Identify one global social challenge/issue that has received media coverage in the US and another country of your choice. You may consider a personally relevant social challenge/issue such as social issues young adults face including student debt, social media issues, mental health (depression and anxiety), violence, alcohol and/or drug abuse, housing - leaving home/living with parents, climate change, etc. Spend some time browsing domestic and international news stories and other media about the social challenge/issue you've chosen to study to assess how domestic and international media cover the same social challenge/issue similarly and differently. Examples of domestic media to browse include The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, as well as social media posts and websites originating in the US. Examples of international media to browse would be the media of your selected country, for example if you select the UK, that would include the BBC, The Economist as well as social media posts and websites originating in the UK. Students must use and cite at least one domestic news source and one international news source for this assignment. Students should make notes to help them answer the three parts of the assignment listed below. Students MUST answer all the questions in all 3 parts to receive credit.

Part 1 Challenge/Issue Description - Local/US Context

A. Imagine you are describing the challenge/issue to someone who lives in another country and provide information about the challenge/issue by answering the following questions:

What is the social challenge/issue?

Why is the social challenge/issue significant?

What are the main causes of the social challenge/issue?

What are the main consequences or the impact of the social challenge/issue?

Who is responsible for addressing the social challenge/issue?

What and how adequate has been the response to the social challenge/issue?

B. Briefly discuss how your values, cultural background, and media use have influenced your understanding and definition of the cause, significance, and impact, of the challenge/issue; responsibility for the issue; or responses to the challenge/issue.

Part 2 Challenge/Issue Description - International Context

A. Imagine you are describing the challenge/issue to someone who lives in the US and is not familiar with life in the other country you selected. Provide information about the challenge/issue by answering the following questions:

What country is the group facing the challenge/issue living in?

What is the challenge/issue and is it defined differently in the foreign country from the way it is defined in the United States? Why is the challenge/issue significant? Is the challenge/issue significant for the same reasons as those in a local context - i.e. local meaning the United States?

What are the main causes of the challenge/issue? Are they similar to or different from the main causes in the local context? What are the main consequences or the impact of the challenge/issue? Are they similar to or different from the consequences in the local context?

Who is responsible for addressing the challenge/issue? Are they similar to or different from those responsible in the local context?

What and how adequate has been the response to the issue? Is it similar to or different from the response to the challenge/issue in the local context?

B. Briefly discuss how values, cultural background, and media have influenced the similarities and differences in the definition of the cause, significance and impact of the challenge/issue; responsibility for the issue; as well as responses to the challenge/issue.

Part 3 Engagement: Addressing the Challenge/Issue

A. Propose at least one solution or intervention to address the challenge/issue within both local and global contexts.

B. Recommend how you can use media to become better engaged with addressing the challenge/issue in an informed and responsible way to benefit others affected by the issue both locally and globally.