Choose a movie, documentary, or short series that displays a social welfare policy issue. After watching the movie, please complete the assignment below. Some possible topics could be related to discrimination based on sex, race, or physical disability, immigration/refugee issues, war, substance use, mental health, poverty, etc. Some examples include Precious, Selma, I am Sam, Maid (on Netflix), and The Pursuit of Happyness. Please carefully consider the questions you will need to answer when selecting an appropriate film to review.
1. Summarize the movie and why you chose to select it. Be sure to provide enough information so that someone who hasn’t seen the movie would be able to understand the plot.
2. What is the main social welfare policy issue present in the movie and which character(s) are impacted by this?
3. Analyze and apply the impact of social welfare policies (or lack of) on the main character(s). Explain the impact of the policies on the character’s general health and well-being. Provide specific examples from the movie.
4. Compare and contrast how people of the same or similar culture to the identified character experience social policy issues in the current world. Provide specific examples of which population you are referring to, what policy is impacting them, and statistics to support your position.
5. What antipoverty measures are in place in an effort to resolve the issues that the character(s) faced? It may be helpful to focus on categories such as income maintenance programs, programs supplying goods and services, efforts to stop the spread of poverty to new generations, and programs to aid the working poor.