+ 100 fresh social studies topics and how to choose the best one for you

Social studies is a broad research field that covers everything related to individuals and societies. Considering this definition, most soft sciences fall under the social studies umbrella, from sociology and gender studies to history, psychology, economics, and theology. With so many options, picking the right research topic for an essay or a thesis can be a chore. You can make your life easier by using one of the ideas we suggest or by letting us take over. All you have to do is say, “write paper for me”.

How to develop a good social studies topic

The key to generating endless social studies topics lies in taking the right steps to narrow down the field. Here’s how professional writers would go about the process:

1. Look for inspiration in unexpected places. You don’t have to scour scientific journals for social studies topics. Instead, try social media, YouTube trends, news headlines, or campus gossip. That’s where you’ll find the most relevant social studies inspiration.

• Start with basic research. Use Google Scholar or your college repository to look for sources for all the social studies topics you came up with. Give up ideas that will take too much work or that come with zero credible references you can cite. 

1. Narrow down your social studies topic options. Choose two or three topics you’re most invested in and prioritize them. You’ll need this list at the next step.

• Run your social studies topic by your professor. Present your primary idea and get feedback before outlining and writing. If your professor doesn’t approve of your first choice, suggest your backup social studies topics until you find a winner.

By the way, the same principles apply to choosing social work dissertation topics, but your academic advisor’s feedback will be even more critical.

100 cherry-picked social studies topics

We asked SpeedyPaper social studies experts to develop a few ideas and split their suggestions into a few categories for easy browsing.

Economy-related social studies topics

Although social studies don’t have much in common with economics, people have been trading and using money for centuries. These social studies topics will work for a historical overview and current analysis:

1. The increase of social stratification as a result of the Industrial Revolution 
2. The relationship between finance crime and social justice 
3. The positive and negative repercussions of tourism for local economies 
4. The economic impact of increased lifetime expectancy 
5. Relationship between population increase and crime rate 
6. The causes of cryptocurrency popularity and its impact on society 
7. The economic implications of food waste in developed countries 
8. Explore the potential sociological repercussions of coffee extinction 
9. The impact of personal carbon footprint on social status 
10. The economic differences between Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X 
11. The relationship between high interest rates and poverty 
12. Who makes money on solitude promotion through online gaming? 
13. The economic repercussions of drinkable water scarcity 
14. The relationship between international financial regulations and armed conflict 
15. The benefits and drawbacks of space exploration for the global economy

Historical social studies topics

At first glance, social studies have nothing in common with history. But everything we see today is the result of past events and actions, and these social studies topics on history will stay relevant for a while:

1. The impact of the space race on American society 
2. Post-war rebuilding and its effects on social interactions 
3. The causes and outcomes of alcohol prohibition 
4. Historical evolution of climate change perceptions 
5. The influence of world wars on globalization 
6. The proliferation of ethnic stereotypes as a part of the Cold War 
7. The effect of the printing press on modern society 
8. Comparative analysis of women's rights and LGBTQ+ rights movements 
9. The evolution of urban culture and graffiti 
10. Historical relationship between the church and the government 
11. The impact of maritime exploration on global trade
12. The outcomes of global superpower conflicts 
13. The evolution of women's role in society in the 20th century 
14. Historical social changes as a result of radio invention 
15. The impact of propaganda on international relationships

Cultural social studies topics

If you choose one of the following social studies topics, you can write about your favorite music, movies, or sports, which are all parts of modern culture:

1. How to combat decades-old ethnic stereotypes in mass media
2. The impact of globalization on cultural exchange
3. Ethnic cuisines as a peaceful and delicious globalization effort
4. The effect of social media on cultural appropriation
5. International sports competitions as an element of cultural exchange
6. Understanding the causes of cultural taboos and faux pas
7. How do memes become a part of international culture?
8. The cultural underpinnings of body modification requirements
9. Is classical music still relevant in the 21st century?
10. The impact of AI on culture research and exchange
11. The harmful effect of generalizations of ethnic culture perceptions
12. Analyze the difference between two or more subcultures
13. Compare the implications of movie streaming vs owning movies on physical media
14. What could make historical museums and art galleries more popular among Gen Z?
15. The influencers’ impact on cultural perceptions across generations
16. Explore the implications of endless remakes and sequels on pop culture
17. The impact of comic books on modern culture
18. How will virtual reality change national cultures?
19. The effect of migration policies on national cultures
20. The relationship between culture and armed conflict

Religious social studies topics

You don’t have to be religious to explore the social studies topics on religion, since most people belong to one faith or another. Researching their differences and effects on society can be exciting if you choose one of these ideas:

1. Does spirituality have a place in school or office?
2. The effect of AR and VR on religious rites
3. The causes of increasing religious conservativism in the US
4. The Catholic Church’s impact on world politics
5. How does celebrity status coexist with religious faith?
6. The relationship between mental health issues and religious beliefs
7. Explore the roots of cult culture in the US
8. Contrast the differences between atheists and agnostics
9. Should the government revert the secularization and embrace religion?
10. Explore the reemergence of pagan rituals and beliefs in the 21st century
11. Find similarities in scientific and creationist theories
12. Does religious indoctrination since birth conflict with personal freedoms?
13. Explore the significance of religious symbols and rituals
14. Explain the difference between mainstream religions and sects
15. The negative impact of religion on critical thinking and cognitive skills

Psychological social studies topics

Understanding the psychological roots and implications of social processes is critical for improving our society, and these social studies topics will help dive deep into relevant issues:

1. Analyze the relationship between mindfulness practices and the crime rate 
2. The impact of child abandonment and adoption on mental health 
3. The benefits of multicultural households and bilingual education 
4. Assessing the emotional intelligence of national government leaders 
5. The impact of psychological triggers used in advertising 
6. The psychological implications of virtual reality proliferation 
7. Community practices for developing psychological resilience in adolescents
8. Exploring environmental triggers leading to mass shootings at schools 
9. Study the causes of procrastination among college students
10. The effectiveness of art therapy in inmate rehabilitation 
11. Explore the advances of autism spectrum research and its impact on society 
12. The relationship between sleep quality, seasonal light changes, and cognitive abilities 
13. The psychological implications of smartphone addiction 
14. Study the psychological causes of racism and xenophobia 
15. Discover the impact of gender imbalance on personal mental health 
16. The long-term sociological implications of social distancing during the pandemic 
17. Analyze the psychological underpinnings of conspiracy theories 
18. The relationship between veganism, social activism, and mental health 
19. The negative psychological effects of hyper-consumerism on modern society
20. The impact of homeschooling on social anxiety in Gen Z

Gender-related social studies topics

Since gender identification issues are getting more prominent, it’s only natural to make them the focus of your social studies paper. Here are a few ideas to explore:

1. The shift in LGBTQ+ representation in popular culture in the 21st century
2. Compare and contrast toxic masculinity and toxic feminism
3. The impact of social media on gender identity
4. The effect of trans athletes on international competitions
5. Explore the causes of institutional sexism
6. The impact of gender balance on national governments’ decision-making
7. Legal issues related to non-binary individuals
8. The relationship between mental health and gender identity
9. Explore the causes of asexuality across genders
10. The impact of trans rights movements on women’s rights
11. Discover the causes of reverse gender transitions
12. Analyze the roots of the gender pay gap and potential solutions
13. The effect of patriarchal societies on domestic violence against women
14. Victim-blaming and gaslighting in sexual harassment cases
15. The impact of a candidate's gender on the election outcome

Conclusion 

If none of the social studies ideas on our list tickles your fancy, explore the sociology research paper topics or contact our support team to hire a professional writer. They’ll take over your assignment and develop a unique idea that will impress your professors.