Table Of ContentPART 1. CULTURE AND VALUES ISSUE 1. Is America in Moral Decline? YES: 36886 Robert H. Bork, from Slouching Towards Gomorrah: Modern Liberalism and American Decline (Regan Books, 1996) NO: 42048 Kay S. Hymowitz, from "Our Changing Culture: Abandoning the Sixties," Current (June 2004) Robert H. Bork, famous for being nominated for the Supreme Court but not confirmed by the Senate, argues that modern liberalism is responsible for the decline in morals. Journalist Kay S. Hymowitz argues that the permissive culture of the sixties, which led to less respect for authority, crime, sexual promiscuity, and other indicators of moral decline, is waning. The cultural pendulum is swinging back to a more traditional culture of commitment, moderation, and family values. ISSUE 2. Does the News Media Have a Liberal Bias? YES: 37331 William McGowan, from Coloring the News: How Crusading for Diversity Has Corrupted American Journalism (Encounter Books, 2001) NO: 36888 Robert W. McChesney and John Bellamy Foster, from "The 'Left-Wing' Media?" Monthly Review (June 2003) Journalist William McGowan argues that political correctness pertaining to diversity issues has captured media newsrooms and exerts a constraining pressure on reporters. Robert W. McChesney and John Bellamy Foster argue that news reporting is bent in the direction of the political and commercial requirements of media owners, and heavy reliance on government officials and powerful individuals as primary sources biases news toward the status quo. ISSUE 3. Is Third World Immigration a Threat to America's Way of Life? YES: 31544 Patrick Buchanan, from "Shields Up!" The American Enterprise (March 2002) NO: 31545 Ben Wattenberg, from "Immigration Is Good," The American Enterprise (March 2002) Political analyst Patrick Buchanan asserts that the large influx of legal and illegal immigrants, especially from Mexico, threatens to undermine the cultural foundations of American unity. Ben Wattenberg, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, argues that the United States needs a constant flow of immigrants to avoid population decline and also to avoid the diminishment of power and influence. PART 2. SEX ROLES, GENDER, AND THE FAMILY ISSUE 4. Is the Decline of the Traditional Family a National Crisis? YES: 26548 David Popenoe, from "The American Family Crisis," National Forum: The Phi Kappa Phi Journal (Summer 1995) NO: 41723 Frank Furstenberg, from "Can Marriage Be Saved?" Dissent (Summer 2005) Sociologist David Popenoe contends that families play important roles in society but how the traditional family functions in these roles has declined dramatically in the last several decades, with very adverse effects on children. Sociologist Frank Furstenberg argues that diversity of and change in family forms are common throughout history, and the move away from the unusual family form of the 1950s does not indicate a crisis. It does present some problems for c
SynopsisThis EXPANDED Fourteenth Edition of TAKING SIDES: SOCIAL ISSUES provides two additional current controversial issues. All of the issues are presented in a debate-style format designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. Each issue is thoughtfully framed with an issue summary, an issue introduction, and a postscript. An instructor' s manual with testing material is available for each volume. USING TAKING SIDES IN THE CLASSROOM is also an excellent instructor resource with practical suggestions on incorporating this effective approach in the classroom. Each TAKING SIDES reader features an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites and is supported by our student website, www.mhcls.com/online., This EXPANDED Fourteenth Edition of TAKING SIDES: SOCIAL ISSUES provides two additional current controversial issues. All of the issues are presented in a debate-style format designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. Each issue is thoughtfully framed with an issue summary, an issue introduction, and a postscript. An instructor's manual with testing material is available for each volume. USING TAKING SIDES IN THE CLASSROOM is also an excellent instructor resource with practical suggestions on incorporating this effective approach in the classroom. Each TAKING SIDES reader features an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites and is supported by our student website, www.mhcls.com/online.