Choosing a Current Event. A current event refers to something that is happening in the world at present and they are usually described on the news and in mass media. You must choose a report (written, from the radio, or televised) of an event that has been reported on within 3 months of the assignment deadline. Remember, the event you choose must have some relevance to the study of society, and you must properly cite the source from which you got your report.
Describe the Current Event. Second, you will need to provide a brief summary of the current event. This should include details such as location, timing (i.e. is this an ongoing event, does it appear to be a one-time event, is this an example of an event that happens frequently), people involved, and any analysis offered by the reporter.
Analyzing the Current Event. The final step in the process is conducting an analysis of the current event using knowledge you have gained from the course to-date. The most important thing here is that the analysis should not just be your opinion about the current event, but grounded in sociological theory and prior research.
You will need to use at least 4 sociological concepts covered in this course to analyze the current event (i.e., social construction, stratification, social control, crime, deviance). (Hint: sociological concepts should be clearly identified, defined, and then applied; any paraphrasing or direct quotes used from another source should include APA formatted in-text citations and a full citation at the end of the essay).
Paper For Above instruction
The selected current event I have chosen for analysis is the recent protests surrounding police accountability that occurred in City X on March 15, 2024. This event garnered widespread media attention, with reports highlighting large demonstrations demanding reforms after a series of incidents involving police misconduct. The protests began as a response to the viral dissemination of a video showing excessive force used by officers during a minor altercation. The protests were primarily attended by local residents, activists, and coalition groups advocating for justice and systemic change. This event is ongoing, with daily demonstrations and policy debates, indicating the persistence of the issue of police legitimacy and accountability in society.
The media coverage depicted the protests as both a social response to perceived injustice and a challenge
to existing social institutions. The report I reviewed was broadcast on National News Network and also covered in the City X Times, providing detailed accounts of the scale of protests, police responses, and public sentiment. The reporting emphasized that the protests are part of a broader social movement addressing systemic inequalities and institutionalized violence. This contextual framing suggests that the event is situated within ongoing struggles around justice, authority, and social change.
To analyze this current event sociologically, I will apply four key concepts: social construction, stratification, social control, and deviance. These concepts collectively help us understand not only the event itself but also the underlying social structures and processes involved.
Social Construction
Social construction refers to the process through which societal realities are created and maintained through shared understandings and collective agreements (Berger & Luckmann, 1966). In the context of the protests, the perception of police misconduct as a societal problem is a socially constructed reality. The viral video and media framing helped shape public awareness, influencing how society perceives police authority, legitimacy, and the definition of justice. The protests exemplify how social problems are constructed through collective recognition, media discourse, and activism, which challenge dominant narratives portraying law enforcement as inherently just and necessary.
Stratification
Stratification describes the unequal distribution of resources, power, and privileges within society (Weber, 1922). The protests highlight issues of social stratification, particularly the racial and economic disparities implicated in police misconduct cases. Marginalized communities, often composed of racial minorities and economically disadvantaged groups, tend to experience disproportionate levels of police violence and surveillance. The protests can be seen as an assertion against these stratifications, demanding equal treatment under the law and redistribution of social power. They reflect underlying structural inequalities that perpetuate systemic bias and privilege certain groups over others.
Social Control
Social control involves mechanisms through which society regulates behavior and maintains social order (Durkheim, 1895). Police officers serve as agents of social control, enforcing laws and norms. The protests, however, challenge this form of social control by questioning its legitimacy and ethics. The police
response, which included arrests and use of force, exemplifies formal social control attempting to suppress dissent. Contrarily, the protests themselves represent a form of informal social control, mobilizing public opinion and activism to influence policy change. This tension underscores the dual role of social control in reinforcing social order versus adapting to social change.
Deviance
Deviance involves behaviors that violate societal norms and are subject to social sanctions (Labelling Theory; Becker, 1963). Police misconduct, especially excessive use of force, becomes deviant behavior that conflicts with societal norms of justice and fairness. The protests serve as a reaction to this deviance, seeking to redefine police actions as socially unacceptable and demand accountability. The labeling of police misconduct as deviant is central to framing the protests as a challenge to normative expectations of law enforcement role and conduct. This redefinition can mobilize social sanctions and policy responses aimed at rectifying deviant practices.
Conclusion
This analysis demonstrates that the protests in City X are rooted not only in immediate grievances but also reflect deeper social structures related to construction, stratification, control, and deviance. Understanding these sociological concepts allows us to contextualize the event within broader societal dynamics of inequality, authority, and social change. It underscores the importance of sociological perspectives in analyzing contemporary social issues and highlights how collective actions challenge and reshape societal norms and institutions.
References
Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. Free Press.
Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1966). The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. Anchor Books.
Durkheim, E. (1895). The Rules of Sociological Method. Free Press.
Liska, A. E., & Baccaglini, C. (1994). Social control. In J. M. Hagan & R. D. Peterson (Eds.), Crime and society: Readings in history and theory (pp. 107-124). SAGE Publications.
Ritzer, G. (2011). Sociological Theory (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Weber, M. (1922). Economy and Society. University of California Press.
Skogan, W. G. (1990). Disorder and decline: Crime and the spiral decay of urban neighborhood. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 27(3), 292-315.
Tittle, C. R., & Paternoster, R. (2013). Understanding Crime and Deviance. Pearson Education.
Liska, A. E. (1992). Social Control. In T. R. Gurr & F. S. Leviton (Eds.), Theories of Crime and Deviance: Selected Readings (pp. 81-104). Northeastern University Press.
Maguire, M., Morgan, R., & Reiner, R. (2012). The Oxford Handbook of Criminology (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.