Look at the front page of a daily newspaper, watch the news on television or check the crawl on your computer screen, and you will see people disagreeing about how to resolve some of our society's more basic conflicts. In this course, students examine various contemporary social issues such as changing birth technologies, abortion, genetic engineering, euthanasia, affirmative action, censorship, pornography, welfare reform, legalizing drugs, animal rights and the death penalty. The course may include reading a daily national newspaper and tracking issues of personal interest to the student. The course provides students with the conceptual tools and practical information necessary to understand, evaluate and respond to the social issues of an ever-changing modern life.