Social Studies Power, Active Citizenship, and Change. Outcome 12

Transcription

1 Social Studies 1211 Power, Active Citizenship, and Change Outcome 12

2 DOING NOTHING If you witnessed a stranger in danger, would you help him or her? Why?

3 Kitty Genovese, a young women in New York City, was stalked and stabbed multiple times in the back. Her attacker, Winston Moseley, left the scene, but returned and continued to attack her. In total the incident lasted 30 minutes. Many witnessed the attack, but did not call the police. Eventually it was reported, but it was too late. Genovese died from the attack. Why did so many fail to help her?

4 Bystander apathy or the bystander effect : The tendency for people in a group to be less likely to help someone in need than if they were the only witness present. Social psychologists use the term diffusion of responsibility to help explain this: In a group, individuals may feel they are not as qualified to help (e.g.: may not be a doctor, police officer, etc.) and will differ responsibility to someone else in the group, thinking someone else may be more qualified than they are. Some people may feel less guilt for not helping due to deindividuation, or their identity being hidden as part of a large group. The more people who are in the group, the less likely an individual is to help. How does this make you feel?

5 THE BYSTANDER EFFECT Watch the video called Much of What You Know on the Bystander Effect is Wrong on the following slide for a different perspective of the Bystander Effect. Do you disagree with the speaker, Ken Brown? Do you agree? Be able to explain your answer in a class discussion!

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7 CONSEQUENCES OF INACTION Clearly, from what we ve seen, doing nothing does not mean that nothing happens. There are consequences of inaction. Inaction can occur at three levels, based on who is affected: Personal e.g.: Kitty Genovese National e.g.: residential schools Global e.g.: Rwandan genocide Questions 1. Should people be punished for failing to act? Explain. 2. Is government inaction more significant than individual inaction? Explain. 3. The bystander effect largely involves people feeling uncertain of what to do in a situation. What can be done to reduce its effects? 4. How do you decide when to act? What would motivate you?

8 ACTION VS INACTION Complete the Handout on the Activity below

9 ACTIVISM CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE Activism means taking action to bring about political or social change. This can take many forms, such as: Protesting Joining major organizations (e.g.: Earthwatch Volunteering for a charity Wearing pins or clothes that support a cause (e.g.: antibullying) When you advocate (make your voice heard) for what you believe in, you are practicing activism. How you practice activism depends on your goals, available time, and resources. There are four options: 1. Donate 2. Educate 3. Communicate 4. Agitate Can you provide examples of what each type of activism might look like? What are the strengths and challenges of each option?

10 Why might you not act even though something should be done?

11 In order to create change, it is helpful to use your understanding of why people fail to act. Active citizens are those who are informed about social issues and engaged in working to improve the community, province, territory, or country. It is difficult for one person to do everything, so an activist chooses an issue or cause that is very important to them and then tries to determine where they can do the most good. ACTIVITY: How Can You Create Change?

12 WHAT IF LEGAL ACTIVISM FAILS? What options are available to create positive change if legal forms of activism do not succeed? There are two alternatives to legal activism: 1. Civil disobedience 2. Violent resistance Civil disobedience is a form of protest that involves peacefully and purposefully breaking the law and accepting the consequences. What is the point of doing this? Raise awareness of an injustice or to change unfair laws. Avoid violence and aggression on principle, no matter the response of authorities

13 Four types of civil disobedience Occupations The action, state, or period of occupying or being occupied by a physical force. Public Disturbances Some action is designed to capture the attention of the public and/or media, often involving some disruption of everyday life. Blockades An act or means of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving. Illegal Protests A protest or group action that deliberately breaks the law.

14 This occupation of the famous New York City financial district was designed to draw attention to unfair financial practices and the significant wealth gap that exists in North America. Occupy Wall Street

15 Public Disturbance Greenpeace is known for protesting and using civil disobedience to promote environmental concern. In 2008, the organization staged a public disturbance and dumped tonnes of fish heads in front of a government building to speak out against the environmental effects of illegal fishing, suggesting governments need to do more to prevent it.

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17 Illegal Protests Mahatma Gandhi s Salt March

18 Four types of violent resistance Self-harm Doing harm to oneself out of frustration to bring awareness to an unjust situation and spark change. Sabotage To deliberately destroy, damage or obstruct something, especially for political or military advantage. Vandalism An action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property. Terrorism The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

19 Self-Harm Refugees on the Macedonian-Greece border protest the decision of Balkan governments to screen refugees on the grounds of country of origin rather than on merit or need. Sabotage Anonymous, a group of computer hackers and anti-censorship/surveillance activists, attacked websites (e.g., the FBI, Warner Brothers Music) to protest government shutting down a popular file-sharing site.

20 Vandalism During the 2015 federal election, many stop signs were vandalized in an attempt to influence people s voting. Terrorism The Irish Republican Army in conducted bombings of locations in Northern Ireland and Britain in order to force Britain to negotiate a withdraw from Northern Ireland and allow the state to join the Republic of Ireland.

21 IS ILLEGAL ACTION EVER JUSTIFIED? The answer to this question is a personal one, and you may feel strongly about it. What have other s said on the issue?

22 Complete Qs 1-6 on pp