained in public places, workplaces and residences. Cleanliness ensures good health, provides good feeling, promotes confidence and demands respect from others. Uncleanliness, on the other hand, acts as deterrent for the progress and prosperity of the nation as well as demean the society.

Other Social Issues:

Apart from the social issues listed above, there are a variety of social issues that affect various sections of the society. They include terrorism, human rights issues, issues related to women like female foeticide, discrimination on status, jobs and wages etc., drugs abuse, child abuse, unemployment, population explosion, unrestrained use of social media, etc.

Recognition of the social issues is the first step to find solution. Most of the issues are due to lack of awareness and could be addressed through sensitization programs from the Governments and stakeholders. Since many social issues like sati, untouchability  etc., have been dealt successfully in the past, the future holds hope to deal with the current social issues.

Social issues are those that concern the society and the change in these issues are the only way to solve them. In our country, there are many social issues that create a disturbance in the smooth life of every citizen.

These social issues are those that deal with the mind-set of a group of people who belongs to a particular condition that alters their mind and their concern on the issue changes the way they react. There are many such issues that have created both social and political imbalance in our country over years.

India being a country with vast diversity has faced many social issues varying in different aspects, till date. For example, the different and versatile people have the same difference in their feeling and emotions about their religion, caste, colour, believes, lifestyle, etc. Social issues have a great impact on the development and betterment of a country and its people.

Some of the social issues that concern our country:

Social issues vary according to time, place people, etc. There are some common issues that affect society in a considerably negative way. Let us take a look at some of them.

Poverty is one of those major social issues yet to be resolved in our country. This simple issue has chained other massive issues to evolve like child labour, female infanticide, discrimination and more. If this basic problem gets resolved the major concern of our country will be wiped away.

Poverty is a state in the life where the basic needs of a person cannot be fulfilled with their income. The unemployment and lack of education can be the major reason behind this social issue. Social issues like poverty can be solved only through introducing other schemes like free education, better employment opportunities, etc.

This state of poverty pushes the family to find a more secure way to get their safe zone, which in turn gives rise to other social issues. One of them is child labour and this is occurred due to the money gaining mentality of society.

Child labour is another social issue. Poor parents send their children to small jobs where they are forced to work hard to get considerably less money as a reward. Social issues arise when the child is denied his childhood and basic education due to poverty. This not only affects them physically but also mentally due to the pressure and heavy workload they do.

Female Discrimination:

Poverty is one of the reasons that creates discrimination against females. Social issues like female infanticide, denial of education of girl child, domestic violence, etc., are included in this category. Due to poverty or narrow mind-set girl child is seen to be denied their rights even from their birth.

A poor family thinking girl child is a liability abort them in the womb itself to solve the problem of poverty and later hardships. This is one of those social issues that was a common practice in the earlier years and now the government has issued many laws to stop this inhumanity.

Social issues regarding women have a comparatively long list to be addressed. Poverty also leads to denial of education of girl child. This is different from child labour in a way that this focuses fully on the girl child rather than a child.

The parents get to the mentality that educating a girl is completely unwanted money wastage as they get married to another man and no good is there for the family. This thinking in unaware families creates one of the most right denial issues among the social issues category.

Social issues like domestic violence also arise due to such unawareness among the people about the importance of women and their rights, which should be solved completely to improve the state of women and children in the society.

The above mentioned social issues are only some of them that are a threat to the nation and decreases the opportunity in developing a better place. There are more to be added in the list like religion discrimination, harmony in the society, etc., other than that the naturally occurring social issues are pollution rate, global warming, etc.

S olution to Social Issues:

All these social issues can only be solved through mutual efforts of the people and the greater schemes introduced by the government. If these social issues are resolved correctly or even get reduced, it will directly show results on the development of the nation and thus the development of each citizen’s lifestyle. Solutions to Social issues can only be provided by educating and creating awareness among the people about the evil effects of the existing social issues.

Social issues are the issues which affect the larger sections of the society. They have been discussed since ancient times. In fact, these very social issues have been instrumental in bringing upon a change in our society from time to time.

Historical References:

India is a country of different cultures, religions, languages and beliefs. Therefore, within the same country there lie different social issues which differ from region to region, state to state. Social issues in India are not something new. They have been there since ancient times.

For instance, the caste system in India is a social issue which has been there since the earlier times and exists even today. Similarly, untouchability is another social issue which has been existent in India since older times. Such issues have affected the development of the people as well as society. They are often the cause of hatred among people and lead to conflicts and sometimes even riots.

Current Social Issues:

As in any other society, there are some social issues which are prevalent at a given period of time. India is a no different country. It has its own share of social issues. India is a developing country. Therefore, poverty is a major social issue here. At the time of independence, a large population of India was struggling with basic needs such as food shelter and clothing.

Even today, such facilities are lacking in the rural areas of the country. People have to travel long distances in search of potable water. Despite many initiatives by the Government as well as private organisations, still, a large section of the population lives below the poverty line. This hampers the overall development of the country.

Illiteracy is among the major social issues which have affected the growth of the country. However, there are many causes of this social issue. On one hand, it is the lack of education facilities especially in the rural belt which has led to the people being illiterate. On the other hand, it is the reluctance of people to send their children to school has also resulted in a high illiteracy rate in the country. Due to illiteracy and ignorance, the people are not able to avail the facilities provided by the government.

The caste system is another of such social issues which has deep roots in the society. In India, people are divided among four castes, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. Among all these, the Shudras are considered as the lowest and are looked upon as untouchables in the society.

The upper castes do not allow the lower ones to avail even the basic facilities such as drawing water from the same well. Often this has been a cause of hatred and fights among the people. However, with different schemes introduced by the government from time to time, things have started changing. Now, the Shudras are provided jobs, education and other facilities at par with other citizens of the country.

Social issues which have been abolished:

Not all social issues are permanent in society. There are many such social issues which existed earlier, but with changing mind-sets of the people and awareness among the citizens, many of them have been abolished. For instance, Sati system was one such social issue which was actually cruelty against women. In case the husband of a woman dies, she was required to burn herself alive in the pyre of her husband. Women had no right to live in a society without their husbands. But with the initiatives of leaders such a Raja Ram Mohan Roy such evil practices were abolished.

Similarly, polygamy was a social issue in India since ancient times. A man was allowed to marry many women. Kings of earlier times had many queens. Women were treated as objects and married off as presents to men. However, with changing times and introduction of different laws such practice has been abolished.

Similar to this is the social issue of child marriage. Earlier, girls and boys were married as soon as they attained puberty. In fact, it was a general mind-set to marry off a girl within two years of her attaining puberty. Due to such practices, the girls were not able to have equal opportunities in education as men.

In fact, they were not treated as equal to men in any matter. However, with laws in place, this practice was termed illegal. As per the laws enacted by the Indian Government, a minimum age of 18 for girls and 21 for boys has been fixed for marriage. However, in remote parts of the country, such practices still exist and there are initiatives by the government from time to time in educating people about the evil aspects of this practice.

In spite of the fact that Governmental and NGOs are moving in the direction of enhancing the current condition in the social issues, the results are not exceptionally reassuring. Maybe the issue lies in the plain profound established convictions in the psyches of individuals of the nation which isn’t letting the circumstance to change such social issues. For example, the issue of Female Feticides is one of the disgraceful practices. Despite the fact that there are different rules in place which term this practice an illegal, it is still rampant in many parts of the country.

The genuine purpose behind this is the Patriarchy arrangement of the society of our nation which thinks about male as the better specialist and ladies as subordinate than them. Along these lines, the exceptionally powerful urge of having a male youngster in contrast with female prompted the disgraceful routine with regards to female feticides. In this manner, it is conviction framework or the social moulding of the general population which isn’t letting the general public to change at a quick pace.

Despite the fact that there have been a few positive changes in the general public, for example, presently young girls are going to school in greater part and their business proportion is likewise expanding, education facilities are available in rural areas, the backwards are provided equal opportunities, and still we have a long way to go.

We witness many social issues every day such as inequality against women in our own homes, sexual savagery against ladies which is being heard on a consistent schedule, female feticide, religious-mutual brutality which is on the ascent, untouchability which is yet a reality and child labour which still exists. Unless and until we change our mind-sets, nothing can change in our society. It is up to us whether we see these as social issues or accept them as a part of our society.

Essay , Social Issues

Get FREE Work-at-Home Job Leads Delivered Weekly!

Join more than 50,000 subscribers receiving regular updates! Plus, get a FREE copy of How to Make Money Blogging!

Message from Sophia!

Like this post? Don’t forget to share it!

Here are a few recommended articles for you to read next:

• Essay on Gender Equality in India
• Essay on Causes of Global Warming
• Essay on Illiteracy in India
• Essay on Starvation in India

No comments yet.

Leave a reply click here to cancel reply..

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Billionaires

• Donald Trump
• Warren Buffett
• Email Address
• Free Stock Photos
• Keyword Research Tools
• URL Shortener Tools
• WordPress Theme

Book Summaries

• How To Win Friends
• Rich Dad Poor Dad
• The Code of the Extraordinary Mind
• The Luck Factor
• The Millionaire Fastlane
• The ONE Thing
• Think and Grow Rich
• 100 Million Dollar Business
• Business Ideas

Digital Marketing

• Mobile Addiction
• Social Media Addiction
• Computer Addiction
• Drug Addiction
• Internet Addiction
• TV Addiction
• Healthy Habits
• Morning Rituals
• Wake up Early
• Cholesterol
• Reducing Cholesterol
• Fat Loss Diet Plan
• Reducing Hair Fall
• Sleep Apnea
• Weight Loss

Internet Marketing

• Email Marketing

Law of Attraction

• Subconscious Mind
• Vision Board
• Visualization

Law of Vibration

• Professional Life

Motivational Speakers

• Bob Proctor
• Robert Kiyosaki
• Vivek Bindra
• Inner Peace

Productivity

• Not To-do List
• Project Management Software
• Negative Energies

Relationship

• Getting Back Your Ex

Self-help 21 and 14 Days Course

Self-improvement.

• Body Language
• Complainers
• Emotional Intelligence
• Personality

Social Media

• Project Management
• Anik Singal
• Baba Ramdev
• Dwayne Johnson
• Jackie Chan
• Leonardo DiCaprio
• Narendra Modi
• Nikola Tesla
• Sachin Tendulkar
• Sandeep Maheshwari
• Shaqir Hussyin

Website Development

Wisdom post, worlds most.

• Expensive Cars

Our Portals: Gulf Canada USA Italy Gulf UK

Privacy Overview

227 Amazing College Persuasive Essay Topics [Free Ideas]

Ever wondered what a persuasive essay is? Are you struggling to differentiate it from an argumentative one? Do you think it’s impossible to find original persuasive speech topics for college students?

If you have answered yes to any question, you’ve come to the right place. Our team can help you!

A persuasive essay is a piece of academic writing that convinces readers to accept the author’s position and agree with their ideas. Through clear arguments and examples, the writer demonstrates the legitimacy of their point of view.

Below, we have provided a list of the most interesting and unique college persuasive essay topics. So, don’t waste any more of your time searching for the right title. Use our ideas and create an outstanding persuasive essay!

• 👉 How to Choose?
• ✨ Best Speech Topics
• 🎓 Ideas on Education
• 📜 Topics on History
• ⚖ Ideas on Politics
• 👍 Topics on Sociology
• 💰 Ideas on Economics
• 🚌 Transportation
• 🌿 Environment
• ⚙ Technology
• 🌍 Traveling
• ✌ Lifestyle
• 🏫 Teenagers
• 📚 Literature
• 🖐 25 More Topics

👉 How to Choose a Persuasive Essay Topic for College?

The main secret of the successful persuasive essay is a compelling topic. Therefore, when choosing the right persuasive topic, follow these few simple pieces of advice:

• Re-read the assignment . The task that you’ve received from your tutor can be of great assistance. You just have to read it correctly. Unfortunately, college students tend to underestimate the power of the question. Don’t make this mistake. Read your assignment carefully because it can provide clues on the topic to look for.
• Brainstorm ideas. Before writing any paper, college students have to research. It will ensure the argumentative part of the persuasive essay. To understand what to examine, have an ideation session, and consider a variety of ideas. Picking the most appropriate one, you’ll see where to start your research. Try to find as many topics as you can. Free college essays collection is a good place to check out as a part of your session. You’ll be able to see what topics are already covered, and what you can expand upon. It will make your investigation and writing processes easier!
• Don’t pick an idea if it’s too broad . You may think that in this case, you’ll have plenty of things to argue about. Well, maybe a bit too many. In your essay, you should cover an entire topic so that it sounds convincing. When the idea is too broad, you can’t fit every argument in one paper. So, specify your title. For instance, you want to persuade your readers to stay healthy. Then don’t investigate all the aspects of maintaining health. Focus on one specific issue. For example, explore the positive influence of sport on the general health condition of a human being.
• Ensure that you have credible sources. In some colleges, even the smallest essays may require a list of references. Thus, make sure you have materials to research and later list as your sources. Remember: Good persuasive paper topics for college have to offer a wide variety of sources to investigate. So, if you are not confident in your materials, better change the title. It will prevent you from a lack of evidence to support your arguments.
• Choose a topic of personal interest. We’re not compelling you to write something that you enjoy when it contradicts the assignment. But try to select an idea that doesn’t bore you from reading it out loud. It is always more pleasurable to write on a topic you are passionate about. Don’t miss your chance to make turn your essay writing process into an exciting activity.
• Select something you have an opinion about, but open to debate. Your tutors can disagree with your position. Nevertheless, it is not a reason to give up. It’s the right time to show your critical thinking skills. State your position clearly and provide convincing arguments to support it. Show your readers that you can change your position if you see some compelling data. It can give you some extra credit. The best persuasion topics for college create an environment for debates and discussions.
• Be unique! In colleges, the amount of papers done daily is enormous. Don’t make your professors read about the importance of waste sorting, for example, yet again. The topic of environmental protection is undoubtedly extremely significant. However: It is way too overused. The professors are tired of reading essays on the same issues again and again. Surprise them and stand out.

✨ 12 Best Persuasive Speech Topics for College Students

• How important is mental health?
• Is online school more effective?
• Are GMO products good?
• Is social media dangerous?
• What’s wrong with the education system?
• Does recycling work?
• Is veganism bad for the environment?
• Should foreign policy be feminist?
• Is marriage an obsolete institution?
• Can protests and demonstrations bring change?
• Can alternative medicine actually work?
• Is modern advertising unethical?

🔑 Essential College Persuasive Essay Topics

We bet, every college student at least once had an assignment to write a persuasive essay. Haven’t you had yet? The best is yet to come! Thus, you have to be prepared to face all the challenges of a persuasive essay composing.

Searching for interesting persuasive essay topics is a complicated issue. However, you don’t have to worry about it. Our team of experts gathered the most popular and effective ideas in one place.

Don’t stress out about the topic:

Take a look at our list of persuasive essay topics for college students. We divided our ideas into sections so that you can find the most appropriate one. So, you can easily navigate throughout our page for a more effective search.

🎓 College Persuasive Essay Ideas on Education

• An educational system should encourage creativity .
• Student diversity should be present in a school classroom .
• Why should college students care about their mental and physical health?
• Why should we stop girls’ discrimination in the modern educational system?
• Why should computer science programs be taught in colleges and universities?
• Why should parents take part in their children’s education?

• Why reading performance of students with learning disabilities should be improved?
• Studying abroad results in better education.
• Homework does not help in the learning process.
• The costs of higher education should be reduced.
• A grade does not show a student’s knowledge.
• The Internet overuse blocks the mental development of a modern teenager.
• Education should not depend on technologies.
• Essay writing develops the critical thinking skills of students.
• Foreign language learning should be mandatory in school . Conduct research on how foreign languages influence children and teenagers. What are the positive sides of such education? Then, persuade your readers that foreign languages are essential in the school core curriculum.
• Art classes should be a priority in middle school . Elaborate on the importance of the development of the sense of art for children and teenagers. Why should art classes be higher in the list of priorities than technical or science courses? How can the right perception of art help pupils in future life?
• The core curriculum of the high school should not be too broad. Why do we have to narrow down our focus in high school? Explain how teenagers will benefit from studying particular subjects instead of getting general knowledge. Convince your readers about the importance of focusing on a specific field in high school.
• A gap year before entering the university is beneficial. Give persuading evidence why students should take a gap year. What are the advantages? Make your readers debate whether a gap year is worth considering. Finally, convince them that it is worth it.
• Mobile phones should not be allowed in school. State your position regarding the usage of smartphones during the learning process. What adverse ramifications do the mobile phones have on the academic results of pupils? Persuade your readers to prohibit phone usage in school.
• Traditional education is more effective than remote learning . How the benefits of the conventional way of learning outweigh the advantages of remote education? Compare the aspects of remote learning for different age groups: 1st grade age, 6th grade age, and a college student.

📜 College Persuasive Essay Topics on History

• The American Revolution was a turning point in USA history.
• The year 1763 is crucial in US history.
• The media played a crucial role in promoting the Vietnam War .
• We shouldn’t underestimate the significance of African-American social reform.
• Technological advancement of the 17th century was a new era in world history.
• Without Enlightenment and Romantic Age , the European culture wouldn’t be so progressive nowadays.

• People should’ve stopped the propaganda of Adolf Hitler and Jim Jones before the intensive development.
• The historical influence of Abraham Lincoln should become a role model for modern political figures.
• Americans should have abolished slavery in the United States way earlier.
• The four voyages by Christopher Columbus are crucial in the progress of world history.
• Cultural exchanges in the medieval period significantly impacted the civilizations.
• Protestant reformation was the most influential Christian movement.
• Japanese women in the Middle Ages should have been more powerful.
• The world war should never happen again.
• The age of exploration . Who are the key figures? How did they impact world history formation? Convince your readers of the importance of the age of exploration.
• The Mayan calendar system did not predict the end of the world . Investigate the Mayan calendar system. What is your explanation of the fact that the calendar system ended in the year 2012? Persuade your readers that the suggestions about the end of the world in 2012 are false.
• Racial discrimination in America violated human rights to a great extend . Give a brief overview of racial discrimination in the USA. Persuade the readers to perceive racial discrimination as an act of human rights violation.
• Apollo 11 – the first spaceflight that landed people on the Moon . Discuss the importance of this event. Convince your readers about the significance of the Moon exploration.
• History studying should become the top priority for students. The knowledge of history may help to prevent mistakes from the past. So, persuade your readers to explore historical events.
• Holocaust should not be justified and denied . What are the horrible consequences of holocaust tragedy? Analyze an opinion regarding the denial of the holocaust. Persuade the readers not to support this idea.

⚖ College Persuasive Essay Ideas on Politics

• Civil rights of black Americans should not be limited.
• Migration should not be restricted because it has certain benefits to modern countries .
• In the battle of socialism vs. democracy , the second one should win.

• Nationalism in international relations should be accepted.
• E-government should become transparent and accountable for the citizens .
• Celebrities should stay aside from political activities.
• The laws for each state of America should become common.
• A voting system should be transparent.
• Ordinary people should not be allowed to own guns.
• The federal tax return process should become more manageable.
• Individual rights versus the common good . Express your position regarding the issue. What do you support: individual rights or common good? Persuade the readers to follow your ideas.
• Gay marriage should be allowed . If you don’t agree with the topic, express the opposing opinion. Elaborate on your arguments and provide counterarguments. Exclude harsh comments and offensive language from the narrative.
• The death penalty cannot be justified . Why do you think so? Give clear arguments to support your opinion. If you believe that the death penalty is justifiable, prove your position.
• Electronic voting in the United States should not be banned . Present the positive sides of this way of voting and convince the readers in your rightness. Don’t you agree with this opinion? Then, provide counterarguments.
• Abortion should be legal . Provide clear arguments to express your position. Or provide counterarguments to contradict the idea of abortion legalization.

👍 College Persuasive Essay Topics on Sociology

• Community services should be provided for mentally disabled people .
• Equality and diversity are the main social issues .
• Interpersonal communication skills are crucial in modern society.
• Gender inequalities in the 21st century should be overcome .
• Should the Canadian government legalize prostitution?
• Max Weber’s rationality theory should be accepted by society .
• China should take specific steps to overcome the overpopulation problem .
• Gender stereotypes in a family should be dismantled.

• Abusive relationships in a family should not be hidden.
• Implementing more tough punishments on the lawbreakers should reduce the crime rates of the USA.
• Does family promote or limit mobility? Choose one side of the issue and provide clear arguments to support your ideas.
• Divorce has negative effects on children . Do you agree with this statement? Convince the readers to accept your point of view by stating your position clearly and powerfully.
• Birth control should be monitored on a governmental level. Express your opinion regarding birth control in modern society. Conduct a study on the cultural, religious, and political aspects of the birth control issue.
• Is there the right age to get married? Decide if there are any age suggestions to create a family or no? Support your choice with bright ideas and appropriate examples.
• To resolve the conflict, we need to know the nature of the conflict . Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Provide strong arguments to make people believe in your point of view. How do you think psychology works while resolving the conflict?

💰 College Persuasive Essay Ideas on Economics

• Competing theories are the core of economic development.
• We have to consider John Locke’s and Karl Marx’s economic ideas nowadays.
• Demand and supply correlation in the market matters a lot.
• Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” concept can improve modern economics .
• If we want to stabilize the economy, we have to implement the monetary policy .
• Should big banks be broken up?
• We should consider the relationship between money supply and inflation while preventing the high level of inflation.
• We shouldn’t take the Keynesian explanation of the recession too seriously.
• Industrialization plays a significant role in economic development.
• Small business owners should receive financial support during the period of crisis.

• The governments should reduce monopoly power.
• The role of understanding the goals of human resource management in the context of human capital theory . Explain the significance of effective HR management for a business flourishing. Persuade your readers to invest enough resources in human capital.
• Exchange regimes have a significant impact on macroeconomic performance . Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Provide well-developed arguments to prove your point of view. Persuade your readers to accept your position.
• Consumer behavior is different in every country. If you agree, develop this idea by providing strong arguments. If you don’t, state your position. Either way, support your arguments with supporting evidence. Make your readers follow your opinion.
• The understanding of the basic concepts of economics is essential for every person . Explain how the knowledge of economics can help people to manage their money wisely. How to survive during the crisis? How to lead a business successfully, etc. Persuade your readers to study the basics of economics.

💡 Interesting College Persuasive Essay Topics

Are you already impressed with a diversity of topics our team collected for you? But don’t think that’s all we have to offer for you. Since our mission is to help you, we have more persuasive essay ideas for college to share.

Below, you can find more fascinating ideas for your assignments. For your convenience, we divided persuasive essay topics for college into several sections. Investigate our ideas and don’t hesitate to use them.

🚌 Transportation Persuasive Essay Topics

• Planes should newer take off if weather conditions are inappropriate .
• Never drive a car if you are under the alcohol or drug effect .
• Hybrid cars are environmentally friendly, so they should become the future of the transportation industry .
• Why should people study driving?
• The usage of alternative energy resources should reshape the global transportation infrastructure .
• The governments should invest enough money in public transport advancement .
• Cars usage should be regulated .
• A school bus should be checked at least once a month to ensure the safety of pupils.
• The reserves of petroleum should be replenished to provide a proper transportation industry operation.
• The shipping of essential goods during the state of emergency (quarantine, dangerous natural conditions, etc.) should be free.
• We should use public transport instead of private cars to save the environment.
• Hybrid engine vs. standard engine . Examine the positive and negative aspects of both of them. Which one would you prefer? Persuade your readers to support your opinion by giving clear arguments.
• Information technology influences the logistics industry to a great extent . Provide appropriate examples of the IT impact on logistics. Convince your readers of the importance of your opinion.
• The role of transportation in the development of tourism . Prove your audience that transportation progress has a direct impact on tourism opportunities.

• We have to reduce the use of crude oil in the transportation industry . What are the possible adverse ramifications of such oil usage? Persuade your readers to limit applying this type of fuel. If you don’t agree with the idea, express the opposing opinion. Elaborate on your arguments and provide counterarguments.

🌿 Environmental Persuasive Essay Topics

• The government should control the overpopulation to prevent consequences for the environment .
• Human activity should be limited to preserve biodiversity .
• We have to examine an ecologically sustainable approach .
• Alternative energy sources are essential for saving the planet .
• We should try our best to live a zero-waste lifestyle .
• Saving endangered species must be a top priority issue for environmental organizations.
• Solar energy can save the environment.
• Hunting sports should be banned because they harm biodiversity.
• The conservation of global resources is necessary for maintaining the lifecycle of the planet.
• Waste sorting should be mandatory all around the world.
• Stopping deforestation will prevent the loss of natural habitat for animals.
• Tourism negatively affects wildlife. Comment no the negative consequences of traveling on nature. If you believe that tourism does not harm wildlife, provide counterarguments to claim your position.
• Farming has to be wise. Explain how intensive farming damages nature. Convince your readers about the importance of following the farming rules. They can help to prevent intensive farming’s adverse ramifications.
• The Prime Days on Amazon should be banned . Explain how the incredibly low prices on items during the Prime Days result in extremely high costs for the environment. Persuade your readers to resist the desire to buy unnecessary goods from Amazon.
• Without rainforests, our planet will suffocate . Prove the significance of the preservation of the rainforests for the environment.

⚙ Technology Persuasive Essay Ideas

• Globalization influences computer technologies to a great extent .
• The government should implement Internet censorship .
• Cloud computing is an innovative era in computer science .
• Cyberbullying should be controlled to prevent a negative influence on youth .
• Dependency on computers is a considerable threat to human well-being .
• Data and information security should be a top concern of every internet user .
• Investing money in developing information technology systems is profitable for companies.
• The internet blocks the development of human intelligence.
• To prevent the development of serious illnesses, we should use genetic technology.
• Technological advancement should focus on the improvement of the health sector.
• We have to use technology wisely to make people smarter.
• A scientific revolution started the technological advancement. Convince your readers about the importance of the scientific revolution in technological development. If you don’t agree with the topic, express the opposing opinion, providing counterarguments.
• E-books or audiobooks will never replace paper books. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? State your position clearly and make your readers accept it.
• Nowadays, society is too dependent on computer technologies . Comment on its negative and positive sides in the life of modern people. Persuade the readers not to overuse technology in everyday life.
• Technology and science complement each other. Provide clear arguments to prove this idea or counterarguments to disprove it.

😃 Easy College Persuasive Topics

Do you think that persuasive essays have to cover only serious or global issues? Do you feel as if you have to be overwhelmed with the complexity of the subject? You are mistaken. A paper won’t become less successful if it explores even everyday life topics.

That’s why:

We prepared the next section of the article for you. Here you can find simple persuasive essay ideas for college students. Select a fascinating topic and compose an outstanding essay.

🎶 Persuasive Essay Ideas for College about Music

• Music has a significant impact on culture .
• Music preferences depend on personality type .
• Music can influence our behavior .

• Songs with lyrics that promote violent behavior should be banned.
• A musician is not just a job; it is a vocation.
• Medical workers should investigate the positive effect of music on mental illnesses’ treatment.
• Music can be helpful in the learning process.
• Good song lyrics can inspire people . Provide a sample of inspiring verses. How can it motivate listeners? Persuade the readers to pay attention to the song lyrics while listening to music.
• A guitar is always a good idea for friendly gatherings . Prove to your readers that several songs played on a guitar can create a warm and cozy atmosphere.
• Rap reflects violence. This is a generally accepted opinion. Do you agree or disagree with it? Prove your point of view by providing well-developed arguments.

🌍 Persuasive Topics for College on Traveling

• While traveling, health and safety issues should be a top priority .
• Tourism should be sustainable .
• A trip to India will make you see the world from the other side.
• Summer will become more memorable and fascinating if you travel.
• Traveling broadens people’s minds.
• Traveling with family or friends is an essential part of a happy life.
• Spending a holiday on a trip is always more pleasurable than in front of a TV or computer.
• Every person should visit Europe at least once in life. Explain why Europe is a must-see destination for every tourist.
• People should travel as much as they want. Persuade people not to resist the desire to explore new places by listing the advantages of traveling.
• Traveling is affordable for everyone. Persuade people to visit various countries, even with a limited budget.

✌ Persuasive Essay Ideas for College about Lifestyle

• Parents should be responsible for their children’s obesity .
• Proper nutrition and positive behavior prevent cancer .
• A healthy lifestyle prevents aging .
• Weight management programs and hypnotherapy are useful in maintaining good shape and a healthy organism .
• An active way of life should replace a sedentary lifestyle to prevent heart diseases.
• You should plan your weight loss process wisely.
• Well-balanced nutrition is a way to a healthy and beautiful body.
• Regular yoga and fitness will help you to maintain mental and physical wellness.
• Regular physical activities and enough sleep can help students to study better.
• Media influences the development of eating disorders . Explain the mechanisms media’s effect on eating disorders. Persuade your readers to pay enough attention to the information on social media.

📺 Persuasive Topics for College about Media

• The role of mass media in modern society shouldn’t be underestimated .
• Media affects the way people look at society .

• TV shows have a negative influence on children .
• Parents should control the effects of mass media advertising on teenagers .
• Professional psychologists should review every cartoon before being released on television.
• The information on the internet should be filtered to avoid the spreading of fake news.
• Censorship is a must-have for modern television.
• Old cartoons are more insightful than modern ones. Compare and contrast old and new animated films. Prove the usefulness of old ones. Convince the audience to make their children familiar with old cartoons.
• Social media develops an inferiority complex among teenagers . How pictures of luxurious life in social networking sites influence adolescents’ self-esteem? Persuade the readers to filter the information seen in social media.
• Mass media in the 1950s was more ethical than contemporary mass media. Analyze the ethical issues that are present in modern media. Why is following the ethical rules while sharing the information through the mass media vital?

🏫 Persuasive Essay Ideas for College on Teens

• Both abstinence and sex education should be taught in high schools .
• Professional psychologists or psychiatrists should treat anxiety disorders in children and adolescents .
• Cheating in schools should be strictly punished.
• Understanding teen depression is a crucial step in overcoming it.
• The federal government should enact anti-bullying laws .
• Bullying in school should be the main issue to deal with for the headteacher.
• The teenage period requires constant monitoring of children’s behavior by parents and teachers.
• Parents should have access to teenagers’ academic results.
• The mental health of teens is precarious. Convince the readers to monitor and maintain adolescents’ mental health.
• Parents should control social media usage by teenagers. Why should parents monitor the social networking accounts of their children? Explain why it is useful to teach teens how to behave on social media.

📚 Persuasive Topics for College on Literature

• Literature studying should be mandatory in schools.
• Literature teaches us how to live a worthy life.
• Robin Hood should become an example to follow.
• You have to read some books several times throughout life to get the idea.
• Lyric poetry may help in dealing with inner conflicts.
• William Shakespeare is an outstanding figure of English literature that should always be appreciated.
• Every person should have one book that will always remain their favorite one.
• The theme of Romeo and Juliet will always remain relatable. Support this idea by providing compelling arguments and examples from the play. If you don’t agree with the statement, present clear counterarguments to prove your point of view.
• The parents should read fairy tales to their children from early childhood. Persuade your audience to make their kids familiar with the fairy tales. Explain the importance of positive aspects of this genre of literature.
• Dorian Gray and Oscar Wilde are connected. Describe Oscar Wilde’s background. Analyze how the author reflected his personality in the character of Dorian Gray. Convince your readers to accept your point of view. Propose examples from the book and the author’s biography.

🖐 25 More Topics to Persuade College Students

Here you can find a pleasant bonus from our team—25 more ideas to write about. You can use them not only for essays but also as persuasive speech topics for college.

So, take the benefit of our list of topics. Show an outstanding academic performance in the college.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Family

• A happy relationship should be based on trust and honesty.
• In small and big families, parents should treat their children equally.
• After giving birth, motherhood should become the primary concern of a woman’s life.
• Parents should be the most significant support for their kids when they are sad, confused, or lost in life.
• Children should take their retired parents to their home instead of the nursing home.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Health

• Physical activity is an effective way to prevent heart diseases.
• People should quit smoking .
• Mental health is not less important than physical health.
• Well-balanced nutrition is key to a healthy body.
• Taking care of general wellness should be everyone’s primary concern.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Medicine

• Strong pain killers should be sold by prescription only.
• Drug prices should be set ethically .
• Herbal medications are the safest.
• Self-medication is extremely dangerous, even in the case of a simple cold or an allergy.
• Differentiating various forms of medicines is essential . What is the working principle of a capsule, pill, syrup, etc.? Prove that the inappropriate application will not have an appropriate effect.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Sports

• Visiting a gym is extremely useful for our health .
• Physical education should be mandatory in high school.
• Extreme sports are only for professional athletes.
• The governments should invest enough money in the development of sports schools.
• Football is not only for boys. Women can create a successful football team, as well.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Religion

• Discrimination by religion or culture should not be acceptable in modern society.
• Every person should have a right to choose a god or goddess to worship.
• The representatives of different religions should be tolerant of each other.
• The attitude towards wealth in Christianity differs from the perception of wealth in Islam.
• Any other religious representatives should not criticize the central beliefs of Judaism .

Thank you for visiting our page! We hope the information was useful to you. Don’t forget to leave your comments and share the article with other students.

🔗 References

• Persuasive Essays, Writing Resources, Hamilton College
• Persuasive Essay Outline: HCC Learning Web, Houston Community College
• Choosing a Topic for Your College Essay: Essay Writing Center, International Student
• Choosing College Essay Topics: Accepted
• 35 College Essay Prompts and Topics: Kayla Rutledge, SignUpGenius
• How to Write a College Essay: Kelly Mae Ross, Devon Haynie, and Josh Moody for U.S. News
• How To Answer the 2022-23 Common App Essay Prompts: College Essay Advisors
• Writing a Political Science Essay: Charles King, Georgetown University
• Writing a Paper about an Environmental Issue: Frederic Beaudry, ThoughtCo
• Evidence: The Writing Center, the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill
• Introducing Quotations and Paraphrases: UNSW Current Students
• How Do I Write an Intro, Conclusion, & Body Paragraph: College of Literature, Science, and Arts, University of Michigan
• Essay Writing Guide for Psychology Students: Saul McLeod, Simply Psychology
• How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Writing Guides, Ultius
• Share via Facebook
• Share via X
• Share via LinkedIn
• Share via email

By clicking "Post Comment" you agree to IvyPanda’s Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions . Your posts, along with your name, can be seen by all users.

Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission.

How the Diploma Divide Is Remaking American Politics

Education is at the heart of this country’s many divisions..

Blue America is an increasingly wealthy and well-educated place.

Throughout the second half of the 20th century, Americans without college degrees were more likely than university graduates to vote Democratic. But that gap began narrowing in the late 1960s before finally flipping in 2004 .

John F. Kennedy lost college-educated voters by a two-to-one margin yet won the presidency thanks to overwhelming support among white voters without a degree. Sixty years later, our second Catholic president charted a much different path to the White House, losing non-college-educated whites by a two-to-one margin while securing 60 percent of the college-educated vote. The latest New York Times /Siena poll of the 2022 midterms showed this pattern holding firm, with Democrats winning 55 percent of voters with bachelor’s degrees but only 39 percent of those without.

A more educated Democratic coalition is, naturally, a more affluent one. In every presidential election from 1948 to 2012, white voters in the top 5 percent of America’s income distribution were more Republican than those in the bottom 95 percent. Now, the opposite is true: Among America’s white majority, the rich voted to the left of the middle class and the poor in 2016 and 2020, while the poor voted to the right of the middle class and the rich.

In political-science parlance, the collapse of the New Deal–era alignment — in which voters’ income levels strongly predicted their partisan preference — is often referred to as “class dealignment.” The increasing tendency for politics to divide voters along educational lines, meanwhile, is known as “education polarization.”

There are worse things for a political coalition to be than affluent or educated. Professionals vote and donate at higher rates than blue-collar workers. But college graduates also comprise a minority of the electorate — and an underrepresented minority at that. America’s electoral institutions all give disproportionate influence to parts of the country with low levels of educational attainment. And this is especially true of the Senate . Therefore, if the coalitional trends of the past half-century continue unabated — and Democrats keep gaining college-educated votes at the expense of working-class ones — the party will find itself locked out of federal power. Put differently, such a development would put an increasingly authoritarian GOP on the glide path to political dominance.

And unless education polarization is substantially reversed , progressives are likely to continue seeing their reform ambitions pared back sharply by Congress’s upper chamber, even when Democrats manage to control it.

These realities have generated a lively intra-Democratic debate over the causes and implications of class dealignment. To some pundits , consultants, and data journalists , the phenomenon’s fundamental cause is the cultural divide between educated professionals and the working class. In their telling, college graduates in general — and Democratic college graduates in particular — tend to have different social values, cultural sensibilities, and issue priorities than the median non-college-educated voter. As the New York Times ’s Nate Cohn puts the point, college graduates tend to be more cosmopolitan and culturally liberal, report higher levels of social trust, and are more likely to “attribute racial inequality, crime, and poverty to complex structural and systemic problems” rather than “individualist and parochial explanations.”

What’s more, since blue America’s journalists, politicians, and activists are overwhelmingly college graduates, highly educated liberals exert disproportionate influence over their party’s actions and identity. Therefore, as the Democrats’ well-credentialed wing has swelled, the party’s image and ideological positioning have grown more reflective of the professional class’s distinct tastes — and thus less appealing to the electorate’s working-class majority.

This theory does not sit well with all Democratic journalists, politicians, and activists. Some deny the existence of a diploma divide on cultural values, while others insist on its limited political salience. Many progressives attribute class dealignment to America’s pathological racial politics and/or the Democrats’ failures of economic governance . In this account, the New Deal coalition was unmade by a combination of a backlash to Black Americans’ growing prominence in Democratic politics and the Democratic Party’s failures to prevent its former working-class base from suffering decades of stagnant living standards and declining life expectancy .

An appreciation of these developments is surely indispensable for understanding class dealignment in the United States. But they don’t tell the whole story. Education polarization is not merely an American phenomenon; it is a defining feature of contemporary politics in nearly every western democracy . It is therefore unlikely that our nation’s white-supremacist history can fully explain the development. And though center-left parties throughout the West have shared some common failings, these inadequacies cannot tell us why many working-class voters have not merely dropped out of politics but rather begun voting for parties even more indifferent to their material interests.

In my view, education polarization cannot be understood without a recognition of the values divide between educated professionals and working people in the aggregate. That divide is rooted in each class’s disparate ways of life, economic imperatives, socialization experiences, and levels of material security. By itself, the emergence of this gap might not have been sufficient to trigger class dealignment, but its adverse political implications have been greatly exacerbated by the past half-century of inequitable growth, civic decline, and media fragmentation.

The college-educated population has distinct ideological tendencies and psychological sensibilities.

Educated professionals tend to be more socially liberal than the general public. In fact, the correlation between high levels of educational attainment and social liberalism is among the most robust in political science. As early as the 1950s, researchers documented the tendency of college graduates to espouse more progressive views than the general public on civil liberties and gender roles. In the decades since, as the political scientist Elizabeth Simon writes , this correlation has held up with “remarkable geographical and temporal consistency.” Across national boundaries and generations, voters with college degrees have been more likely than those without to support legal abortion, LGBTQ+ causes, the rights of racial minorities, and expansive immigration. They are also more likely to hold “post-material” policy priorities — which is to say, to prioritize issues concerning individual autonomy, cultural values, and big-picture social goals above those concerning one’s immediate material and physical security. This penchant is perhaps best illustrated by the highly educated’s distinctively strong support for environmental causes, even in cases when ecological preservation comes at a cost to economic growth.

Underlying these disparate policy preferences are distinct psychological profiles. The college educated are more likely to espouse moral values and attitudes associated with the personality trait “ openness to experience .” High “openness” individuals are attracted to novelty, skeptical of traditional authority, and prize personal freedom and cultural diversity. “Closed” individuals, by contrast, have an aversion to the unfamiliar and are therefore attracted to moral principles that promote certainty, order, and security. Virtually all human beings fall somewhere between these two ideal types. But the college educated as a whole are closer to the “open” end of the continuum than the general public is.

All of these distinctions between more- and less-educated voters are probabilistic, not absolute. There are Catholic theocrats with Harvard Ph.D.’s and anarchists who dropped out of high school. A nation the size of the U.S. is surely home to many millions of working-class social liberals and well-educated reactionaries. Political attitudes do not proceed automatically from any demographic characteristic, class position, or psychological trait. At the individual level, ideology is shaped by myriad historical inheritances and social experiences.

And yet, if people can come by socially liberal, “high openness” politics from any walk of life, they are much more likely to do so if that walk cuts across a college campus. (And, of course, they are even more likely to harbor this distinct psychological and ideological profile if they graduate from college and then choose to become professionally involved in Democratic politics.)

The path to the professional class veers left.

There are a few theoretical explanations for this. One holds that spending your late adolescence on a college campus tends to socialize you into cultural liberalism: Through some combination of increased exposure to people from a variety of geographic backgrounds, or the iconoclastic ethos of a liberal-arts education, or the predominantly left-of-center university faculty , or the substantive content of curricula, people tend to leave college with a more cosmopolitan and “open” worldview than they had upon entering.

Proving this theory is difficult since doing so requires controlling for selection effects. Who goes to college is not determined by random chance. The subset of young people who have the interests, aptitudes, and opportunities necessary for pursuing higher education have distinct characteristics long before they show up on campus. Some social scientists contend that such “selection effects” entirely explain the distinct political tendencies of college graduates. After all, the “high openness” personality trait is associated with higher IQs and more interest in academics. So perhaps attending college doesn’t lead people to develop culturally liberal sensibilities so much as developing culturally liberal sensibilities leads people to go to college.

Some research has tried to account for this possibility. Political scientists in the United Kingdom have managed to control for the preadult views and backgrounds of college graduates by exploiting surveys that tracked the same respondents through adolescence and into adulthood. Two recent analyses of such data have found that the college experience does seem to directly increase a person’s likelihood of becoming more socially liberal in their 20s than they were in their teens.

A separate study from the U.S. sought to control for the effects of familial background and childhood experiences by examining the disparate “sociopolitical” attitudes of sibling pairs in which one went to college while the other did not. It found that attending college was associated with greater “support for civil liberties and egalitarian gender-role beliefs.”

Other recent research , however, suggests that even these study designs may fail to control for all of the background factors that bias college attendees toward liberal views before they arrive on campus. So we have some good evidence that attending college directly makes people more culturally liberal, but that evidence is not entirely conclusive.

Yet if one posits that higher education does not produce social liberals but merely attracts them, a big theoretical problem remains: Why has the population of social liberals increased in tandem with that of college graduates?

The proportion of millennials who endorse left-wing views on issues of race, gender, immigration , and the environment is higher than the proportion of boomers who do so. And such views are more prevalent within the baby-boom generation than they were among the Silent Generation. This cannot be explained merely as a consequence of America’s burgeoning racial diversity, since similar generational patterns have been observed in European nations with lower rates of ethnic change. But the trend is consistent with another component of demographic drift: Each successive generation has had a higher proportion of college graduates than its predecessor. Between 1950 and 2019, the percentage of U.S. adults with bachelor’s degrees increased from 4 percent to 33 percent.  

Perhaps rising college attendance did not directly cause the “high-openness,” post-material, culturally progressive proportion of the population to swell. But then, what did?

One possibility is that, even if mass college attendance does not directly promote the development of “high openness” values, the mass white-collar economy does. If socially liberal values are well suited to the demands and lifeways inherent to professional employment in a globally integrated economy, then, as such employment expands, we would expect a larger share of the population to adopt socially liberal values. And there is indeed reason to think the professional vocation lends itself to social liberalism.

Entering the professional class often requires not only a four-year degree, but also, a stint in graduate school or a protracted period of overwork and undercompensation at the lowest ranks of one’s field. This gives the class’s aspirants a greater incentive to postpone procreation until later in life than the median worker. That in turn may give them a heightened incentive to favor abortion rights and liberal sexual mores.

The demands of the professional career may influence value formation in other ways. As a team of political scientists from Harvard and the University of Bonn argued in a 2020 paper , underlying the ideological divide between social liberals and conservatives may be a divergence in degrees of “moral universalism,” i.e., “the extent to which people’s altruism and trust remain constant as social distance increases.” Conservatives tend to feel stronger obligations than liberals to their own kin and neighbors and their religious, ethnic, and racial groups. Liberals, by contrast, tend to spread their altruism and trust thinner across a wider sphere of humanity; they are less compelled by the particularist obligations of inherited group loyalties and more apt to espouse a universalist ethos in which all individuals are of equal moral concern, irrespective of their group attachments.

Given that pursuing a professional career often requires leaving one’s native community and entering meritocratic institutions that are ideologically and legally committed to the principle that group identities matter less than individual aptitudes, the professional vocation may favor the development of a morally universalistic outlook — and thus more progressive views on questions of anti-discrimination and weaker identification with inherited group identities.

Further, in a globalized era, white-collar workers will often need to work with colleagues on other continents and contemplate social and economic developments in far-flung places. This may encourage both existing and aspiring professionals to develop more cosmopolitan outlooks.

Critically, parents who are themselves professionals — or who aspire for their children to secure a place in the educated, white-collar labor force — may seek to inculcate these values in their kids from a young age. For example, my own parents sent me to a magnet elementary school where students were taught Japanese starting in kindergarten. This curriculum was designed to appeal to parents concerned with their children’s capacity to thrive in the increasingly interconnected (and, in the early 1990s American imagination, increasingly Japanese-dominated) economy of tomorrow.

In this way, the expansion of the white-collar sector may increase the prevalence of “high-openness” cosmopolitan traits and values among rising generations long before they arrive on campus.

More material security, more social liberalism.

Ronald Inglehart’s theory of “ cultural evolution ” provides a third, complementary explanation for both the growing prevalence of social liberalism over the past half-century and for that ideology’s disproportionate popularity among the college educated.

In Inglehart’s account, people who experience material security in youth tend to develop distinctive values and preferences from those who do not: If childhood teaches you to take your basic material needs for granted, you’re more likely to develop culturally progressive values and post-material policy priorities.

Inglehart first formulated this theory in 1971 to explain the emerging cultural gap between the baby boomers and their parents. He noted that among western generations born before World War II, very large percentages had known hunger at some point in their formative years. The Silent Generation, for its part, had come of age in an era of economic depression and world wars. Inglehart argued that such pervasive material and physical insecurity was unfavorable soil for social liberalism: Under conditions of scarcity, human beings have a strong inclination to defer to established authority and tradition, to distrust out-groups, and to prize order and material security above self-expression and individual autonomy.

But westerners born into the postwar boom encountered a very different world from the Depression-wracked, war-torn one of their parents, let alone the cruel and unforgiving one encountered by common agriculturalists since time immemorial. Their world was one of rapid and widespread income growth. And these unprecedentedly prosperous conditions engendered a shift in the postwar generation’s values: When the boomers reached maturity, an exceptionally large share of the cohort evinced post-material priorities and espoused tolerance for out-groups, support for gender equality, concern for the environment, and antipathy for social hierarchies.

Since this transformation in values wasn’t rooted merely in the passage of time — but rather in the experience of abundance — it did not impact all social classes equally. Educated professionals are disproportionately likely to have had stable, middle-class childhoods. Thus, across the West, the post-material minority was disproportionately composed of college graduates in general and elite ones in particular. As Inglehart reported in 1981 , “among those less than 35 years old with jobs that lead to top management and top civil-service posts, Post-Materialists outnumber Materialists decisively: their numerical preponderance here is even greater than it is among students.”  

As with most big-picture models of political development, Inglehart’s theory is reductive and vulnerable to myriad objections. But his core premise — that, all else being equal, material abundance favors social liberalism while scarcity favors the opposite — has much to recommend it. As the World Values Survey has demonstrated, a nation’s degree of social liberalism (a.k.a. “self-expression values”) tightly correlates with its per-capita income. Meanwhile, as nations become wealthier, each successive generation tends to become more socially liberal than the previous one.

Critically, the World Values Survey data does not show an ineluctable movement toward ever-greater levels of social liberalism. Rather, when nations backslide economically, their populations’ progressivism declines. In the West, recessions have tended to reduce the prevalence of post-material values and increase support for xenophobic parties. But the relationship between material security and cultural liberalism is demonstrated most starkly by the experience of ex-communist states, many of which suffered a devastating collapse in living standards following the Soviet Union’s fall. In Russia and much of Eastern Europe, popular support for culturally progressive values plummeted around 1990 and has remained depressed ever since.

Inglehart’s theory offers real insights. As an account of education polarization, however, it presents a bit of a puzzle: If material security is the key driver of social liberalism, why have culture wars bifurcated electorates along lines of education instead of income? Put differently: Despite the material security provided by a high salary, when one controls for educational attainment, having a high income remains strongly associated with voting for conservatives.

One way to resolve this tension is to stipulate that the first two theories of education polarization we examined are also right: While material security is conducive to social liberalism, the college experience and demands of professional-class vocations are perhaps even more so. Thus, high-income voters who did not go to college will tend to be less socially liberal than those who did.

Separately, earning a high income is strongly associated with holding conservative views on fiscal policy. Therefore, even if the experience of material security biases high-income voters toward left-of-center views on cultural issues, their interest in low taxes may nevertheless compel them to vote for right-wing parties.

Voters with high levels of education but low incomes, meanwhile, are very often children of the middle class who made dumb career choices like, say, going into journalism. Such voters’ class backgrounds would theoretically bias them toward a socially liberal orientation, while their meager earnings would give them little reason to value conservative fiscal policy. Perhaps for this reason, “ high-education low-income voters ” are among the most reliably left-wing throughout the western world.

In any case, whatever qualifications and revisions we would wish to make to Inglehart’s theory, one can’t deny its prescience. In 1971, Inglehart forecast that intergenerational value change would redraw the lines of political conflict throughout the West. In his telling, the emergence of a novel value orientation that was disproportionately popular with influential elites would naturally shift the terrain of political conflict. And it would do so in a manner that undermined materialist, class-based voting: If conventional debates over income distribution pulled at the affluent right and the working-class left, the emerging cultural disputes pulled each in the opposite direction.

This proved to be, in the words of Gabriel Almond, “one of the few examples of successful prediction in political science.”

When the culture wars moved to the center of politics, the college educated moved left.

Whether we attribute the social liberalism of college graduates to their experiences on campus, their class’s incentive structures, their relative material security, or a combination of all three, a common set of predictions about western political development follows.

First, we would expect to see the political salience of cultural conflicts start to increase in the 1960s and ’70s as educated professionals became a mass force in western politics. Second, relatedly, we would expect that the historic correlation between having a college degree and voting for the right would start gradually eroding around the same time, owing to the heightened prominence of social issues.

Finally, we would expect education polarization to be most pronounced in countries where (1) economic development is most advanced (and thus the professional sector is most expansive) and (2) left-wing and right-wing parties are most sharply divided on cultural questions.

In their paper “Changing Political Cleavages in 21 Western Democracies, 1948–2020,” Amory Gethin, Clara Martínez-Toledano, and Thomas Piketty confirm all of these expectations.

The paper analyzes nearly every manifesto (a.k.a. “platform”) put forward by left-wing and right-wing parties in the past 300 elections. As anticipated by Inglehart, the researchers found that right-wing and left-wing parties began to develop distinct positions on “sociocultural” issues in the 1970s and that these distinctions grew steadily more profound over the ensuing 50 years. Thus, the salience of cultural issues did indeed increase just as college graduates became an electorally significant demographic.

As cultural conflict became more prominent, educated professionals became more left-wing. Controlling for other variables, in the mid-20th century, having a college diploma made one more likely to vote for parties of the right. By 2020, in virtually all of the western democracies, this relationship had inverted.

Some popular narratives attribute this realignment to discrete historical events, such as the Cold War’s end, China’s entry into the WTO, or the 2008 crash. But the data show no sudden reversal in education’s political significance. Instead, the authors write, the West saw “a very progressive, continuous reversal of educational divides, which unfolded decades before any of these events took place and has carried on uninterruptedly until today.” This finding is consistent with the notion that class dealignment is driven by gradual changes in western societies’ demographic and economic characteristics, such as the steady expansion of the professional class.

The paper provides further support for the notion that education polarization is a by-product of economic development: The three democracies where college-educated voters have not moved sharply to the left in recent decades — Ireland, Portugal, and Spain — are all relative latecomers to industrialization.

Finally, and perhaps most important, the authors established a strong correlation between “sociocultural polarization” — the degree to which right-wing and left-wing parties emphasize sharply divergent cultural positions — and education polarization. In other words: Countries where parties are highly polarized on social issues tend to have electorates that are highly polarized along educational lines.

It seems reasonable then to conclude (1) that there really is a cultural divide between educated professionals and the working class in the aggregate and (2) that this gap has been a key driver of class dealignment. Indeed, if we accept the reality of the diploma divide, then an increase of education-based voting over the past 50 years would seem almost inevitable: If you have two social groups with distinct cultural values and one group goes from being 4 percent of the electorate to 35 percent of it, debates about those values will probably become more politically prominent.

And of course, mass higher education wasn’t the only force increasing the salience of social conflict in the West over the past half-century. If economic development increased the popularity of “post-material” values, it also made it easier for marginalized groups to contest traditional hierarchies. As job opportunities for women expanded, they became less dependent on the patriarchal family for material security and thus were more liable to challenge it. As racial minorities secured a foothold in the middle class, they had more resources with which to fight discrimination.

And yet, if an increase in sociocultural polarization — and thus in education polarization — is a foregone conclusion, the magnitude of these shifts can’t be attributed to the existence of cultural divides alone.

Rather, transformations in the economic, civic, and media landscapes of western society since the 1970s have increased the salience and severity of the diploma divide.

When the postwar bargain collapsed, the center-left failed to secure workers a new deal.

To polarize an electorate around cultural conflicts rooted in education, you don’t just need to increase the salience of social issues. You also need to reduce the salience of material disputes rooted in class. Alas, the economic developments of the past 50 years managed to do both.

The class-based alignment that defined western politics in the mid-20th century emerged from a particular set of economic conditions. In the early stages of industrialization, various factors had heightened the class consciousness of wage laborers. Such workers frequently lived in densely settled, class-segregated neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity of large labor-intensive plants. This close proximity cultivated solidarity, as divisions between the laborer’s working and social worlds were few. And the vast scale of industrial enterprises abetted organizing drives, as trade unions could rapidly gain scale by winning over a single shop.

By encouraging their members to view politics through the lens of class and forcing political elites to reckon with workers’ demands, strong trade unions helped to keep questions of income distribution and workers’ rights at the center of political debate and the forefront of voters’ minds. In so doing, they also helped to win western workers in general — and white male ones in particular — unprecedented shares of national income.

But this bargain between business and labor had always been contingent on robust growth. In the postwar era of rising productivity, it was possible for profits and wages to increase in tandem. But in the 1970s, western economies came under stress. Rising energy costs and global competition thinned profit margins, rendering business owners more hostile to labor’s demands both within the shop and in politics. Stagflation — the simultaneous appearance of high unemployment and high inflation — gave an opening to right-wing critics of the postwar order, who argued that the welfare state and pro-labor macroeconomic policies had sapped productivity.

Meanwhile, various long-term economic trends began undermining industrial unionism. Automation inevitably reduced the labor intensity of factories in the West. The advent of the shipping container eased the logistical burdens of globalizing production, while the industrialization of low-wage developing countries increased the incentives for doing so. Separately, as western consumers grew more affluent, they began spending less of their income on durable goods and more on services like health care (one needs only so many toasters, but the human desire for greater longevity and physical well-being is nigh-insatiable). These developments reduced both the economic leverage and the political weight of industrial workers. And since western service sectors had lower rates of unionization, deindustrialization weakened organized labor.

All this presented center-left parties with a difficult challenge. In the face of deindustrialization, an increasingly anti-labor corporate sector, an increasingly conservative economic discourse, an embattled union movement, and a globalizing economy, such parties needed to formulate new models for achieving shared prosperity. And they had to do so while managing rising cultural tensions within their coalitions.

They largely failed.

Countering the postindustrial economy’s tendencies toward inequality would have required radical reforms. Absent policies promoting the unionization of the service sector, deindustrialization inevitably weakened labor. Absent drastic changes in the allocation of posttax income, automation and globalization redistributed economic gains away from “low skill” workers and toward the most productive — or well-situated — professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs.

The United States had more power than any western nation to standardize such reforms and establish a relatively egalitarian postindustrial model. Yet the Democratic Party could muster neither the political will nor the imagination to do so. Instead, under Jimmy Carter, it acquiesced to various policies that reinforced the postindustrial economy’s tendencies toward inequality, while outsourcing key questions of economic management to financial markets and the Federal Reserve. The Reagan administration took this inegalitarian and depoliticized model of economic governance to new extremes. And to highly varying degrees, its inequitable and market-fundamentalist creed influenced the policies of future U.S. administrations and other western governments.

As a result, the past five decades witnessed a great divergence in the economic fortunes of workers with and without college diplomas, while the western working class (a.k.a. the “lower middle class”) became the primary “losers” of globalization .

The center-left parties’ failures to avert a decline in the economic security and status of ordinary workers discredited them with much of their traditional base. And their failure to reinvigorate organized labor undermined the primary institutions that politicize workers into a progressive worldview. These shortcomings, combined with the market’s increasingly dominant role in economic management, reduced the political salience of left-right divides on economic policy. This in turn gave socially conservative working-class voters fewer reasons to vote for center-left parties and gave affluent social liberals fewer reasons to oppose them. In western nations where organized labor remains relatively strong (such as Norway, Sweden, and Finland), education polarization has been relatively mild, while in those countries where it is exceptionally weak (such as the United States), the phenomenon has been especially pronounced.

Finally, the divergent economic fortunes of workers and professionals might have abetted education polarization in one other way: Given that experiencing abundance encourages social liberalism — while experiencing scarcity discourages it — the past half-century of inequitable growth might have deepened cultural divisions between workers with degrees and those without.

The professionalization of civil society estranged the left from its working-class base.

While the evolution of western economies increased the class distance between college graduates and other workers, the evolution of western civil societies increased the social distance between each group.

Back in the mid-20th century, the college educated still constituted a tiny minority of western populations, while mass-membership institutions — from trade unions to fraternal organizations to political parties — still dominated civic life. In that context, an educated professional who wished to exercise political influence often needed to join a local chapter of a cross-class civic association or political party and win election to a leadership position within that organization by securing the confidence of its membership.

That changed once educated professionals became a mass constituency in their own right. As the college-educated population ballooned and concentrated itself within urban centers, it became easier for interest groups to swing elections and pressure lawmakers without securing working-class support. At the same time, the proliferation of “knowledge workers” set off an arms race between interest and advocacy groups looking to influence national legislation and election outcomes. Job opportunities for civic-minded professionals in think tanks, nonprofits, and foundations proliferated. And thanks to growing pools of philanthropic money and the advent of direct-mail fundraising, these organizations could sustain themselves without recruiting an active mass membership.

Thus, the professional’s path to political influence dramatically changed. Instead of working one’s way up through close-knit local groups — and bending them toward one’s political goals through persuasion — professionals could join (or donate to) nationally oriented advocacy groups already aligned with their preferences, which could then advance their policy aims by providing legislators with expert guidance and influencing public opinion through media debates.

As the political scientist Theda Skocpol demonstrates in her book Diminished Democracy , college graduates began defecting from mass-membership civic organizations in the 1970s, in an exodus that helped precipitate their broader decline.

Combined with the descent of organized labor, the collapse of mass participation in civic groups and political parties untethered the broad left from working-class constituencies. As foundation-funded NGOs displaced trade unions in the progressive firmament, left-wing parties became less directly accountable to their less-educated supporters. This made such parties more liable to embrace the preferences and priorities of educated professionals over those of the median working-class voter.

Meanwhile, in the absence of a thriving civic culture, voters became increasingly reliant on the mass media for their political information.

Today’s media landscape is fertile terrain for right-wing populism.

The dominant media technology of the mid-20th century — broadcast television — favored oligopoly. Given the exorbitant costs of mounting a national television network in that era, the medium was dominated by a small number of networks, each with an incentive to appeal to a broad audience. This discouraged news networks from cultivating cultural controversy while empowering them to establish a broadly shared information environment.

Cable and the internet have molded a radically different media landscape. Today, news outlets compete in a hypersaturated attentional market that encourages both audience specialization and sensationalism. In a world where consumers have abundant infotainment options, voters who read at a graduate-school level and those who read at an eighth-grade level are unlikely to favor the same content. And the same is true of voters with liberal and conservative sensibilities — especially since the collapse of a common media ecosystem leads ideologues to occupy disparate factual universes. The extraordinary nature of today’s media ecology is well illustrated by this chart from Martin Gurri’s book, The Revolt of the Public :

This information explosion abets education polarization for straightforward reasons: Since the college educated and non-college educated have distinct tastes in media, in a highly competitive attentional market, they will patronize different outlets and accept divergent facts.

Further, in the specific economic and social context we’ve been examining, the modern media environment is fertile terrain for reactionary entrepreneurs who wish to cultivate grievance against the professional elite. After all, as we’ve seen, that elite (1) subscribes to some values that most working-class people reject, (2) commandeers a wildly disproportionate share of national income and economic status, and (3) dominates the leadership of major political parties and civic groups to an unprecedented degree.

The political efficacy of such right-wing “populist” programming has been repeatedly demonstrated. Studies have found that exposure to Fox News increases Republican vote share and that the expansion of broadband internet into rural areas leads to higher levels of partisan hostility and lower levels of ticket splitting (i.e., more ideologically consistent voting) as culturally conservative voters gain access to more ideologically oriented national news reporting, commentary, and forums.

What is to be done?

The idea that education polarization arises from deep structural tendencies in western society may inspire a sense of powerlessness. And the notion that it emerges in part from a cultural divide between professionals and working people may invite ideological discomfort, at least among well-educated liberals.

But the fact that some center-left parties have managed to retain more working-class support than others suggests that the Democrats have the capacity to broaden (or narrow) their coalition. Separately, the fact that college-educated liberals have distinct social values does not require us to forfeit them.

The commentators most keen to acknowledge the class dimensions of the culture wars typically aim to discredit the left by doing so. Right-wing polemicists often suggest that progressives’ supposedly compassionate social preferences are mere alibis for advancing the professional class’s material interests. But such arguments are almost invariably weak. Progressive social views may be consonant with professional-class interests, but they typically represent attempts to universalize widely held ideals of freedom and equality. The college educated’s cosmopolitan inclinations are also adaptive for a world that is unprecedentedly interconnected and interdependent and in which population asymmetries between the rich and developing worlds create opportunities for mutual gain through migration , if only xenophobia can be overcome. And of course, in an era of climate change, the professional class’s strong concern for the environment is more than justified.

Nevertheless, professional-class progressives must recognize that our social values are not entirely unrelated to our class position. They are not an automatic by-product of affluence and erudition, nor the exclusive property of the privileged. But humans living in rich, industrialized nations are considerably more likely to harbor these values than those in poor, agrarian ones. And Americans who had the privilege of spending their late adolescence at institutions of higher learning are more likely to embrace social liberalism than those who did not.

The practical implications of this insight are debatable. It is plausible that Democrats may be able to gain working-class vote share by moderating on some social issues. But the precise electoral payoff of any single concession to popular opinion is deeply uncertain. Voters’ conceptions of each party’s ideological positioning are often informed less by policy details than by partisan stereotypes. And the substantive costs of moderation — both for the welfare of vulnerable constituencies and the long-term health of the progressive project — can be profound. At various points in the past half-century, it might have been tactically wise for Democrats to distance themselves from the demands of organized labor. But strategically, sacrificing the health of a key partisan institution to the exigencies of a single election cycle is deeply unwise. Meanwhile, in the U.S. context, the “mainstream” right has staked out some cultural positions that are profoundly unpopular with all social classes . In 2022, it is very much in the Democratic Party’s interest to increase the political salience of abortion rights.

In any case, exactly how Democrats should balance the necessity of keeping the GOP out of power with the imperative to advocate for progressive issue positions is something on which earnest liberals can disagree.

The case for progressives to be more cognizant of the diploma divide when formulating our messaging and policy priorities, however, seems clearer.

Education polarization can be self-reinforcing. As left-wing civic life has drifted away from mass-membership institutions and toward the ideologically self-selecting circles of academia, nonprofits, and the media, the left’s sensitivity to the imperatives of majoritarian politics has dulled. In some respects, the incentives for gaining status and esteem within left-wing subcultures are diametrically opposed to the requirements of coalition building. In the realm of social media, it can be advantageous to make one’s policy ideas sound more radical and/or threatening to popular values than they actually are. Thus, proposals for drastically reforming flawed yet popular institutions are marketed as plans for their “abolition,” while some advocates for reproductive rights insist that they are not merely “pro-choice” but “ pro-abortion ” (as though their objective were not to maximize bodily autonomy but rather the incidence of abortion itself, a cause that would seemingly require limiting access to contraception).

Meanwhile, the rhetoric necessary for cogently theorizing social problems within academia — and that fit for effectively selling policy reforms to a mass audience — is quite different. Political-science research indicates that theoretical abstractions tend to leave most voters cold. Even an abstraction as accessible as “inequality” resonates less with ordinary people than simply saying that the rich have too much money . Yet Democratic politicians have nevertheless taken to peppering their speeches with abstract academic terms such as structural racism .

Relatedly, in the world of nonprofits, policy wonks are often encouraged to foreground the racial implications of race-neutral redistributive policies that disproportionately benefit nonwhite constituencies. Although it is important for policy design to account for any latent racial biases in universal programs, there is reason to believe that, in a democracy with a 70 percent white electorate and widespread racial resentment, it is unwise for Democratic politicians to suggest that broadly beneficial programs primarily aid minority groups.

On the level of priority setting, it seems important for college-educated liberals to be conscious of the fact that “post-material” concerns resonate more with us than with the general public. This is especially relevant for climate strategy. Poll results and election outcomes both indicate that working-class voters are far more sensitive to the threat of rising energy prices than to that of climate change. Given that reality, the most politically viable approach to reducing emissions is likely to expedite the development and deployment of clean-energy technologies rather than deterring energy consumption through higher prices. In practice, this means prioritizing the build-out of green infrastructure over the obstruction of fossil-fuel extraction.

Of course, narrowing the social distance between college-educated liberals and working people would be even better than merely finessing it. The burgeoning unionization of white-collar professions and the growing prominence of downwardly mobile college graduates in working-class labor struggles are both encouraging developments on this front. Whatever Democrats can do to facilitate labor organizing and increase access to higher education will simultaneously advance social justice and improve the party’s long-term electoral prospects.

Finally, the correlation between material security and social liberalism underscores the urgency of progressive economic reform. Shared prosperity can be restored only by increasing the social wage of ordinary workers through some combination of unionization, sectoral bargaining, wage subsidies, and social-welfare expansion. To some extent, this represents a chicken-and-egg problem: Radical economic reforms may be a necessary precondition for the emergence of a broad progressive majority, yet a broad progressive majority is itself a precondition for radical reform.

Nevertheless, in wealthy, deep-blue states such as New York and California, Democrats have the majorities necessary for establishing a progressive economic model. At the moment, artificial constraints on the housing supply , clean-energy production, and other forms of development are sapping blue states’ economic potential . If such constraints could be overcome, the resulting economic gains would simultaneously increase working people’s living standards and render state-level social-welfare programs easier to finance. Perhaps the starting point for such a political revolution is for more-affluent social liberals to recognize that their affinity for exclusionary housing policies and aversion to taxation undermines their cultural values.

Our understanding of education polarization remains provisional. And all proposals for addressing it remain open to debate. The laws of political science are more conjectural than those of physics, and even perfect insight into political reality cannot settle disputes rooted in ideology.

But effective political engagement requires unblinkered vision. The Democratic Party’s declining support among working-class voters is a serious problem. If Democrats consider only ideologically convenient explanations for that problem, our intellectual comfort may come at the price of political power.

• political science
• higher education
• the democratic party
• the big picture

Most Viewed Stories

• Mark Robinson Loved Porn, Say Porn-Store Guys
• Harris and Trump Begin Final Sprint: Where the 2024 Race Stands
• The Bitter Feud at the Heart of the Paleontology World  
• The Creepy Coincidences of the Superyacht Sinking
• Ex–Hochul Aide Got ‘Salted Ducks’ for Favors to Chinese
• How Are King Charles & Kate Middleton Doing? Latest Health Updates.
• Swift-Kelce Season Two and Other Major NFL Storylines to Watch

Editor’s Picks

Most Popular

• Mark Robinson Loved Porn, Say Porn-Store Guys By Matt Stieb
• Harris and Trump Begin Final Sprint: Where the 2024 Race Stands By Ed Kilgore
• The Bitter Feud at the Heart of the Paleontology World   By Kerry Howley
• The Creepy Coincidences of the Superyacht Sinking By Jeff Wise
• Ex–Hochul Aide Got ‘Salted Ducks’ for Favors to Chinese By Nia Prater
• How Are King Charles & Kate Middleton Doing? Latest Health Updates. By Margaret Hartmann
• Swift-Kelce Season Two and Other Major NFL Storylines to Watch By Will Leitch

What is your email?

This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.

Sign In To Continue Reading

Create your free account.

Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:

• Lower case letters (a-z)
• Upper case letters (A-Z)
• Numbers (0-9)
• Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)

As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York , which you can opt out of anytime.

Samantha Putterman, PolitiFact Samantha Putterman, PolitiFact

Leave your feedback

• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-warnings-from-democrats-about-project-2025-and-donald-trump

Fact-checking warnings from Democrats about Project 2025 and Donald Trump

This fact check originally appeared on PolitiFact .

Project 2025 has a starring role in this week’s Democratic National Convention.

And it was front and center on Night 1.

WATCH: Hauling large copy of Project 2025, Michigan state Sen. McMorrow speaks at 2024 DNC

“This is Project 2025,” Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, said as she laid a hardbound copy of the 900-page document on the lectern. “Over the next four nights, you are going to hear a lot about what is in this 900-page document. Why? Because this is the Republican blueprint for a second Trump term.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has warned Americans about “Trump’s Project 2025” agenda — even though former President Donald Trump doesn’t claim the conservative presidential transition document.

“Donald Trump wants to take our country backward,” Harris said July 23 in Milwaukee. “He and his extreme Project 2025 agenda will weaken the middle class. Like, we know we got to take this seriously, and can you believe they put that thing in writing?”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, has joined in on the talking point.

“Don’t believe (Trump) when he’s playing dumb about this Project 2025. He knows exactly what it’ll do,” Walz said Aug. 9 in Glendale, Arizona.

Trump’s campaign has worked to build distance from the project, which the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, led with contributions from dozens of conservative groups.

Much of the plan calls for extensive executive-branch overhauls and draws on both long-standing conservative principles, such as tax cuts, and more recent culture war issues. It lays out recommendations for disbanding the Commerce and Education departments, eliminating certain climate protections and consolidating more power to the president.

Project 2025 offers a sweeping vision for a Republican-led executive branch, and some of its policies mirror Trump’s 2024 agenda, But Harris and her presidential campaign have at times gone too far in describing what the project calls for and how closely the plans overlap with Trump’s campaign.

PolitiFact researched Harris’ warnings about how the plan would affect reproductive rights, federal entitlement programs and education, just as we did for President Joe Biden’s Project 2025 rhetoric. Here’s what the project does and doesn’t call for, and how it squares with Trump’s positions.

Are Trump and Project 2025 connected?

To distance himself from Project 2025 amid the Democratic attacks, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he “knows nothing” about it and has “no idea” who is in charge of it. (CNN identified at least 140 former advisers from the Trump administration who have been involved.)

The Heritage Foundation sought contributions from more than 100 conservative organizations for its policy vision for the next Republican presidency, which was published in 2023.

Project 2025 is now winding down some of its policy operations, and director Paul Dans, a former Trump administration official, is stepping down, The Washington Post reported July 30. Trump campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita denounced the document.

WATCH: A look at the Project 2025 plan to reshape government and Trump’s links to its authors

However, Project 2025 contributors include a number of high-ranking officials from Trump’s first administration, including former White House adviser Peter Navarro and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson.

A recently released recording of Russell Vought, a Project 2025 author and the former director of Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, showed Vought saying Trump’s “very supportive of what we do.” He said Trump was only distancing himself because Democrats were making a bogeyman out of the document.

Project 2025 wouldn’t ban abortion outright, but would curtail access

The Harris campaign shared a graphic on X that claimed “Trump’s Project 2025 plan for workers” would “go after birth control and ban abortion nationwide.”

The plan doesn’t call to ban abortion nationwide, though its recommendations could curtail some contraceptives and limit abortion access.

What’s known about Trump’s abortion agenda neither lines up with Harris’ description nor Project 2025’s wish list.

Project 2025 says the Department of Health and Human Services Department should “return to being known as the Department of Life by explicitly rejecting the notion that abortion is health care.”

It recommends that the Food and Drug Administration reverse its 2000 approval of mifepristone, the first pill taken in a two-drug regimen for a medication abortion. Medication is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. — accounting for around 63 percent in 2023.

If mifepristone were to remain approved, Project 2025 recommends new rules, such as cutting its use from 10 weeks into pregnancy to seven. It would have to be provided to patients in person — part of the group’s efforts to limit access to the drug by mail. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to mifepristone’s FDA approval over procedural grounds.

WATCH: Trump’s plans for health care and reproductive rights if he returns to White House The manual also calls for the Justice Department to enforce the 1873 Comstock Act on mifepristone, which bans the mailing of “obscene” materials. Abortion access supporters fear that a strict interpretation of the law could go further to ban mailing the materials used in procedural abortions, such as surgical instruments and equipment.

The plan proposes withholding federal money from states that don’t report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention how many abortions take place within their borders. The plan also would prohibit abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid funds. It also calls for the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that the training of medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, omits abortion training.

The document says some forms of emergency contraception — particularly Ella, a pill that can be taken within five days of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy — should be excluded from no-cost coverage. The Affordable Care Act requires most private health insurers to cover recommended preventive services, which involves a range of birth control methods, including emergency contraception.

Trump has recently said states should decide abortion regulations and that he wouldn’t block access to contraceptives. Trump said during his June 27 debate with Biden that he wouldn’t ban mifepristone after the Supreme Court “approved” it. But the court rejected the lawsuit based on standing, not the case’s merits. He has not weighed in on the Comstock Act or said whether he supports it being used to block abortion medication, or other kinds of abortions.

Project 2025 doesn’t call for cutting Social Security, but proposes some changes to Medicare

“When you read (Project 2025),” Harris told a crowd July 23 in Wisconsin, “you will see, Donald Trump intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.”

The Project 2025 document does not call for Social Security cuts. None of its 10 references to Social Security addresses plans for cutting the program.

Harris also misleads about Trump’s Social Security views.

In his earlier campaigns and before he was a politician, Trump said about a half-dozen times that he’s open to major overhauls of Social Security, including cuts and privatization. More recently, in a March 2024 CNBC interview, Trump said of entitlement programs such as Social Security, “There’s a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.” However, he quickly walked that statement back, and his CNBC comment stands at odds with essentially everything else Trump has said during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump’s campaign website says that not “a single penny” should be cut from Social Security. We rated Harris’ claim that Trump intends to cut Social Security Mostly False.

Project 2025 does propose changes to Medicare, including making Medicare Advantage, the private insurance offering in Medicare, the “default” enrollment option. Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans have provider networks and can also require prior authorization, meaning that the plan can approve or deny certain services. Original Medicare plans don’t have prior authorization requirements.

The manual also calls for repealing health policies enacted under Biden, such as the Inflation Reduction Act. The law enabled Medicare to negotiate with drugmakers for the first time in history, and recently resulted in an agreement with drug companies to lower the prices of 10 expensive prescriptions for Medicare enrollees.

Trump, however, has said repeatedly during the 2024 presidential campaign that he will not cut Medicare.

Project 2025 would eliminate the Education Department, which Trump supports

The Harris campaign said Project 2025 would “eliminate the U.S. Department of Education” — and that’s accurate. Project 2025 says federal education policy “should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” The plan scales back the federal government’s role in education policy and devolves the functions that remain to other agencies.

Aside from eliminating the department, the project also proposes scrapping the Biden administration’s Title IX revision, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also would let states opt out of federal education programs and calls for passing a federal parents’ bill of rights similar to ones passed in some Republican-led state legislatures.

Republicans, including Trump, have pledged to close the department, which gained its status in 1979 within Democratic President Jimmy Carter’s presidential Cabinet.

In one of his Agenda 47 policy videos, Trump promised to close the department and “to send all education work and needs back to the states.” Eliminating the department would have to go through Congress.

What Project 2025, Trump would do on overtime pay

In the graphic, the Harris campaign says Project 2025 allows “employers to stop paying workers for overtime work.”

The plan doesn’t call for banning overtime wages. It recommends changes to some Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, regulations and to overtime rules. Some changes, if enacted, could result in some people losing overtime protections, experts told us.

The document proposes that the Labor Department maintain an overtime threshold “that does not punish businesses in lower-cost regions (e.g., the southeast United States).” This threshold is the amount of money executive, administrative or professional employees need to make for an employer to exempt them from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

In 2019, the Trump’s administration finalized a rule that expanded overtime pay eligibility to most salaried workers earning less than about $35,568, which it said made about 1.3 million more workers eligible for overtime pay. The Trump-era threshold is high enough to cover most line workers in lower-cost regions, Project 2025 said.

The Biden administration raised that threshold to $43,888 beginning July 1, and that will rise to $58,656 on Jan. 1, 2025. That would grant overtime eligibility to about 4 million workers, the Labor Department said.

It’s unclear how many workers Project 2025’s proposal to return to the Trump-era overtime threshold in some parts of the country would affect, but experts said some would presumably lose the right to overtime wages.

Other overtime proposals in Project 2025’s plan include allowing some workers to choose to accumulate paid time off instead of overtime pay, or to work more hours in one week and fewer in the next, rather than receive overtime.

Trump’s past with overtime pay is complicated. In 2016, the Obama administration said it would raise the overtime to salaried workers earning less than $47,476 a year, about double the exemption level set in 2004 of $23,660 a year.

But when a judge blocked the Obama rule, the Trump administration didn’t challenge the court ruling. Instead it set its own overtime threshold, which raised the amount, but by less than Obama.

Support Provided By: Learn more

Educate your inbox

Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.

Sample details

• Social Problems,

Related Topics

• Relationship
• Free education
• Social mobility
• Physical Education
• social institutions
• Writing Experience
• Writing process
• Higher Education
• Multicultural education
• Philosophy of Education
• Sex education
• Intellectual property
• Modern Society
• Character education
• Health education

Social Problems Among College Students

According to the Ministry of Higher Education, the rise in student involvement in social issues has become a significant challenge for the government and has adverse effects on other teenagers. One notable consequence is college students disregarding regulations. In the subsequent paragraph, we will examine the reasons behind these societal problems, their consequences, and possible resolutions. Numerous elements contribute to students’ active participation in social issues.

When students enter university, they are no longer under their parents’ watchful eyes and can experience newfound freedom without needing parental approval. This independence often leads to forming friendships with individuals from various social circles, resulting in a desire for companionship among college acquaintances. Sadly, many students lack religious education and believe they can behave without facing consequences or engage in any desired behavior. Consequently, these issues have adverse effects on academic performance as excessive socializing replaces studying. Moreover, these problems contribute to disciplinary issues such as class skipping. Arguably the most significant consequence is the strain it places on the students’ relationship with their parents, resulting in feelings of anger and discomfort during interactions with them.

One way to address the issue of zero communication between both parties is for them to peacefully discuss and seek advice from their parents. Additionally, educational institutions should provide counseling services for college students. Through these counseling sessions, students can learn about what went wrong and how to avoid similar situations in the future. Furthermore, colleges should incorporate religious classes or activities as a means to enhance students’ moral values.

The government has the power to tackle this problem by enforcing strict laws and punishments for rebellious teenagers. In essence, there are various factors that contribute to social issues among students, which can have a negative impact on Malaysia’s future generation. If young individuals avoid societal problems, Malaysia will produce a successful Y Generation. It is essential for all parties to collaborate and guarantee that upcoming generations do not waste their lives and potential. Source

Cite this page

https://graduateway.com/social-problems-among-college-students/

You can get a custom paper by one of our expert writers

• Social equality
• Purpose of Education
• Educational inequality
• Social Issues

Check more samples on your topics

Segregation among students or honor students.

In today's educational society there always seems to be segregationamong students. Furthermore, these different groups always seem to havetheir own special titles. There are the "jocks," the "preps," the ever-classic "white-trash" and many more. But there is a certain breed ofstudent that always seems to be either loved or hated. Society likes tocall these people

Sleep Deprivation Among College Students Research Paper

Sleep Deprivation Among College Students Introduction A college student that wants to receive that good grade point average at the end of the semester does not always receive the recommended six to eight hours of sleep every night. Not only is sleep just something we need, it is a necessity and is needed to keep our bodies

Sleep Deprivation Among College Students Essay

Many college students, including myself and my friends and roommates, often feel tired and sleepy during the day despite getting a full eight hours of sleep. Research shows that around 60% of college students consistently endure sleep deprivation. This report will examine the reasons for this problem and its effects, focusing particularly on how lifestyle

Examining Suicidality among Multiracial College Students

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college-aged Americans (CDC, 2016) and has been studied extensively in this demographic (Schwartz, 2006). Suicidal ideation (i.e., “passive thoughts about wanting to be dead or active thoughts about killing oneself;” Bridge et al., 2007, p. 1684) is a phenomenon that has been consistently linked with suicidal

Reputable College Education Gives College Students an Advantage

I believe a reputable college education gives college students an advantage at everyday life. A college graduate leads in any direction they want to precede in life with more extensive knowledge and confidence in facing life challenges. College is an opportunity for students to find their true selves by taking new responsibilities and becoming more

Five Economic Problems and Five Social Problems of the Philippines

Five economic problems and five social problems of the philippines? social: 1. lack of individualism. don't need to abandon social structures totally. 2. colonial mentality. royalty, status symbols, subservience 3. western influence. don' love their own 4. parinig system 5. authoritarian  economic: 1. leaders are mostly landowners who don't know how to make a profit 2. consumers are lured

The Impact of Social Media on College Students Research Paper

IntroductionInternet is a very essential part of life from shopping to electronic mails and education, internet is very important. It is a very large community which is using internet for pure education but unfortunately we have also a very large number of people including majority of youth and teenager using Internet only for social networks.

The Disadvantages of Using Facebook Among Students

A really good forenoon to Miss Shirly and my fellow friends. Today. I. Shaatmi Batumalai. will be presenting a address titled ‘The disadvantages of utilizing the Facebook among students’ .As we all know. today’s universe is full of modern engineerings. particularly in the field of communicating. No 1 can deny the efficiency of these tools.

The Issue of Cheating Among Students

As a student in middle school throughout college, we are all challenged to do our best to surpass our goalt Now, cheating became an effect to education. Students may think that cheating is an okay thing to do because teachers won't noticed. The inquiry of this situation is, is cheating effecting students' education, is cheating

Hi, my name is Amy 👋

In case you can't find a relevant example, our professional writers are ready to help you write a unique paper. Just talk to our smart assistant Amy and she'll connect you with the best match.

Advertisement

Supported by

What We Know About Kamala Harris’s $5 Trillion Tax Plan So Far

The vice president supports the tax increases proposed by the Biden White House, according to her campaign.

• Share full article

By Andrew Duehren

Reporting from Washington

In a campaign otherwise light on policy specifics, Vice President Kamala Harris this week quietly rolled out her most detailed, far-ranging proposal yet: nearly $5 trillion in tax increases over a decade.

That’s how much more revenue the federal government would raise if it adopted a number of tax increases that President Biden proposed in the spring . Ms. Harris’s campaign said this week that she supported those tax hikes, which were thoroughly laid out in the most recent federal budget plan prepared by the Biden administration.

No one making less than $400,000 a year would see their taxes go up under the plan. Instead, Ms. Harris is seeking to significantly raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans and large corporations. Congress has previously rejected many of these tax ideas, even when Democrats controlled both chambers.

While tax policy is right now a subplot in a turbulent presidential campaign, it will be a primary policy issue in Washington next year. The next president will have to work with Congress to address the tax cuts Donald J. Trump signed into law in 2017. Many of those tax cuts expire after 2025, meaning millions of Americans will see their taxes go up if lawmakers don’t reach a deal next year.

Here’s an overview of what we now know — and still don’t know — about the Democratic nominee’s views on taxes.

Higher taxes on corporations

The most recent White House budget includes several proposals that would raise taxes on large corporations . Chief among them is raising the corporate tax rate to 28 percent from 21 percent, a step that the Treasury Department estimated could bring in $1.3 trillion in revenue over the next 10 years.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Raising Kids

10 Social Issues and Problems That Trouble Today's Teens

Technology and social media can amplify the struggles teens face, but they aren't the only issues they encounter.

Social Media

Peer pressure, on-screen violence, sexual activity, alcohol use, academic problems, how to talk to your teen.

Just like adults, teens nowadays often face social problems. They may also be more susceptible to challenges because their brains are still developing and their bodies are changing quickly. Combine that with advances in technology, and today's teens are facing new and different social issues than their parents may have.

Not only has electronic media amplified some teenage troubles, but digital communication and social media have also changed the way teens interact with their peers and romantic interests. The end result is a group of young people who struggle with essential interpersonal communication skills like picking up on social cues.

Some of this dysfunction can be linked to technology—especially since the average teen spends more than eight hours each day using electronic devices.  That said, not all teen social issues are linked to the digital world. Teens also are at a higher risk for overdose, might not practice safe sex, and are facing increasing academic pressures.

Here's a closer look at the top 10 social issues teens nowadays struggle with.

Brianna Gilmartin 

Instagram, Twitter, and SnapChat  can be great ways for teens to connect, but social media can be problematic for several reasons. It can expose your teen to cyberbullying, slut-shaming, and so much more.  

Social media can hurt friendships, and it's changing the way teens date. Research shows it can impact their mental health.  And no matter what precautions you take, teens are likely to be exposed to unsavory people, unhealthy images, and sexual content online.

Help your teen learn to navigate social media in a healthy way by following these tips:

• Talk about ways to stay safe online.
• Ask what your teen is doing on social media.
• Educate yourself about the latest apps, websites, and social media pages teens are using.
• Consider  limiting your teen's screen time .

While peer pressure has affected teens for generations, social media brings it to a whole new level. Sexting, for example, is a major cause for concern. Many teens don't understand the lifelong consequences that sharing explicit photos can have. 

But sending inappropriate photos isn't the only thing kids are coerced into doing. Teens face pressure to have sex, use drugs or alcohol, and even bully others.  

To keep your kids from falling victim to peer pressure, consider these tips:

• Give them skills to make healthy choices and resist peer pressure.
• Talk to teens about what to do if they make a mistake.
• Let them know it's safe to come to you when they have problems or make poor choices.
• Demonstrate that you can listen without judging or overreacting.
• Help them find healthy ways to make amends and move on if they peer pressure others.

Teenagers are going to witness some violent media at one time or another. And it's not just TV, music, and movies that depict violence. Many of today's video games portray gory scenes and disturbing acts of aggression. Over the past couple of decades, studies have linked these violent images to a lack of empathy and aggressive behavior .

Other studies have shown the top factor in determining the way kids relate to media is how their parents think and act.  That means the more violence parents watch, the more likely their kids will think it's OK.  

To help limit exposure to on-screen violence, pay attention to your teen's media use and consider implementing these guidelines:

• Restrict or limit your teen from watching R-rated movies or playing M-rated video games. Consuming that material excessively (and unsupervised) is not healthy. 
• Talk about the dangers of being exposed to violent images and monitor your teen's mental state.
• Discuss sexual situations and racial stereotypes that your teen might see.
• Help them identify what's good and what's bad about the media.
• Boost their media literacy by helping them think objectively about what they're seeing on television, TikTok, in the movie theater, or in a video game.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 5 million adolescents in the U.S. have had at least one major depressive episode . That means 20% of American teenagers may experience depression before reaching adulthood. Data from NIMH also shows that depression is much more prevalent in female teens (29.2%) than male teens (11.5%) and among teens who reported two or more races (27.2%).

Spending too much time on electronic devices may be preventing young people from in-person activities with their peers, such as sports or other physical activities, that can help ward off depression.  They're also experiencing new conditions like "fear of missing out" or FOMO, which further leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Keep in mind that depressive disorders are treatable, but it's important to seek professional help. Here's how to navigate this situation:

• Schedule an appointment to a health care provider or contact a mental health professional if your teen seems withdrawn, experiences a change in sleep patterns, or starts to perform poorly in school.
• Consider online therapy as an option if your teen is reluctant to meet with a therapist in person.
• Be willing to discuss what they're thinking or feeling, including their thoughts of suicide. Having these conversations can reduce their fears and let them know someone is willing to listen, but it also needs to be handled thoughtfully.
• Call the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  or  911 if they are in immediate danger.

Nearly one in four teens between the ages of 12 and 18 report being bullied each year.  Research suggests that social media has made bullying much more public and more pervasive. In fact, cyberbullying has replaced in-person bullying as the most common type of harassment that teens experience.

To help guard against these kinds of teenage troubles, regularly talk to your teen about bullying and consider utilizing these tips to help:

• Discuss what they can do when they witness bullying.
• Talk about options if they become a target themselves.
• Recognize that being proactive is key to helping your child deal with a bully.
• Talk to your child about when and how to get help from a trusted adult.
• Acknowledge that talking about how someone has humiliated them is never an easy topic.
• Remind them that asking for help isn't a sign of weakness; it's a show of courage.

According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) survey, 30% of high school students reported having had sex and 21% said they were currently sexually active . That represents a decline over the past decade (47% had had sex in 2011; 34% were currently sexually active).

This decline in sexual activity doesn't necessarily mean teens nowadays are using contraceptives, though. Just over half of sexually active teens reported using a condom in their last sexual encounter, according to YRBSS data, while about one-third used hormonal birth control and 10% used both.

This may explain why more than half of the 26 million new sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. are among young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Here are some things you can do to ensure that your teen understands the risks of teen sex and how to be safe:

• Talk to your teen about sex and allow them to ask questions.
• Let them know they can come to you about anything and that no questions are off-limits.
• Do your best to not shame them or make them feel embarrassed by their inquiries.
• Instill the importance of safe sex practices—even if you don't think your child is engaging in sexual activity.
• Discuss contraception options and make sure they have access to contraception if they're sexually active.
• Give them resources to learn about safe sex.

The percentage of teens nowadays using illicit substances is roughly 10.9% of eighth graders, 19.8% of 10th graders, and 31.2% of 12th graders, according to most recent data from the Monitoring the Future Survey published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. While this decline has been noted since the survey began in 1975, there has been a dramatic rise in overdoses among teens.

Illicit fentanyl, a powerful synthetic drug, is largely responsible for these overdoses. Drug dealers are adding it to counterfeit pills made to resemble prescription medications, which means that although teen drug use is declining, it's becoming more risky for those who do partake.

It's important to have regular conversations with your teen about the dangers of drugs. Here are some key topics you need to discuss:

• Mention the dangers of over-the-counter drugs and prescription medications. Many teens don't recognize the risks associated with taking a friend's prescription or popping a few pills.
• Tell your teen that drug use during adolescence increases their risk for developing a substance use disorder later in life.
• Address how easily addictions can happen.
• Discuss how drug and alcohol use can affect their brain development.
• Talk about the risks associated with overdosing.
• Explain the danger of illicit fentanyl contaminating counterfeit drugs.
• Recognize talks about drug use are not one-and-done conversations, but something you should be discussing on a consistent basis.

Alcohol use and binge drinking continue to decline among teenagers. Still, 15.1% of eighth graders, 30.6% of 10th graders, and 45.7% of seniors say they used alcohol in the past year. The forms of alcohol teens are using have also changed. More kids are choosing flavored alcohol (also called "alcopops") and alcohol with caffeine in it. About 36% of seniors reported drinking flavored alcohol.

It's important to talk to your teen about the risks of underage drinking. Here are some tips on how to navigate those conversations.

• Educate them about the dangers of alcohol use, including the fact that alcohol can take a serious toll on their developing brain.  
• Express your disapproval of underage drinking. Saying you don't approve can make a big difference in whether your teen decides to drink.
• Discuss the dangers of drinking and driving.
• Let them know that if they do decide to drink, they should call you or another trusted adult for a ride rather than risk getting behind the wheel.
• Assure your teen that it's safe to reach out to you if they make a mistake and need help.

About 22% of 12- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. are obese, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. Hispanic and Black children are more likely to be overweight or obese than White or Asian children.

Children and teens who are overweight or obese are often targeted by bullies and are at a much greater risk of lifelong health problems such as diabetes , arthritis, cancer, and heart disease.  They may also struggle with body image issues or develop eating disorders as a way of changing their appearance.

But surveys show parents may not recognize when their kids are overweight.  They tend to underestimate their child's size and the risks associated with being overweight. Here are some ways you can help:

• Ask their health care provider privately about their weight in comparison to their height and age—though many health care providers will alert you to an issue without asking.
• Find ways to support and empower your teen , especially if their doctor recommends a different eating plan or exercise.
• Ensure your teen has the necessary tools to make changes, but recognize that they must want to change. You can't force the issue, nor should you try to control them,
• Avoid shaming or embarrassing your teen about their weight, but instead communicate acceptance for who they are as a person. They need to know their worth is not tied to their weight.

About 5% of high school students drop out of high school each year in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.  A high school dropout is likely to earn significantly less over their lifetime when compared to a high school graduate, which can have a significant impact on a young person's future.

But it's no longer just "troubled teens" who are dropping out of school. Some teens feel so much pressure to get into a good college that they're burning themselves out before they graduate from high school.

Here are some ways you can help your teen avoid academic problems:

• Stay involved in your teen's education.
• Provide support and guidance when needed.
• Be ready to assist your teen if they encounter problems.
• Try to remove some of the pressure they may be facing by not placing so much emphasis on grades, achievements, and college acceptances.

Bringing up any difficult subjects with your teen can feel uncomfortable. And your teen isn't likely to respond well to a lengthy lecture or too many direct questions. But having a conversation with your teen about social issues and other teenage troubles isn't something you should shy away from.

Even when it seems like they're not listening, you're the most influential person in your teen's life. It's important to lay a strong foundation before the window of opportunity closes. A good way to strike up a conversation about drugs, sex, vaping, or other uncomfortable situations is to ask a question like, "Do you think this is a big issue at your school?"

Listen to what your teen has to say. Try not to be judgmental, but make your expectations and opinions clear. It's important that your teen understands that you don't condone certain behaviors and that they know the consequences of breaking the rules. That said, you also need to communicate that if they do make a poor choice, it's not the end of the world and that you're there to help.

Technology-Based Communication and the Development of Interpersonal Competencies Within Adolescent Romantic Relationships: A Preliminary Investigation .  J Res Adolesc . 2017.

Growing Up Wired: Social Networking Sites and Adolescent Psychosocial Development .  Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev . 2014.

Associations Between Social Media and Cyberbullying: A Review of the Literature .  Mhealth . 2016.

Smartphones, Social Media Use and Youth Mental Health .  CMAJ . 2020.

Sexting, Mental Health, and Victimization Among Adolescents: A Literature Review .  Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2019.

Emotional Desensitization to Violence Contributes to Adolescents' Violent Behavior .  J Abnorm Child Psychol . 2016.

Screen Violence and Youth Behavior .  Pediatrics . 2017.

Tips on How to Deal With Media Violence . Common Sense Media.

Major Depression . National Institute on Mental Health.

Physical Exercise in Major Depression: Reducing the Mortality Gap While Improving Clinical Outcomes .  Front Psychiatry . 2018.

The Myths & Facts of Youth Suicide . Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) Office of Suicide Prevention .

Bullying Statistics: Rates of Incidence . National Bullying Prevention Center .

Cyberbullying Prevalence Among US Middle and High School-Aged Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Quality Assessment .  J Adolesc Health . 2016.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report 2011–2021 . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Adolescents and Young Adults . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2023: Secondary School Students . National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Reported Drug Use Among Adolescents Continued to Hold Below Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2023 . National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The Effect of Alcohol Use on Human Adolescent Brain Structures and Systems .  Handb Clin Neurol . 2014.

Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in the United States . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

Morbidity and Mortality associated With Obesity .  Ann Transl Med . 2017.

BMI Health Report Cards: Parents' perceptions and reactions .  Health Promot Pract . 2018.

Status Dropout Rates . National Center for Education Statistics. 

Burned Out to Drop Out: Exploring the Relationship Between School Burnout and School Dropout .  Eur J Psychol Educ . 2012.

Related Articles

CNN values your feedback

Fear & Greed Index

Latest Market News

Viral videos of people stealing money from Chase ATMs were just plain check fraud

A number of viral TikTok videos had some people believing they could get “free” cash from Chase ATMs. But it was just a glitch – and those customers were actually committing fraud, according to the bank.

Over the weekend, videos appeared on the app showing people depositing checks for large sums of money at Chase ATMs and then making a withdrawal for a smaller yet substantial amount, leading them to believe they had discovered a bug and were hitting the jackpot.

The problem is that this is just a form of check fraud, a criminal offense. Chase said in a statement to CNN that the issue has “been addressed” and warned people not to try it.

JPMorgan, the bank’s parent company, is carefully reviewing the situation, a person familiar with the matter told CNN. The bank is still determining how many Chase customers and how much money was involved in the incident, the source said.

Chase representatives would not comment on whether regulators are investigating. The Federal Reserve declined to comment, and a spokesperson for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said the agency does not comment on specific banks or supervisory activities.

The ruse centers on a banking standard that enables check depositors to have access to a portion of their money before the full total of the check clears. In the case of the viral videos, participants wrote checks for obscene amounts of money and then withdrew as much as they could before the check could bounce.

“Regardless of what you see online, depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the funds from your account is fraud, plain and simple,” a Chase spokesperson said.

One video shows participants throwing dollar bills in the air with glee, while other posts showed negative balances in their Chase accounts after trying the “hack.” But that was the bank putting holds on their accounts or deducting the stolen cash from their accounts, according to Jim Wang, a financial educator.

“The people that were doing this were seeing big holes in their accounts or huge negative balances,” Wang said on Instagram . “Bank errors in your favor are almost never in your favor. In the case of this ‘glitch,’ it was just check fraud.”

His advice? “It’s not your money, and when they figure it out, they will want it back. Do not spend it, do not move it, just leave it alone and tell the bank,” Wang said.

–CNN’s Matt Egan contributed to this report

CNN Business Videos

Show all

'.concat(e,"

'.concat(i,"

Automatically renews at ').concat(n.labelSubtext,"/").concat(n.billingInterval," . Cancel anytime.

\n ').concat(n,'\n

\n ').concat(t,'\n

This page will automatically redirect in 5 seconds...

').concat(o).concat(n,"

\n '+(null!=(o=r(e,"if").call(u,null!=n?r(n,"cta2PreText"):n,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:l.program(20,t,0),inverse:l.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:29,column:20},end:{line:29,column:61}}}))?o:"")+"\n"+(null!=(o=(r(e,"ifAll")||n&&r(n,"ifAll")||l.hooks.helperMissing).call(u,null!=n?r(n,"cta2Text"):n,null!=n?r(n,"cta2Link"):n,{name:"ifAll",hash:{},fn:l.program(22,t,0),inverse:l.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:30,column:20},end:{line:35,column:30}}}))?o:"")+"

\n \n '+i((u=null!=(u=p(e,"title")||(null!=n?p(n,"title"):n))?u:c,(0,_typeof2.default)(u)===s?u.call(r,{name:"title",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:20,column:73},end:{line:20,column:82}}}):u))+" \n "+i((u=null!=(u=p(e,"subtext")||(null!=n?p(n,"subtext"):n))?u:c,(0,_typeof2.default)(u)===s?u.call(r,{name:"subtext",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:21,column:24},end:{line:21,column:35}}}):u))+"\n \n