Beyond the Cloud
Beyond the Cloud
Log in Sign up

Solutions to Social Problems

SO 100
Closed
Main contact
Boston University
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Joseph Harris
He / Him
Associate Professor of Sociology
(1)
2
Timeline
  • November 6, 2024
    Program start
  • December 11, 2024
    Program end
Program
1/1 project matches
Dates set by program
Preferred companies
Anywhere
Startup, Non profit, Social Enterprise
Academic association, Education, Government, Individual & family services, Non-profit, philanthropic & civil society

Program scope

Categories
Community engagement International development Law and policy Social sciences Social justice
Skills
critical thinking qualitative research memos zoom (video conferencing tool) communication social issue
Learner goals and capabilities

-Qualitative research

-Critical analysis

-Communication skills


Learners

Learners
Undergraduate
Beginner levels
90 learners
Project
7 hours per learner
Coordinators assign learners to projects
Teams of 3
Expected outcomes and deliverables

Students could either produce 1-2 page individual memos or work in 3-person teams would deliver policy memo of 3-4 pages, whatever would be of more use to the client. Ideally the students will be able to interact with the client via Zoom or in person initially to help make the project real for students and get them interested and invested. And ideally the client might be able to provide at least one line of feedback and rating on each student deliverable.

Project timeline
  • November 6, 2024
    Program start
  • December 11, 2024
    Program end

Project examples

This project would take place in the context of a large introductory Principles of Sociology course that includes students from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and disciplines. Students would use critical analytical abilities to propose solutions to problems broadly related to themes of inequality and social justice, though which could relate to more specific issues, such as social mobility, education, development, health and healthcare, work, etc. Outputs might, for example, come in the form of short policy memos written by student teams and/or individuals. As this is a large class, this is best suited for clients who are looking for a lot of fresh ideas on how to address an issue (for example, from 30 student teams of 3), rather than just one memo from the class as a whole.

Additional company criteria

Companies must answer the following questions to submit a match request to this program:

  • Q1 - Text long
    In what specific ways does this project relate to inequality, social problems and social justice?  *
  • Q2 - Text short
    Is the project amenable to a large number of student outputs (for example between 30-100 policy memos that aim to offer fresh ideas about addressing a problem)?
  • Q3 - Text short
    Does the project seem like a natural fit with an Introduction to Sociology class?