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

4. Criminal Justice

• Jail Involved (20 million people)
• Drug Possession
• Addiction

5. Civil Justice

• Liberties
• Racial Discrimination
• Gender equality
• Sexual Orientation

6. Guns

7. Digitalization

• Data privacy
• Digital monopolies
• Online security
• Algorithmic bias

8. Public Health

• 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.

9. Mental Health & Addictions

• Deaths of Despair (Suicide, Drug Overdose, Alcohol-related)

10. Health

• Individual health
• Manage chronic conditions - obesity,

11. Healthcare

• Affordability - Cost
• Access
• Healthcare Insurance
• Coordinated
• Health Outcomes

12. Nutrition

• Food
• Food deserts

13. Consumer Protections

• Products,
• Transportation
• Banking
• Home Loans
• Credit Cards

14. Public Safety

• Policing
• Law enforcement
• Fire
• Emergency Medical Services

15. 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

16. National Security

• Homeland Security
• Cybersecurity
• Domestic Terrorism
• Military Threats

17. Globalization

• Governments Stability vs Values (i.e., Middle East, China, others)
• Global Conflicts
• Election Tampering
• Domestic Supply Chain
• Cyberseurity

18. Infrastructure

• Transportation – roads, bridges, etc.
• Energy - electricity, natural gas, etc.
• Water
• Broadband
• Cell Service

19. Energy

• Renewables
• Oil, Gas and Coal
• Distribution

20. Digital Access

• Telehealth
• Education
• Food and Consumer goods

21. Quality Neighborhoods

• Safety
• Parks
• Schools
• Food

22. Community Resources

• Social Capital (Alienated America)
  
• Churches
• Social Organizations
• Essential Services - Food, Consumables, Hospitals, Doctors, Mental Health

23. Taxes

24. Research

• Basic Science
• Climate Change
• Health - Cancer treatment discoveries

25. Retirement Security

• Retirement Income
• Social Security System

26. Political Polarization

• Functional Legislature
• Elections - fair
• Representitive Government
• Mission and Goals - reflect the people

27. Elections system

• Elections - fair
• Representitive Government
• Mission and Goals - reflect the people

28. Economic Growth

• GDP, Jobs, etc.

29. Immigration

• Citizenship
• Worker Visas
• DACA

30. Jobs

• Future of Work
• Job Disruptions (Change, AI, Automation, Robots)
  • Retrain, redistribute, Universal Basis Income, reduce hours
• Middle Income Jobs – Good Paying Jobs
• Gig Work - Employee vs. Contractor - need new classifications

31. Workforce Trainingg

• Apprenticeship
• trade schools
• Retraining and reskiling
• Certificates - [ https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2015/01/27/nearly-30-percent-of-workers-in-the-u-s-need-a-license-to-perform-their-job-it-is-time-to-examine-occupational-licensing-practices/ Nearly 30 Percent of Workers in the U.S. Need a License to Perform Their Job]

31. 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

32. Entrepreneurship

• Small Business
• Business Start-ups
• Venture Capital

33. Education

• Cradle to full-time employment
• Student Loans
• Financial Aid

34. Homelessness

35. Housing

• Neighborhoods, Local schools, etc.
• Home Loans

36. Poverty

37. Employment Transitions

• Job Loss
• Career advancement
• Apprentices
• Job Training

38. Wealth Inequality

• Individual
• Government

39. Income Inequality

40. Income mobility

41. Individual Well-Being

Safety & Security
1. Climate Change
2. Environmental
3. Mental Health & Addictions
4. Civil Justice
5. Systemic Racism
6. Digitalization
7. Guns
8. Public Health
9. Health
10. Healthcare
11. Consumer Safety
12. Public Safety
13. Safety Net 14. National Security 16. Globalization
17. Infrastructure
18. Quality Neighborhoods 19. Community Resources 20. Criminal Justice Reform
21. Taxes
22. Research
23. Social Security & Retirement
24. Political System
24. Immigration

Economic Capitalism
16. Globalization
17. Infrastructure
20. Taxes
21. Research
24. Immigration
25. Economy
26. Jobs
27. Economic Sustainability
28. Entrepreneurship

Enablement Capitalism
3. Mental Health & Addiction
4. Civil Justice
5. Systemic Racism
9. Health
19. Criminal Justice Reform
20. Taxes
21. Research
22. Political System
23. Immigration
27. Entrepreneurship
29. Education
30. Homelessness
31. Housing
32. Poverty
33. Debt & Wealth
34. Employment Transitions
35. Income Inequality
36. Income mobility
37. Overall Well-Being