SOC-436 Research Proposal OutlineYolande Nelson-Worthy
Sociology students should know how to organize their writing to present a research proposal. This assignment will help you learn this
skill. Complete the sections below as directed, citing scholarly sources where needed.
Assignment Directions:
Use this outline below as a template to complete this assignment. You will fill in the missing portions needed to write a research
proposal based on your research question and selected type of research. This outline will help you write the Research Proposal rough
draft due in Topic 6:
Write your research question related to a social institution of your choice (Those in the Hispanic Experience or the African
American Experience minors, should select a topic in line with their minor.):
To what level has the BRI depicted the implications of the Power Elite Model in developing countries of Africa?
I.
Title: The China Belt & Road Initiative (BRI)
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Describe the social institution and stratification (50-75 words).
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) reputes an ambitious organization that progresses two new trade routes connecting China
with other nation-states. It purposes to generate interdependence and expansion of China’s market and economic power and ensure a
conducive situation for technology enhancement (Sahibzada, 2022). This institution has allocated or stratified China’s power and
prestige through enhanced connectivity and deepening economic cooperation. This is enhanced through interaction between China
and other nations in different trading activities.
II.
Introduction:
Provide information about your topic: Background information, prevalence, and scope of the social institution. Explain the
current status of the social institution and changes that need to be made here in this section of your paper (200-250 words).
Currently, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is beheld as the preeminent approach that secures the China border in the Asian
mainland. It helps to facilitate or encourage China’s “periphery diplomacy.” Interaction with other nations is enhanced, especially
between China and US in trade. This corporation program has obtained significant outcomes in different areas of trade facilitation,
trade policy, energy, and the transport sector (Cheng & Koh, 2022). The lack of trade openness in China is due to diminished
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willingness to operate with other nations in the trade undertakings. Besides, other barriers like poor infrastructure have also been
reported as a key problem regarding its enactment in China. Therefore the quality or prevalence of this institution is not to desired
standards. The capability to deal with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) regards the implementation of power elite model
strategies that would ensure corporation with developing nations. This would create a chance for China to export excess savings
while putting SOEs to work. Further, the power elite model should be implemented to guarantee actual interaction both in
commercial and political operations. Essentially, improvement in terms of positive interaction with other nations would be the best
strategy through which other nations like the US would develop a willingness to trade with China. In general, the implication of the
power elite model is the main change that should be instigated by the BRI in developing nations such as Africa.
III.
Literature Review: Explain the results of your exploration of what has already been studied and what gaps exist in the
research that has already been done about the social institution and stratification you have identified (150-200 words)
The previous exploration has indicated that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the main component of China’s foreign policy.
Since 2013, it has undergone numerous modifications that intend to enlarge its interaction with other nations. It has currently been
labeled as the largest infrastructure program in the world regarding investment in transportation networks (Sahibzada, 2022). Since
then, it has confirmed the development of roads, airports, and railways to power transportation of the products enticed in economic
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programs. Besides, the telecommunication network was embraced through the launching of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),
based on this, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), have emphasized great stress on “high-quality investment “and utilization of
risk mitigation tools, green finance, and project finance (Ashraf, Luo, & Khan, 2022). Although different research reports advance
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the economy, there is still a gap to determine how the implementation of the power elite
model would benefit the nation. This shall entail determination of the level and extent to which China ventures to embrace BRI
throughout its operation process, both in economic and political matters. The research shall determine to what magnitude BRI plan
to implement power elite model-related processes in Africa.
IV.
Methods: Describe how you will perform a content analysis and/or secondary data analysis (100-150 words).
To gather information prerequisite for this research study, different methods will be implied. This includes the use of interviews,
reference to past documents, and focus groups. The focus group will be interrogated to determine the challenges that have been
incurred while nations are interacting with Africa at their border in trade activities regarding the application of the power elite
model. Moreover, questionnaires would be distributed to the top stakeholders in several nations particularly Africa that operate with
BRI in the presence and absence of power elite model-related activities (Sahibzada, 2022). The basic question in questionnaires
include determination of the current state of BRI utilization in Africa, challenges incurred, and the level in which Africa has
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depicted its establishment. The questionnaires would determine how BRI would operate in the power elite model in Africa.
V.
Implications: Explain here why this research is important. Explain how the social institution you chose contributes to
the social stratification of the United States for better and for worse. What policies need to be changed or addressed to
improve the social institution? Describe the implications of the proposed policy change (200-250 words).
The research pursues to determine the level at which BRI implements the power elite model in developing nations, particularly
Africa. Generally, the power elite model calls for attention among individuals in different areas of interest, like economic and
political issues. Implementation of this model would ensure that powerful organizations have been established in African
developing countries hence the determination of key strategies for a better outcome. Therefore, the research is essential as it will
determine the strategies that BRI should launch for better implementation of the power elite model. This social institution has
contributed a lot to US stratification (Cheng & Koh, 2022). This is because the nation has distributed its technology interest in
developing nations leading to high income. The US is operating its market in different developing nations, with a particular interest
in Africa to enlarge its target market, leading to prestige and growth to the nation. To improve this institution, different policies
should be embraced. For instance, interaction with other nations is essential since it creates an opportunity for the nation to control
proportionate groups. This would ensure that the economic sector has developed due to new ideas implemented after the execution
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of the power elite model. Since this is an institution dealing with economic factors, employees’ disciplinary policy and workplace
health and safety policy would be proposed in the establishment of the power elite model in developing countries, particularly
Africa. Mostly it would create a better environment, especially when involved in various political activities and economic
perspectives.
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References:
Ashraf, J., Luo, L., & Khan, M. A. (2022). The Spillover Effects of Institutional Quality and Economic Openness on Economic
Growth for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries. Spatial Statistics, 47, 100566.
Sahibzada, M. U. (2022). A Debate at the beginning of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Impact on Shaping Responses of European
Nations. Journal of European Studies, 38(1), 87.
Cheng, Y. E., & Koh, S. Y. (2022). The ‘soft infrastructure’of the Belt and Road Initiative: Imaginaries, affinities and subjectivities in
Chinese transnational education. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography.
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SOC-436 Topic 6 Social Stratification and Gender
Worksheet
For this assignment, answer the following prompts. Cite three to five sources to support
your answers:
Explain how gender impacts your selected social institution (75-100 words).
Identify a form of gender inequality associated with the social institution and use theoretical
perspectives to explain the social behaviors that perpetuate the inequality (200-250 words)
Suggest measures for the social institution to implement to help alleviate the gender inequality
you identified (200-250 words).
References:
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