CREATIVE PAPER EXPLANATION!

Word count 2400-3000 words!

Papers must focus on a current fundamental socio-psychological problem, by which I mean a

problem consisting in a deep psychological condition that:!
i) is widespread;!
ii) is more widespread now than it has been in the past, if not everywhere than at least in some
places in the world;!
iii) influences and is influenced by a persons interactions with others;!
iv) is transmitted, strengthened, or reinforced through those interactions.!
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-Examples: nihilism, disenchantment/loss of faith, excess of faith, deficit of empathy, !
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anti-intellectualism, increasing tribalism/nationalism, anomie, atomization of society, !
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widespread sense of loneliness or isolation, levelling, superficiality, weakening of !
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cultural identities, etc.!

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-Problems like climate change, war, famine, high taxes, dont count, since theyre not !
socio-psychological. Famine, for example, may be caused by socio-psychological !
problems, but it is not itself a socio-psychological problem.!

I want you to:!

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(a) Explain the problem i.e. tell me what it is, exactly.!
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(b) Identify its root causes!
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(c) Explain its effects i.e. what behaviors, events, trends are caused by the problem?!
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(d) Present a proposal for what you, as an individual, can do to most effectively help to !
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combat or dissolve or surmount this problem. Explain why this is the most effective way !
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to help address the problem.!
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(e) If it makes sense given your proposal, show me a sample of your solution. (E.g. if !
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your solution is to write something, write part of that and submit it. If your solution !
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involves some action that you can video-record, submit the video-recording.)!

Some important provisos:!

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1) While you may propose an illegal course of action, I must ask that you do NOT !
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undertake this course of action, or present evidence of it as part of this assignment.!

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2) Take (d) very seriously. It is not acceptable to propose something that Canada should !
do, or that the UN Security counsel should do, or that biomedical researchers should do.
And think carefully about the most effectively part.!

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3) You are encouraged to consult existing research and theoretical writing in psychology,
sociology, anthropology, economics, etc. in doing (b) and (c) above. But keep in mind !
that this is a short paper, and that you need to devote space to (d) and perhaps (e) as !
well. And dont become so enamored of exisiting research that you omit to think through !
the problem yourself.!

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4) You must get your topic i.e. your problem approved by ME before you !
begin to write. You may ask for my approval in class, in office hours, or by e-mail.

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