Social Problems Process: Gun Control Activism

Social Problems Process: Gun Control Activism Social problems are issues within society that impede people from realizing their full potential. Gun violence, for instance, is among America's most poignant social problems that require immediate attention from all levels of society. For such problems to become apparent, they must undergo the social problems process: a series of stages involving claims-making, media coverage, public reaction, policymaking, policy implementation work, and policy outcomes. Based on these practical dimensions, the purpose of the current paper is to utilize concept (social problems process) and theory (The Hegelian Dialectical Model) to understand the current discussions on gun violence in the United States. According to the gun violence archive, 2021 ended with 693 mass shootings, and in 2022 (as of June), there were 27 school shootings (GVA). Claim makers, including experts in sociology and pro-gun control activists, have called for tighter restrictions on gun ownership, including extensive background checks, a limit to the number and types of guns that can be owned, and control of the types of bullets that should be solved to civilians. These claims by experts and activists have made headways in the media. Experts have been called to discuss how these changes on the 2nd Amendment would prevent gun violence. In its role of being impartial, the media has also aired claims of people that oppose these propositions. In their view, changes in the 2nd Amendment cannot prevent such incidences. Instead, this section of the population pushes for solutions to mental health problems and stricter access to media like violent video games and Hollywood productions. These two sides of the argument form the two distinct ideological camps that have divided the USA into two. As a result, elected officials, particularly from the anti-gun control camp (primarily Republicans), are caught between protecting the interests of their populations...