Weekly Journal
John A. McDermitt III
Ashford University
SOC 320 Public Policy & Social Services
Instructor: Bernie Colon
February 18, 2014

Weekly Journal

I’ve started this journal one week into this class, and became aware that sociology is a major undertaking, but so far it has been a great journey. Knowing my audience for this paper allows me to draw from my last 3 years of study, this in turn will allow me to qualify what I may have learned. Cultural Anthropology seems to be at the forefront of my thinking why? I will address this thesis at the end of this course. This journal will be with me for the next 5 weeks and like it or not I will reveal my thoughts and intuition concerning the given subject. Let’s get started.

For your journal entry, you will explore aspects of your personal experience and/or beliefs regarding significant public policies and what you have learned in your readings. As you reflect, please address the following questions:
What are the current major environmental issues?
"The amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is already above the threshold that can potentially cause dangerous climate change. We are already at risk...It's not next year or next decade, it's now." Report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):
We are at the mercy of our environment and in my life time I have seen the environment destroyed. Sociology seems to be showing me another aspect in my comprehension of critical thinking. The environment became a legitimate policy issue in American politics many years ago an as my recent study reveals, it emerged on the public agenda then the environment became subject to the actions of politicians and others within the American political system. Since the late 1960s to the early 1970s it seems everyone plays a role in shaping environmental policy.
How do you feel about related policies?
To reflect on what I know at this moment would not be fair for me to answer. I have no bias either way at this time.
What, if anything, has changed or is changing, and how does it affect you personally?
The unpredictable weather has played havoc on the construction industry, more so up here in the north eastern United States, along the Great Lakes.
What were your thoughts prior to reading this week’s reading assignment?
The week prior to this course I could have cared less about the process of public policy, but after reading and researching for one week I can see where this course will have a powerful imprint on my line of thinking and more so interpretation and comprehention.
How has your perspective been either reinforced or changed now that you are more informed?
I am coming away this week with a renewed sense of interest. By grasping this positive aspect, I will go forward into next week’s work with a interest that was not there when this all started.