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Minds on

MINDS ON

Don't keep your nation-changing thoughts to yourself. Else it won't actually change the nation.

~ Nike Thaddeus

Moving from a Local Perspective to a Global One

You have spent a good deal of time in this course preparing your Campaign for Social Change. It is imperative that you have a thorough working knowledge of the issue that you are addressing in your local context as this is the situation that you are attempting to directly affect - and ultimately improve.

At the same time, however, it also helps to have a larger perspective on the same topic. What does this issue look like in other parts of Canada? How does it exist in other countries around the world?

This is an image of a black and gray globe with a city skyline wrapped around it.

In this activity, you will have an opportunity to study your Campaign for Social Change issue in a global context. It is important to have some perspective on how the local situation compares to other regions in order to be able to understand the problem as well as its causes. At the same time, if you are able to find a location where the problem has been solved, or at least improved, then you may gain some valuable insight as to the direction in which you should take your own campaign.

Action.

ACTION

Social Science Frameworks

While examining various perspectives on your issue, it is important to consider some key Social Science Frameworks.

Cause and Consequence

How, and why, specific actions and situations lead to others. For example: a specific government party in power legislated cuts for environmental funding. This has led to corporations being allowed to further contaminate waterways.

Continuity and Change

What has changed and what has remained the same over time? For example: if you are addressing the differential treatment of various cultural groups within a given geographical area, what has stayed the same and what has changed over time? Has the population ratio remained steady? Has there been increased or decreased government support?

Significance

Why certain specific events or trends are important. For example: regional fighting in one country may lead to an increased number of immigrants and/or refugees in other countries.

You may be able to use these frameworks to compare local and global perspectives, or you may find it more appropriate to use the frameworks, first within the local, and then again, within the global situation, depending upon your topic.

This is the dropbox icon. Compare and Contrast

Your task is to compare and contrast the issue that you have identified for your Campaign for Social Change locally (use the research already completed in U2A5) to the situation in another country of your choice. Try to pick a location where the issue is different than what you see locally. This will make for a more interesting comparison. If you can find a location where the situation is improved over what you are seeing locally, that may be beneficial in providing you with clues or next steps for your own Action Plan. In comparing countries, remember to be aware of any bias you may have and to avoid judgment.

Here are some potential resources:

The finished product should be in a format that allows you to note similarities and differences between these two locations. Your note may be a mind map or graphic organizer of your own design or another format that you feel is appropriate. Many mind mapping software options are available online for free, as are a variety of graphic organizer templates.

Categories of Analysis (address each category for BOTH locations within the mind map or organizer) should include:

  • causes or background of the issue;
  • the relative living conditions in the two locations (consider demographic, economic, and political situations) and the implications or connections that this has to your issue;
  • documents or regulations – if any - that are in place to prevent or improve this situation; and
  • any actions that have been taken in order to improve this situation.

Analysis questions (to be written in sentence form):

  • Briefly address your issue through these frameworks:
    • Cause and Consequence;
    • Continuity and Change; and
    • Significant Events.

Remember to include website links to any researched information within your finished product. 

 
Consolidation

CONSOLIDATION

The goal of this activity was to increase your awareness in preparation for your Campaign for Social Change. While this global context may or may not come into play in your Action Plan, it is always important to be knowledgeable about the larger landscape of social issues, and to acknowledge the interconnectedness of global situations.
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