Same-Sex Marriage Debate discussion

Hey Robert, this is the second part of the question. I’m going to post the scoring guide at the bottom. Again, please follow that for me for “basic” or higher.

• Write a 6–8-page essay comparing two U.S. states’ approaches to issues of same-sex marriage or immigration policy.Note: You must complete Assessment 4 before beginning this one.By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
  • Competency 1: Describe theoretical ideas of power in relation to policy.
    • Discuss contrasts in how states approach a diversity issue, using theoretical ideas of power.
  • Competency 2: Identify historical and contemporary influences of discrimination in U.S. culture.
    • Discuss law, policy, or politics in states with varying approaches to a diversity issue.
  • Competency 3: Analyze the effects of social policy using aggregated data.
    • Analyze data to project how state policies might affect population migration.
  • Competency 4: Analyze how laws are applied or created based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, and social class.
    • Discuss contrasts between two states in areas of law, politics, or policy as they apply to a diversity issue.
  • Competency 5: Apply diversity strategies in professional, educational, and personal contexts.
    • Apply historical solutions to an issue where there are discrepancies between state and federal diversity law.
  • Competency 6: Communicate effectively.
    • Write coherently to support a central idea in appropriate format and with few errors of grammar, usage, and mechanics.

  Context

• How can sociological research help us understand how laws and policies are made and how they change over time? How might we use the sociological perspective to develop more effective solutions to political and social issues or create policies that are effective and based on sound research? These are questions to consider as you explore the connection between political and economic power and legislative decision making.Sociologists studying cultural diversity are also very much interested in how our beliefs about diversity are reflected in the law-making and policy-making process, including laws and policies that pertain to immigration and same-sex marriage. Something to think about is whether the policies and positions maintained by those in power actually reflect the research and data on the topic or issue they address. In other words, does the rhetoric match the evidence gathered through careful research?

• Questions to Consider

  To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of the business community.

  • Which sociological theory of power best explains the political decision-making process in today’s society?
  • How does cultural diversity influence policy making? For example, how do state policies pertaining to social issues like immigration and same-sex marriage differ depending on the cultural diversity and demographic and socioeconomic composition of that state?
  • Why is the sociological approach to cultural diversity useful for understanding how policy decisions are made and how political debates over social issues are articulated by key stakeholders?

• Resources

  Internet Resources

  Access the following resources by clicking the links provided. Please note that URLs change frequently. Permissions for the following links have been either granted or deemed appropriate for educational use at the time of course publication.

  • Domhoff, W. (2015). Theories of power. Retrieved from http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/theory/
  • National Conference of State Legislatures. (2015.). Same-sex marriage laws. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/same-s…
  • American Immigration Council. (n.d.). History of immigration. Retrieved from http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/issues/history

• Assessment Instructions

  Note: You must complete Assessment 4 before beginning this one.Building on your research and analysis of the immigration policy or same-sex marriage debates, this assessment asks you to more closely examine the connection between power and policy, and law making by comparing and contrasting how two states have handled these issues.In order to understand the link between power and political and legal decision making, you will place this process in each state in the appropriate context. That means that you need to assess the historical, demographic, cultural, and socioeconomic factors that have influenced each state’s different approach to immigration policy or same-sex marriage. You will also reflect on the consequences of state-to-state discrepancies in policies and laws regarding controversial social and political issues like these.This assessment combines the key components of studying cultural diversity from a sociological perspective: placing current social issues in historical context, understanding how demographic and cultural trends influence public opinion, and applying sociological theories to determine the role of power in shaping policy-making decisions.

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  Write an essay addressing each of the following parts:

  • Part 1 – Complete the following:
    • Discuss one of the following for each of the two states you have chosen as it relates to your chosen topic:
      • Law (rules and standards enforced by a particular institution).
      • Politics (the key political players in the policy-making and law-making processes).
      • Policy (principles or methods used to achieve a particular goal or make decisions about political or social issues).
    • Discuss theories of power that might explain the differences between how each state has handled your issue.
      • Examples of theories of power include power elite theory, the four networks theory of power, pluralism, Marxist theory, and state autonomy theory.
    • Discuss other possible explanations for the differences in how each state’s government has approached your topic. Address at least three of the following potential factors, and come up with another of your own that might explain the divergent approaches you have identified:
      • Demographics of the state population, including age, race/ethnicity, gender, and percentage of the population in urban versus rural areas.
      • Geography.
      • Religion.
      • History.
      • Socioeconomic standing, including median or average income and education levels of the population, as well as the overall economic well-being of each state.
  • Part 2 – Answer the following, incorporating data to support your answers:
    • To what extent have these states’ existing policies and laws affected past migration patterns of the groups affected (immigrants or those seeking same-sex marriage rights)?
    • How might future migration patterns be affected?
  • Part 3 – Complete the following:
    • Reflect on a historical precedent in which a state has had to alter its laws as a result of inconsistencies with federal law.
      • Why and how did the state change its laws?
      • What lessons might be learned from this precedent, and how can those lessons be applied to your topic?

  ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
  • Length: 6–8 pages, not including the title and reference pages.
  • Format: Include a title page and reference page, and format the essay and your citations according to current APA style and formatting guidelines.
  • Sources: Cite at least four credible, scholarly sources to support your points.
  • Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point.

  Comparing Politics, Law, Policy, and Power Scoring Guide

  CRITERIA	NON-PERFORMANCE	BASIC	PROFICIENT	DISTINGUISHED
  Discuss contrasts in how states approach a diversity issue, using theoretical ideas of power.	Does not discuss contrasts in how states approach a diversity issue.	Discusses contrasts in how states approach a diversity issue but does not include appropriate theoretical ideas of power.	Discusses contrasts in how states approach a diversity issue, using theoretical ideas of power.	Discuss contrasts in how states approach a diversity issue, using theoretical ideas of power, and includes supporting citations from scholarly sources.
  Discuss law, policy, or politics in states with varying approaches to a diversity issue.	Lists differences in law, policy, or politics in states with varying approaches to a diversity issue.	Lists differences in law, policy, or politics in states with varying approaches to a diversity issue.	Discusses differences in law, policy, or politics in states with varying approaches to a diversity issue.	Discusses difference in law, policy, or politics in states with varying approaches to a diversity issue and cites specific examples of their application.
  Analyze data to project how state policies might affect population migration.	Does not analyze data to project how state policies might affect population migration.	Analyzes data but does not project a reasonable assessment of how state policies might affect population migration.	Analyzes data to project how state policies might affect population migration.	Analyzes data to project how state policies might affect population migration, including a discussion of past migrations for context and citations for scholarly sources.
  Discuss contrasts between two states in areas of law, politics, or policy as they apply to a diversity issue.	Does not list contrasts between two states in areas of law, politics, or policy as they apply to a diversity issue.	Lists contrasts between two states in areas of law, politics, or policy as they apply to a diversity issue.	Discusses contrasts between two states in areas of law, politics, or policy as they apply to a diversity issue.	Discusses contrasts between two states in areas of law, politics, or policy as they apply to a diversity issue, including real-world examples of their application.
  Apply historical solutions to an issue where there are discrepancies between state and federal diversity law.	Does not list historical solutions to an issue where there are discrepancies between state and federal diversity law.	Lists historical solutions to an issue where there are discrepancies between state and federal diversity law.	Applies historical solutions to an issue where there are discrepancies between state and federal diversity law.	Applies historical solutions to an issue where there are discrepancies between state and federal diversity law, and points out areas where the lessons learned might not be applicable.
  Write coherently to support a central idea in appropriate format and with few errors of grammar, usage, and mechanics.	Does not write coherently to support a central idea in appropriate format. Does not use correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.	Writes to support an idea. Format is inconsistent and contains major errors of grammar, usage, and mechanics.	Writes coherently to support a central idea in appropriate format and with few errors of grammar, usage, and mechanics.	Writes coherently, using evidence to support a central idea in a consistently appropriate format with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.