Societal Challenges
Return to GC Chapters Societal Challenges List - See Institutions
1. Climate Change
2. Environmental
- Air
- Water
- Land Use, etc.
3. Systemic Racism
- Also called institutional or structural
- Jail Involved (20 million people)
- Convicted Felons getting work
- Recitivism
- Drug Possession
- Addiction
5. Civil Justice
- Liberties
- Racial Discrimination
- Gender equality
- Sexual Orientation
6. Guns
7. Digitalization
- Data privacy
- Digital monopolies
- Surviellance Capitalism & Surviellance Authoritarianism - shift from these use cases to societal challenges
- Online security
- Algorithmic bias
- the new oil - most important resource to address societal challenges
- Data Rights - who owns it?
- Research & Discovery & Insight
- Machine Learning & AI Intelligence
- Social Media - how do we keep people safe and free? Section 230
- Streaming Media - news, music, games, movies
- News
10. Digital Divide
- Access & Competencies
- Telehealth
- Education
- Ordering Food, Medicines & Consumer goods
11. Public Health
- Global pandemic - including protecting front-line workers health and finance (i.e., paid sick leave)
- Research, vaccinations, education (alcohol, tobacco)
- Worker safety standards, school nutrition
- Track Disease outbreaks, pandemics
- Promote guidelines and legislation (Smoking bans, air quality, seat belts) based on science.
12. Mental Health & Addictions
- Deaths of Despair (Suicide, Drug Overdose, Alcohol-related)
- Drug possession crimes vs drug treatments
13. Health
- Individual health
- Manage chronic conditions - obesity,
14. Healthcare
- Affordability - Cost
- Access
- Healthcare Insurance
- Coordinated
- Health Outcomes
15. Nutrition
- Food insecurity
- Food deserts
16. Consumer Protections
- Products,
- Transportation
- Banking
- Home Loans
- Credit Cards
17. Public Safety
- Policing
- Law enforcement
- Fire
- Emergency Medical Services
18. Safety Net
- Food Stamps
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Worker's Compensation
- Unemployment
- Social Security disability benefits (SSDI)
- Medicaid & CHIP
- School Lunches
- Housing & Utilities support
19. National Security
- Homeland Security
- Cybersecurity
- Domestic Terrorism
- Military Threats
20. Globalization
- Governments Stability vs Values (i.e., Middle East, China, others)
- Global Conflicts
- Election Tampering
- Domestic Supply Chain
- Cyberseurity
21. Infrastructure
- Transportation – roads, bridges, etc.
- Energy - electricity, natural gas, etc.
- Water
- Broadband
- Cell Service
22. Energy
- Renewables
- Oil, Gas and Coal
- Distribution
23. Quality Neighborhoods
- Safety
- Parks
- Schools
- Food
24. Community Resources
- Social Capital (Alienated America)
- Churches
- Social Organizations
- Essential Services - Food, Consumables, Hospitals, Doctors, Mental Health
25. Taxes
26. Research
- Basic Science
- Climate Change
- Health - Cancer treatment discoveries
27. Retirement Security
- Retirement Income
- Social Security System
28. Political Polarization
- Functional Legislature
- Elections - fair
- Representitive Government
- Mission and Goals - reflect the people
29. Democracy
- Elections - fair
- Representitive Government
- Mission and Goals - reflect the people
30. Immigration
- Citizenship
- Worker Visas
- DACA
31. Economic Growth
- GDP, Jobs, etc.
32. Economic Sustainability
- Depletion of non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels, metals, and minerals
- Enough food, water and energy – that can support a human population
- Aging Population - Enough young to care for the old
- Workforce - farms, etc.
- Pandemic Disruptions
33. Jobs
- Future of Work
- Middle Income Jobs – Good Paying Jobs
- Labor Participation
34. Employment Protections
- Paid leave - Family, Sick with Covid-19 and need to come to work, can't go to doctor or take family member to doctor
- Gig Work - Employee vs. Contractor - need new classifications
- Workplace environment
- Workforce protections - discrimination, harrassment, etc.
35. Employment Transitions
- Job Loss
- Career advancement
- Job Disruptions (Change, AI, Automation, Robots) - global pandemic
- Retrain, redistribute, Universal Basis Income, reduce hours
36. Workforce Training
- Apprenticeship
- Job traing
- Trade schools
- Retraining and reskiling
- Certificates - Nearly 30 Percent of Workers in the U.S. Need a License to Perform Their Job
37. Entrepreneurship
- Small Business
- Business Start-ups
- Venture Capital
38. Child Care
- Affordable
39. Primary Education
- Cradle to full-time employment
40. College Education
- Student Loans
- Financial Aid
41. Homelessness
42. Housing
- Affordable
- Home Loans
43. Poverty
44. Wealth Inequality
- Individual
- Government
45. Income Inequality
46. Income mobility
47. Individual Well-Being
