This Document Contains Chapters 21 to 22 Chapter 21 – Collective Action and Social Movements 1. LEARNING OUTCOMES (WITH BLOOM’S TAXONOMY) After completing this chapter, students should be able to: • Observe that collective action taken to correct a perceived injustice may give the impression of spontaneity, but it is typically calculated and revealing of fundamental social organization. • Indicate the structural preconditions for collection action against perceived injustice. • Discuss the ways in which leaders of successful social movements align their goals and activities with the beliefs, values, and interests of potential group members. • Outline the ways in which the history of social movements follows not just a pattern of struggle to acquire gradually enlarged citizenship rights, but also the resistance to that struggle. 2. WHY IS THIS CHAPTER IMPORTANT TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS? Protest movements have become an integral part of the landscape in twenty-first century societies. Various forms of “people power” and collective action are now the common means for expressing the political and cultural needs of citizens worldwide. At the same time, the arena within which much protest takes place is increasingly digital rather than physical, as social media and the Internet grow in importance. Students require a solid understanding of collective action and social movements in all of their manifestations in order to properly interpret and understand current social reality. In a globalizing world, political and economic power and decision-making is increasingly gravitating to transnational markets and bodies. Recognizing the pressing need for collective action and social movements to express the choices and needs of individuals within societies will enable students to appreciate the interconnectedness of individual identity, choices and chances and the larger society. 3. WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CARE? For many students, aspects of their social reality that are problematic or unjust may appear to them as fixed entities that the individual must simply put up with. However, the enduring lesson of the sociological perspective is that all social relations are contingent: artifacts of a particular configuration of power, and thus can be resisted or changed, but probably not by individuals acting alone. Thus, cooperation through social movements is/may be the best alternative for dealing with social and political obstacles. “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find just what people will submit to, and you have found the exact amount of injustice and wrong that will be imposed upon them; and these will continue until they are resisted either with words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress” (Frederick Douglass, African American anti-slavery and women’s rights campaigner, 1849). In order to proactively work toward creating a more equitable and socially just global society, students need to understand and challenge the taken-for-granted ideologies that are at the root of current social problems. 4. WHAT ARE COMMON STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS & STUMBLING BLOCKS? Students may have adopted the ethos of competitive individualism and the belief that collective interests will be properly addressed by “others” outside of their personal circle of influence. Alternatively, they may have been socialized to feel passive in the face of vested interests or bureaucratic forms of power. In either case, students need to be reminded that a sociological imagination represents the capacity to make the connections between “biography and history,” and thus to recognize the grounds for social change. Students tend to adopt a “short-term” perspective when considering the efficacy of collective action to promote social change (e.g., I participated at a protest rally and nothing changed as a result of it). Discussions focused on the “long-term” efforts and focus on “goals”—e.g., Civil Rights Movement, the “waves” of feminism—may demonstrate to students that social change is a result of ongoing collective action. It is a dynamic cyclical and relational process leading to an outcome of mutual change (within society and of the individuals that comprise the society), not a one-time event (pp. 542–544). Students may underestimate their ability to be active participants in creating positive social change in the world. The ability to cooperate and collaborate in addressing injustice is enhanced as a result of technology and students are (can be) powerful forces in organizing and participating in collective action. Utilization and discussion of current examples (e.g., Stop the Meter [http://openmedia.ca/campaigns#meter] or Idle No More) may result in an awakening to opportunities that are available to them (see also pp. 544–547). 5. WHAT CAN I DO IN CLASS? At the start of class: “A Lens on Social Movements.” Play Andrew Burton’s 2011 photographic essay on social movements, focused on the Egyptian uprising in Tahrir Square and the Occupy Wall Street protest (4:48; available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezgzTCNFLyc). In what ways do the images and narration present social protest differently than one normally sees in the news media? Discuss, and then lead into an introduction to collective action and social movements. The Occupy Movement: Summarize the origins and the story of the Occupy Movement (background available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/what-is-occupy-wall-street-the-history-of-leaderless-movements/2011/10/10/gIQAwkFjaL_story.html). Ask students if they can explain the origin of Occupy’s “we are the 99%” rallying cry. Then play this data animation that outlines the impetus for Occupy in economic inequality (available at http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/video/2011/nov/16/99-v-1-occupy-data-animation). What do students think about the implications of this movement? Mini quiz: (on the assigned chapter/reading for this class session) Begin with five multiple-choice questions for the students to answer. These questions can be selected and utilized as a “framework” for what you will be covering in the session. Throughout the class: Think/Pair/Share or Small group/Class discussion: Address the questions found at the end of Box 21.1: State Surveillance of Demonstrations” on p. 535 of the text, and then discuss the impact of “the public” having the technology to film via cellphones and disseminate the video via YouTube. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Small group/Class discussion: Utilizing Figure 21.3 (p. 542), “Determinants of Collective Action and Social Movement Formation,” have students select a past or present social movement and discuss within the context of the chart. [Understand/Apply] Small group/Class discussion: “DIY Social Movement.” Split the class into groups of 4–6. Each group has the task of first agreeing on a social issue, and then creating a blueprint for a social movement to address that issue. Questions to ask include the following: What needs to be changed? How can change take place? Why might someone disagree with your movement, and how would you respond? How would you publicize your movement, gain members, and mobilize people? Students should pay attention to the concept of frame alignment discussed on pp. 540–541 of the text. [Analyze/Evaluate/Create] Think/Pair/Share or Small group/Class discussion: View “Natalie Warne: Being Young and Making an Impact” (13 min. TEDxTeen Talk, http://www.ted.com/talks/natalie_warne _being_young_and_making_an_impact.html). Ask students to discuss Warne’s work and efforts, and to volunteer examples of what they could do to make a social impact, how they would do it, and why they believe it to be necessary. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate/Create] Small group/Class discussion: “You Should Have Stayed at Home”—Toronto’s G20: The Untold Stories (45 min.), Fifth Estate, available at http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/2010-2011/youshouldhavestayedathome/ (Broadcast date: Friday, February 25, 2011). “They were the most unlikely of troublemakers. There were thousands of ordinary citizens on the streets at Toronto G20 Summit [June 2010] marching peacefully until the police closed in and shut them down. Many had gone downtown simply to see what was going on, only to find themselves forcibly dragged away by police and locked up for hours in a makeshift detention centre without timely access to lawyers or medical treatment.” View and discuss collective action, social citizenship, and social control. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Small group/Class discussion: View the 2010 video “Doug McAdam and Dalton Conley discuss why some social movements succeed and other don’t” (6:35; available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afw6QHPCaiI). What are the points of intersection between this discussion and the concept of frame alignment? (pp. 539–542) Discuss. Small group/Class discussion: “Bryan Stevenson: We Need to Talk about an Injustice” (2012 TEDTalk; 24 min., available at http://www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_to_talk_about_an_injustice.html). Stevenson addresses the intersectionality of and interconnection between one’s personal identity and the identity of society as a whole. View and discuss with students how “social change springs from an individual’s heart’s conviction for social justice for everyone” (“orientation of spirit”). Ask students for their reaction to his “Motion to try my poor, 14-year-old black male client like a privileged, white 75-year-old corporate executive.” [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Small group/Class discussion: “A global culture to fight extremism.” Show this 2011 TED talk by democracy activist (and former Islamist extremist) Maajid Nawaz (17:53; available at https://www.ted.com/talks/maajid_nawaz_a_global_culture_to_fight_extremism?language=en). In his view, what kinds of democratic activism are necessary to combat extremism? Discuss. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Documentary: “I Am The River” (2013). This documentary examines a Maori tribe’s struggle to protect its cultural heritage (47:30; available at http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2013/09/i-am-river-201392410212172573.html). [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] 6. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THE LOs? Comment paper/Reflection paper: If a documentary/TEDTalk was viewed in class, ask students to write a short paper and submit. End the class with a mini quiz: Focus on multiple-choice questions that address the Learning Objectives of the chapter. Review and discuss the correct answers for each question. (The use of “clicker” technology and turning point slides is very effective for this exercise.) Ask students to write a concise summary: (i.e., point form/list) of the session answering: “What did I learn today?” and submit. Ask students (in pairs/small groups) to create and submit a question (with answer): The question should be one that they would like to be included on an upcoming exam. Some of these questions could be developed into a multiple-choice format and used at the start of the next class as a review of the material from this session. It allows students to engage with the exam creation, and if used as part of the next session’s opening questions, it enables them to self-assess their learning and engagement in the previous session. Set up an online survey tool account: (i.e., www.toofast.ca) Ask/instruct the students to answer one or two questions, such as What did I learn today that precipitated an “aha” moment? What did I not understand in today’s class? (This provides you with feedback on the teaching in addition to the student learning. The difficulties with understanding could then be addressed in the next class.) MindTap: Refer your students to www.nelson.com/student to access the MindTap for Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. MindTap is a personalized program of digital products and services that engages students with interactivity while offering students and instructors choice in content, platforms, devices, and learning tools. This resource includes quiz questions, videos, and articles that are accompanied by thought-provoking questions that challenge students to think critically about current issues and events. Ask students to utilize this learning tool, and bring to the next class any questions (difficulties) they may have in regards to information from this chapter. 7. HOW CAN I ASSESS MY OWN “PERFORMANCE”? A critical reflection on my own practice: insights and understandings: A. Did I get the attention of my students at the beginning of class? a. What did I do? Did it work? How? If not, why not? b. Did I get the right kind of attention, or the wrong kind? B. Did I allot enough time for student dialogue/participation/engagement in the learning process? a. If not, why not? b. Is there any material that can (or should) be minimized or removed in order to allow for student input and participation? c. Are there ways of transferring some of the content online to open up more time in class for participation and engagement? C. How could I incorporate more student input and participation? (e.g., clicker questions, think/pair/share, one-minute summaries) D. Were my students engaged and/or focused? If so: a. What tells me that they were? b. What concepts were we covering? c. What precisely were they engaged with and/or focused on? (i.e., video clip, documentary, debate, small group discussion, whole class discussion) d. Were there unexpected moments of engagement, i.e., in group discussion, that I recognized and incorporated? If not: a. When did I lose them? b. Why did they disengage/lose focus? E. Did I integrate formative assessment of student learning throughout the “lecture”? a. What did I do? b. Did these assessments suggest to me that they understood the key concepts? If not, was I prepared to alter my plan in response? F. Did I request feedback from the students on their learning experience in this class? i.e.: a. Submission of an “aha” moment they had b. Informal summary (point form) addressing two or three concepts covered c. Five (ten) minutes for “debriefing” at the end (of class or topic)—“What” are your questions? (not “Are there any questions?”) d. Refer students to an online survey (e.g., Blackboard learning system, toofast.ca). G. Some things to consider for the next class (modifications to consider when teaching this chapter again): a. What worked really well, and why? b. What could/should/might I do differently next time to improve student engagement and learning? H. What did I learn about this topic? What insights did I gather from my students? Were any of those insights surprising to me? I. What did I learn about my teaching, and what can I do to modify my teaching as a result? 8. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? [Supplementary Resources] Asker, Jennifer, and Andy Smith. 2010. The Dragonfly Effect: Quick, Effective and Powerful Ways to Use Social Media to Drive Social Change. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Carroll, William K., and R.S. Ratner. 2007. “Ambivalent Allies: Social Democratic Regimes and Social Movements.” BC Studies, Iss. 154 (Summer 2007), pp. 41–66. Chamberlain, Erika, and Robert Solomon. 2012. “The 2012 Legislative Review” (MADD). Available at http://www.madd.ca/media/docs/2012_federal_legislative_review.pdf. Chesters, Graeme, and Ian Welsh. 2011. Social Movements: The Key Concepts. New York: Routledge. Cotgrove, Stephen, and Andrew Duff. 1980. “Environmentalism, Middle-class Radicalism, and Politics.” Sociological Review, Vol. 28, Iss. 2, pp. 333–351. Doetsch-Kidder, Sharon. 2012. Social Change and Intersectional Activism: The Spirit of Social Movement. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Figueroa, Maria Elena, D. Lawrence Kincaid, Manju Rani, and Gary Lewis. 2002. “Communication for Social Change: An Integrated Model for Measuring the Process and Its Outcomes.” Communication for Social Change Working Paper Series: No. 1 – John Hopkins University. Available at http://www.communicationforsocialchange.org/pdf/socialchange.pdf. Gladwell, Malcolm. 2000. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Grassroots Economic Organizing: News from the Frontlines of Economic Solidarity and Grassroots Globalization-from-below. See http://www.geo.coop/ for links addressing the Occupy Movement. Hansen, Drew W. 2003. The Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Speech that Inspired a Nation. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc. Jimmerson, Ronald M. 1989. “What Values Will Guide Extension’s Future?” Journal of Extension, Vol. 27, No. 3 (Fall 1989). Available at http://www.joe.org/joe/1989fall/a5.php. Johnson, Erik W. 2008. “Social Movement Size, Organizational Diversity and the Making of Federal Law.” Social Forces, Vol. 86, Iss. 3 (March 2008), pp. 967–993. Kennedy, Michael D. 2004. “Evolution and Event in History and Social Change: Gerhard Lenski’s Critical Theory.” Sociological Theory, Vol. 22, Iss. 2 (June, 2004), pp. 315–327. Laing, R.D. 1990 [1967]. Politics of Experience and The Bird of Paradise. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc. Magnani, Esteban. 2009. The Silent Change: Recovered Businesses in Argentina. Steve Herrick, translator. Buenos Aires: Teseo. Monnier, Christine, ed. 2010. Social Movements. Available at https://globalsociology.pbworks.com/w/page/14711254/Social Movements. Morrow, Raymond A., and Carlos Alberto Torres. 2002. Reading Freire and Habermas: Critical Pedagogy and Transformative Social Change. Teachers College Press. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada. Available at http://www.madd.ca/madd2/. Orum, Anthony M., John W.C. Johnstone, and Stephanie Riger. 1999. Changing Societies: Essential Sociology for Our Times. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Seay, Laura. 2014. “Does slacktivism work?” The Washington Post. Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/03/12/does-slacktivism-work/. Staggenborg, Suzanne. 2011. Social Movements, Second Edition. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Veblen, Thorstein. 2004 [1919]. The Vested Interests and the Common Man (“The Modern Point of View and the New Order”). Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing. 9. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WITH SUGGESTED ANSWERS 1. One of the emerging and important “repertories of contention” for new social movements includes digital forms of protest such as online petitions, crowd funding, or viral video. Is the ease with which protesters can be mobilized digitally a potential force for change, or evidence of the superficiality of “slacktivism”? Answer: Answers will vary by student, but should include reference to text discussion of “repertories of contention” (pp. 545–547). Digital forms of protest, like online petitions and viral videos, can be a powerful force for change by quickly mobilizing support and raising awareness. However, they may also be criticized as “slacktivism” if they lead to minimal real-world action or deep engagement. The effectiveness depends on how digital efforts are integrated with sustained, meaningful activism and tangible actions. 2. Do you think that social movements will be more or less widespread in the twenty-first century than they were in the twentieth century? Why, or why not? What kinds of social movements are likely to predominate? Answer: Answers will vary by student and may/should incorporate information found on pp. 544–547 of the text (“New Social Movements”), and examples of past and present social movements. Social movements are likely to be more widespread in the twenty-first century due to the global reach of digital communication and increased awareness of social issues. Movements focused on climate change, social justice, and digital rights are likely to predominate, driven by interconnected global networks and urgent, transnational concerns. Chapter 21: Collective Action and Social Movements Application Questions 1. Analyzing Your Own Social Action This exercise is designed to get you to think about social movements from a sociological perspective. The point of the exercise is to use this sociological theory to critically reflect on a social movement you have participated in. To perform this exercise, you need a pad of paper and a pen or a computer. Steps: 1. Review the various sociological theories used to account for social movements in Chapter 21. 2. Pick one social movement that you have been a part of. Make sure it is more than a collective action. If you have not participated in one, interview a friend who has. 3. Create a list of the main demands and issues of the social movement under review. 4. What steps did the movement take to win its demands? What methods did it use? Was the movement successful on this end? 5. How did the movement publicize its demands? How were the demands framed? Who was the movement trying to appeal to? Do you believe it was successful in these ends? 6. Which social movement theory do you believe best explains your social movement? Answer: Answers will vary, but the following considerations are relevant: • A collective action occurs when people act in unison to bring about or resist social, political, and economic change. A collective action becomes a social movement when a collective commits to long-term attempts to change all or part of the political or social order through a range of means. • Breakdown theory argues that two conditions must be met to establish a social movement. Both conditions assume that social movements arise from a breakdown of previously integrative social structures and norms. First, social movements are founded by people who experience social marginality. Second, people form a social movement when their norms are strained or disrupted. Thus, collective action arises when there is a social imbalance. • Resource mobilization is the process by which groups engage in more collective action as their power increases. When using this theory to analyze the social movement, make sure you focus on how the growth in the movement is related to its increase in organization capacities, material resources, and other resources. As the group increases, becomes more organized, and gains access to better resources, the group’s power increases. • Frame alignment is a strategy that allows social movements to grow by recruiting new members. Social movements have to make their activities, ideas, and goals consistent with the interests, beliefs, and values of potential new recruits. When using this theory to analyze the social movement, make sure you focus on each of the three main ways a social movement aligns its framework. 1. They can appeal to other social movements working on similar causes. 2. Activists have to elaborate on key values, the causes, and the seriousness of the issue in ways that may not have been obvious to people. 3. The movement can stretch their objectives and tactics to appeal to a broader range of people. Sometimes, this third tactic is called “mainstreaming.” • Solidarity theory focuses on the social conditions that allow people to turn their discontent into a unified (or “solidarity”) political force. When using this theory to analyze the social movement, make sure you focus on each of the three social conditions this theory lists as necessary: adequate resource mobilization, sufficient political opportunity, and weak or inconsistent social control. I participated in a climate change advocacy group focusing on policy reform and public awareness. The movement used rallies, social media campaigns, and lobbying to achieve its goals, which included stricter environmental regulations. The best-fit theory is the **resource mobilization theory**, as the movement effectively utilized available resources to amplify its impact and appeal to policymakers and the public. 2. A Little Humour What lesson does the following cartoon have for resource mobilization in social movements? Answer: Resource mobilization is the process by which social movements crystallize because of the increasing organizational, material, and other resources of movement members. Successful movements need to make a realistic assessment of the available resources and adjust their expectations and approach accordingly. The cartoon emphasizes this lesson. The “great tree uprising” was very brief because it assumed resources that were unavailable to the trees. Chapter 21: Collective Action and Social Movements Protecting Indigenous Women Since 1980, about 1200 Canadian Aboriginal women have been reported either missing or murdered (RCMP, 2014). A recent incident involved Tina Fontaine. Tina was a 15-year-old Aboriginal woman whose dead body was pulled from the Red River in Winnipeg in the summer of 2014. Details of her case can be found at the following site: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/10/17/two_officers_who_saw_tina_fontaine_before_she_went_missing_could_face_charges.html The tragedy of Tina Fontaine’s death provoked public outrage. A vigil, attended by over a thousand citizens, was held to honour Tina’s life and renew the call for a public inquiry into the ongoing pattern of violence against Aboriginal women. The vigil’s leader, Wab Kinew, challenged the audience to organize and press for a federal government response to the long-standing request for a public inquiry: Is now the time to make that change? Is now the time we say no more stolen sisters? We say that violence against women must stop. And if we go home and do nothing about this it’s a missed opportunity. (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, 2014) Prime Minister Harper’s response to the call for organized public action was to deny it validity. In the prime minister’s own words: “We should not view this [the systematic pattern of violence and death of Aboriginal women] as a sociological phenomenon; we should view it as crime.” (The Star, 2014). In the prime minister’s view, each incident of violence against an Aboriginal woman should be treated as an isolated, specific case of crime. The perpetrator(s) need to be found and punished but, beyond that, further action is unnecessary. Taking additional action would “commit sociology,”1 which Mr. Harper is staunchly against. Clearly, if an inquiry into the systemic, sociological roots of violence against missing and murdered Aboriginal women is going to take place, public pressure will need to rise considerably. Sources: Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. 2014. “More than 1,000 attend vigil in Winnipeg including Tina Fontaine’s grieving mom.” http://aptn.ca/news/2014/08/20/1000-attend-vigil-winnipeg-including-tina-fontaines-grieving-mom/ Accessed November 25, 2014. RCMP. 2014. Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women: A National Operational Overview. http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/pubs/mmaw-faapd-eng.pdf Accessed November 25, 2014. The Star. 2014 “Native teen’s slaying a ‘crime,’ not a ‘sociological phenomenon,’ Stephen Harper says”. Accessed November 25, 2014. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/08/21/native_teens_slaying_a_crime_not_a_sociological_phenomenon_stephen_harper_says.html Application Questions 1. What advice might a solidarity theorist give for organizing collective action regarding missing and murdered Aboriginal women? Answer: A variety of responses are possible, but they need to address the key solidarity theory considerations: resource mobilization, political opportunities, and social control. Resource mobilization centres on steps that the emerging movement can take to increase its membership, material, and other resources. Political opportunities refers to giving consideration to when the optimal time is to take action (e.g., election cycle). Social control refers to anticipating and preparing strategic responses to government actions to limit the movement. 2. What advice would a frame theorist give? Answer: A variety of specific responses are possible but they need to address key areas of frame analysis, including reaching out to existing, potentially sympathetic organizations; connecting the specifics of the cause to generally accepted values; and enlarging their movements agenda to include related goals. Chapter 22 – Technology and the Global Environment 1. LEARNING OUTCOMES (WITH BLOOM’S TAXONOMY) After completing this chapter, students should be able to: • Observe that society and history are transformed by technology, but growth in technology is influenced by socially defined needs. • Recognize the primary technological and environmental issues confronting humanity. • Distinguish the variables behind the transformation of environmental issues into social issues. • Evaluate the inequalities in how the environmental risks are socially distributed. • Contrast the role of market, technological, and cooperative solutions to environmental issues. 2. WHY IS THIS CHAPTER IMPORTANT TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS? Globalization and technological advancements are hurtling us toward an uncertain future that holds benefits as well as risks. The sociological perspective clarifies for us that these benefits and risks will be differentially allocated along the lines of social inequalities. In order to enhance the possibility of realizing an improved life for all citizens, students must recognize this inequitable distribution of rewards and costs. “The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them” (Albert Einstein). Students need to understand the “why” and “how” of these significant problems in order to best ascertain the “what” we need to be doing to correct our course. The global environmental problems humanity is facing may not seem to be central issues for sociologists; however, nothing could be further from the truth. Global warming, pollution, and the decline in biodiversity are the planetary-level results of societal beliefs, aspirations, and economic relations; and attempts to remediate them will also involve a sea change in collective beliefs and social organization on a global level. 3. WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CARE? All the major global threats facing us today are problems of our own making and result from our beliefs, values, and societal ideologies and the actions that were taken as a result of those beliefs and values. Students are coming of age in an era in which humanity will face significant collective decisions, the results of which will be not merely “out there,” but also tangibly local. Infinite growth cannot be sustained on a finite planet. Students need to consider “how do we create a sustainable economy that does not feed off nature?” since our present course is patently non-sustainable. 4. WHAT ARE COMMON STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS & STUMBLING BLOCKS? Students are embedded in a culture of ever-increasing technological and social change and fail to appreciate the influence and the pervasive implications of technology. As “digital natives,” they cannot be blamed for not being able to imagine a world without the Internet, computers and software, Facebook, smart phones, and so on, and may require time devoted to discussing the historical context of technology, its exponential growth, and the impact it has had on communication, information, and our knowledge base. See Ray Kurtzweil’s article (cited below in other resources) for additional information and charts that could be utilized for this discussion. Although most students will have heard about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), few will be aware of the extent to which technologies are being utilized to genetically modify existing life forms. Concrete examples as well as discussion may result in a greater understanding of the social and ethical impacts. In the classroom, the primary challenge will be to bring global and rather aspect issues to the point of connection with students’ direct experience. See below for suggested video clips/documentaries that can be utilized for facilitating discussion and fostering understanding beyond a superficial level. Although students are more aware of global warming than they used to be, they still lack appreciation of the gravity of the problem, and the extent to which it is not just the preserve of scientists or the media, but a proper focus of investigation and intervention by sociologists. 5. WHAT CAN I DO IN CLASS? At the start of class: “What is your ecological footprint?” Prior to class, ask students to complete an ecological footprint quiz, print the results, and bring them to the session (available at http://footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/). Make sure you also complete the quiz. Solicit responses from students as to their results, discuss, and then bridge into an introduction to environmental issues. “Toxic Waters—Coal in the Water”: Screen this 2009 clip, which addresses a situation in Charleston, West Virginia (3:26; available at http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/1247464506260/toxic-waters-coal-in-the-water.html). Ask students to consider and discuss the “cost” of water pollution and make connections to chapter material. “Wendell Berry: Poet & Prophet”: View this clip from a 2013 Bill Moyers piece on poet and environmental activist Wendell Berry (1:18; available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_D-e58NDwY). What stands out about the ethical perspective that Berry takes to environmental issues? Discuss. “Polluter Harmony”: View this humorous 2011 parody promoting “Polluter Harmony—Canada’s #1 matchmaking site for polluters, industry lobbyists, and politicians!” (website and promotional video created by Greenpeace and available at http://polluterharmony.ca). Discuss the connections between the environment, politics, and business interests. Address the competing social paradigms: Utilizing Cotgrove and Duff’s (1980) table, which summarizes the dominant social paradigm and the alternative environmental paradigm (found on page 341 of their article (also available at http://www.joe.org/joe/1989fall/a5.php), discuss how the dominant ideologies in our society are intertwined with our approach to nature and the impact this has on our societal realities, personal experiences, and subsequent “social problems.” Throughout the class: Think/Pair/Share or Small group/Class discussion: Ask students to identify technological advancements that they take for granted and to discuss how their lives would be “different” without the technology (both the positive and negative impacts). [Understand/Apply/Evaluate] Documentary: To the Last Drop: Canada’s Dirty Oil Sands. This 2011 documentary by Niobe Thompson and Tom Radford describes the impact of oil sands development on the local communities surrounding Fort McMurray in Northern Alberta (23:30; Part 1 is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61X4IQqnmd0. View and discuss the environmental, social, and economic issues that figure prominently in the ongoing debate. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Lecture enhancer: “Outrageous amounts of environmental and social damage is being caused by the tar sands, yet most of the oil produced does not benefit Canada. Seventy percent of the oil from the tar sands is piped directly to the United States, which sees Alberta as a ‘secure’ source, compared to oil which comes from more politically volatile areas of the world” (http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/Energy/tarsands/). Discuss the domestic and international policies of the Canadian government and the proposed expansion of the tar sands and pipelines. (See and utilize the “Map of Proposed and Existing Tar Sands Pipelines,” available at http://www.drawthelineattarsands.com/publications/) Ask students to make connections to chapter material (e.g., environmental racism). [Understand/Apply] Class discussion: View “The Truth about Food, Inc.,” a 2010 interview Robert Kenner and Michael Pollan (8:39; available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgB9YiKpTqM). Discuss with students: Has our food been fundamentally transformed? Michael Pollan asserts, “we’re subsidizing the ‘least-healthy’ calories in the supermarket.” What impact does this have on people’s health? Who profits and who suffers as a result of “high-tech” food/“corporate farming”/“factory-farming”? Ask students to propose changes that can address this situation. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate/Create] Documentary: Food, Inc. This documentary is discussed in the chapter and various segments are found online (e.g., “Chicken Farm,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Tda7MqhNs). View and discuss the arguments presented and the connections to chapter information. [Understand/Apply/Analyze] “Malcolm Gladwell and Mark Kingwell on QTV”: View this 2008 interview (8:35; available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYWB1XHB7MQ). Discuss the difference between “knowing and doing” and what we should be doing in regards to our environmental problems. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate/Create] An alternative to “alternative” energy: View this 2012 TED talk with T. Boone Pickens: “Let’s Transform Energy—with Natural Gas” (19:42; available at http://www.ted.com/talks/t_boone_pickens_let_s_transform_energy_with_natural_gas.html). “The United States uses about 20 million barrels a day, which is about 25 percent of all the oil used everyday in the world. And we’re doing it with four percent of the population. Somehow that doesn’t seem right. That’s not sustainable.” Pickens then goes on to suggest that a viable alternative to crude oil energy is a more environmentally friendly alternative: natural gas. Is this truly a more environmentally friendly suggestion or an alternative with the underlying profit motive of “big business”? (Note: Research “fracking” in order to address student questions/facilitate discussion. See following Dateline video and also Dr. Anthony Ingraffe’s talk (Cornell University) at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NQYN0mEi5Q.) [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] “Fracked Off!” View this 20-minute Dateline video, available at http://www.youtube.com /watch?v=nswfNJwjTlk&feature=related, and discuss “Is fracking for gas necessary for future economic prosperity? Are the environmental risks too high a price to pay?” (See also http://dontfrackmichigan.com/ for more information.) [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] “Mother Earth, Economics and the Fall”: A 51-minute presentation available at http://iai.tv/video/mother-earth-economics-and-the-fall. “From energy-saving light bulbs to recycling bins, we are increasingly ecologically aware. But what motivates our newfound environmental consciousness? Are we driven by more than an economic desire to avoid disaster? A fundamental desire to reconnect with nature perhaps or atonement for relentless consumption?” View and discuss: “Is environmentalism just a narrative (‘a new delusion, a godless religion which gives us something to believe in as a guiding ideology,’ as per Piers Corbyn), which is based on fear?” or “Do we need to start questioning the capitalist model of infinite growth?” (Tamsin Omond). [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] “Why I must speak out about climate change”: Screen this 2012 TED talk by James Hansen, pioneering climate scientist (17:51; available at http://www.ted.com/talks/james_hansen_why_i_must_speak_out_about_climate_change?language=en). In what ways does this talk combine the scientific, the political, and the deeply personal? Discuss. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] “Visions of a Sustainable World”: In this 2010 video, Dr. Paul Raskin presents his views on the pathways necessary to achieve a sustainable planetary civilization in the near-term future. Dr. Raskin posits that a global citizens movement and a Copernican shift in how humans perceive their relationship to earth are both necessary. (10:02; available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS7o4g5kzMM&feature=endscreen&NR=1.) Since this interview was taped, are there any “current events” that may indicate we are heading in the right direction? [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] 6. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THE LOs? Comment paper/Reflection paper: If a documentary/TEDTalk was viewed in class, ask students to write a short paper and submit. End the class with a mini quiz: Focus on multiple-choice questions that address the Learning Objectives of the chapter. Review and discuss the correct answers for each question. (The use of “clicker” technology and turning point slides is very effective for this exercise.) Ask students to write a concise summary: (i.e., point form/list) of the session answering: “What did I learn today?” and submit. Ask students (in pairs/small groups) to create and submit a question (with answer): The question should be one that they would like to be included on an upcoming exam. Some of these questions could be developed into a multiple-choice format and used at the start of the next class as a review of the material from this session. It allows students to engage with the exam creation, and if used as part of the next session’s opening questions, it enables them to self-assess their learning and engagement in the previous session. Set up an online survey tool account: (i.e., www.toofast.ca) Ask/instruct students to answer one or two questions, such as What did I learn today that precipitated an “aha” moment? What did I not understand in today’s class? (This provides you with feedback on the teaching in addition to the student learning. The difficulties with understanding could then be addressed in the next class.) MindTap: Refer your students to http://www.nelson.com/student to access the MindTap for Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. MindTap is a personalized program of digital products and services that engages students with interactivity while offering students and instructors choice in content, platforms, devices, and learning tools. This resource includes quiz questions, videos, and articles that are accompanied by thought-provoking questions that challenge students to think critically about current issues and events. Ask students to utilize this learning tool, and bring to next class any questions (difficulties) they may have in regards to information from this chapter. 7. HOW CAN I ASSESS MY OWN “PERFORMANCE”? A critical reflection on my own practice: insights and understandings: A. Did I get the attention of my students at the beginning of class? a. What did I do? Did it work? How? If not, why not? b. Did I get the right kind of attention, or the wrong kind? B. Did I allot enough time for student dialogue/participation/engagement in the learning process? a. If not, why not? b. Is there any material that can (or should) be minimized or removed in order to allow for student input and participation? c. Are there ways of transferring some of the content online to open up more time in class for participation and engagement? C. How could I incorporate more student input and participation? (e.g., clicker questions, think/pair/share, one-minute summaries) D. Were my students engaged and/or focused? If so: a. What tells me that they were? b. What concepts were we covering? c. What precisely were they engaged with and/or focused on? (i.e., video clip, documentary, debate, small group discussion, whole class discussion) d. Were there unexpected moments of engagement, i.e., in group discussion, that I recognized and incorporated? If not: a. When did I lose them? b. Why did they disengage/lose focus? E. Did I integrate formative assessment of student learning throughout the “lecture”? a. What did I do? b. Did these assessments suggest to me that they understood the key concepts? If not, was I prepared to alter my plan in response? F. Did I request feedback from the students on their learning experience in this class? i.e.: a. Submission of an “aha” moment they had b. Informal summary (point form) addressing two or three concepts covered c. Five (ten) minutes for “debriefing” at the end (of class or topic)—“What” are your questions? (not “Are there any questions?”) d. Refer students to an online survey (e.g., Blackboard learning system, toofast.ca). G. Some things to consider for the next class (modifications to consider when teaching this chapter again): a. What worked really well, and why? b. What could/should/might I do differently next time to improve student engagement and learning? H. What did I learn about this topic? What insights did I gather from my students? Were any of those insights surprising to me? I. What did I learn about my teaching, and what can I do to modify my teaching as a result? 8. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? [Supplementary Resources] Bainbridge, W.S. 2007. “Converging Technologies and Human Destiny.” Journal of Medicine & Philosophy, Vol. 32, Iss. 3, pp. 197–216. Bardi, Ugo. 2011. The Limits to Growth Revisited. SPRINGERBRIEFS IN ENERGY 2011, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-9416-5. Available at http://www.springerlink.com/content/978-1-4419-9415-8/contents/. Booth Sweeney, Linda, and Dennis Meadows. 2010. The Systems Thinking Playbook: Exercises to Stretch and Build Learning and Systems Thinking Capabilities. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Company. Center for Health, Environment and Justice. Available at http://www.chej.org. Climate Action Network Canada. 2011. “Dirty Oil Diplomacy: The Canadian Government’s Global Push to Sell the Tar Sands.” Report available at http://can.cdn.hstd.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/CAN_dirty_diplomacy_March8.pdf. Cotgrove, Stephen, and Andrew Duff. 1980. “Environmentalism, Middle-class Radicalism, and Politics.” Sociological Review, Vol. 28, Iss. 2, pp. 333–351. David Suzuki Foundation. Available at http://www.davidsuzuki.org. Diamond, Jared. 2005. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking. Environment Canada. Available at http://www.ec.gc.ca. Heath, Chip, and Dan Heath. 2010. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard. Toronto: Random House of Canada, Ltd. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Available at http://www.ipcc.ch. IPCC. 2012. “Summary for Policymakers.” In Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation. Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D. Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D. Mastrandrea, K.J. Mach, G.-K. Plattner, S.K. Allen, M.Tignor, and P.M. Midgley (eds). A Special Report of Working Groups I and II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, UK, and New York, USA: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1–19. Available at http://ipcc-wg2.gov/SREX/images/uploads/SREX-SPMbrocure_FINAL.pdf. Kelly, Erin N., David W. Schindler, Peter V. Hodson, Jeffrey W. Short, Roseanna Radmanovich, and Charlene C. Nielsen. 2010. “Oil Sands Development Contributes Elements Toxic at Low Concentrations to the Athabasca River and its Tributaries.” PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America). Vol. 107, No. 37 (September 14, 2010), pp. 16178–16183. Available at http://www.pnas.org/content/107/37/16178.full. Kunzig, Robert. 2009. “The Canadian Oil Boom: Scraping Bottom.” National Geographic (March 2009). Available at http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/03/canadian-oil-sands/kunzig-text. Kurzweil, Ray. 2001. “The Law of Accelerating Returns.” Available at http://www.kurzweilai.net/the-law-of-accelerating-returns. Meadows, Donella. 2008. Thinking in Systems: A Primer. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Company. Meadows, Donella, Jorgen Randers, and Dennis Meadows. 2004. Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Company. Pew Global Attitudes Project: 15-Nation Pew Global Attitudes Survey. 2006. “No Global Warming Alarm in the U.S., China.” Available at http://pewglobal.org/files/pdf/252.pdf. Pollan, Michael. 2007. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. London, UK: Penguin Group. Porter, Michael E., and Claas van der Linde. 1995. “Toward a New Conception of the Environment-Competitiveness Relationship.” The Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 9, No. 4 (Autumn 1995), pp. 97–118. RealClimate: Climate science from climate scientists. Available at http://www.realclimate.org. Sinek, Simon. 2012. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. New York: Portfolio Trade. Turner, Graham. 2008. “A Comparison of the Limits to Growth with Thirty Years of Reality.” Socio-Economics and the Environment in Discussion. CSIRO Working Paper Series 2008-09. Available at http://www.csiro.au/files/files/plje.pdf. United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). http://www.unep.org. United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sustainability. Available at http://www.epa.gov/sustainability/index.htm or http://www.epa.gov/gateway/learn/ with links to information on air, climate change, green living, health and safety, land and cleanup, and more. Wagner, Marcus. 2003. “The Porter Hypothesis Revisited: A Literature Review of Theoretical Models and Empirical Tests.” Centre for Sustainability Management. Available at http://www2.leuphana.de/umanagement/csm/content/nama/downloads/download_publikationen/38-2downloadversion.pdf. Wapner, Paul. 2010. Living through the End of Nature: The Future of American Environmentalism. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 9. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WITH SUGGESTED ANSWERS 1. What are the main environmental problems in your community? How are they connected to global environmental issues? Answer: Answers will vary by student and may/should include examples from (reference made to) information found in the chapter—i.e., environmental racism, environmental degradation, pollution, global warming, and so on. In my community, main environmental problems include air pollution, waste management issues, and water contamination, which connect to global issues like climate change and resource depletion. Local practices contribute to and are influenced by broader environmental trends and policies. 2. Take an inventory of your environmentally friendly and environmentally dangerous habits. In what ways can you act in a more environmentally friendly manner? Answer: Answers will vary by student, and a well-developed and reflective answer should go beyond the “reduce/reuse/recycle” references. Environmentally friendly habits might include recycling, using public transportation, and conserving energy, while dangerous habits could involve excessive waste production or high energy consumption. To improve, I can enhance recycling efforts, reduce single-use plastics, and adopt more sustainable practices in daily life. Chapter 22: Technology and the Global Environment Application Questions 1. Assess the Unequal Social Distribution of Environmental Risks in Your Local Community Environmental dangers disproportionately affect people who are disadvantaged. This is the case for people in the lower classes, who generally live closer to environmental risks. It is also the case for racial minorities who are often subjected to environmental racism. Class and race are two determinates of environmental risks. In the United States, lower income neighbourhoods, especially lower income neighbourhoods with a larger proportion of racial minorities, tend to be closer in proximity to environmental risks. This is also the case in Canada. Find out if this is the case in your home community. Are there any industries in the region that create airborne or waterborne pollutants? Create a map of your region and highlight the general location of the industrial plants or other companies who create potential environmental risks. Then, look at the neighbourhood demographics in your region. Where are the higher income neighbourhoods? Where are the lower income neighbourhoods? Which neighbourhoods have a higher proportion of racial/ethnic minorities? When you are finished, write 3–4 paragraphs on your findings. Outline what you have found, and then critically analyze these findings using key terms in your textbook. Answer: Answers will vary depending on local circumstances, but a key consideration will centre on the notions of “environmental racism.” In my community, industrial plants creating airborne pollutants are predominantly located near lower-income and minority neighborhoods. Mapping these areas revealed that higher-income neighborhoods are situated farther from these environmental hazards. This aligns with environmental justice principles, which highlight how disadvantaged communities often bear a disproportionate environmental burden due to systemic inequalities and discriminatory practices. 2. Think Globally, Act Locally The sociological imagination encourages us to examine the link between public issues and personal conduct. Your reading of Chapter 22 confirms what you know from many other sources; namely, that environmental pollution is one of the great public issues of our time. The global scale of environmental pollution makes the challenges seem overwhelming, which is discouraging. This application lets you see how personal (micro) choices can impact macro outcomes. Steps: 1. Go to the following website and read the newspaper report about how the appetite for luxury toilet paper is more harmful to the environment than gas-guzzling vehicles. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/feb/26/toilet-roll-america 2. Now go to the following Greenpeace website (“All Tissue Is Not Created Equal”), and look up the rating of the toilet paper you currently use. http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/forests/tissueguide/ 3. Write a short report that discusses your reactions to completing this exercise. Were you aware of the global impacts of toilet paper choices? Why do you think Americans are so keen on using luxury brands? What changes are you willing to make and what are your reasons for doing so? Answer: Answers will vary, but the following considerations are relevant: • Most students will find it surprising that toilet paper pollution is so significant. • American tastes are heavily skewed by advertising, which is directed at arguing that recycled products are inferior. • Most students are unlikely to seriously consider or implement personal changes, for cultural and social reasons. Culturally, students are as prone to having their beliefs and values shaped by advertising as other groups. Socially, the resistance associated with deviant actions (such as offering guests a reusable cloth hankie) encourages conformity to the status quo. I was surprised by the significant environmental impact of luxury toilet paper, which is more damaging than some vehicles. Americans' preference for luxury brands likely stems from marketing and perceived comfort. I plan to switch to eco-friendly options to reduce my environmental footprint. Chapter 22: Technology and the Global Environment Economic Growth and Climate Change Global warming is a serious issue with far-reaching consequences. Although those who deny the reality of climate change and its roots in human action are diminishing, many voices still argue that the economic costs of action are too high. Resisters argue that economies will stagnate and prosperity will suffer if climate change interventions are too radical. By contrast, activists suggest that, through the promotion of “green” technologies and jobs, economic development and environmental sustainability are compatible. A recent study by Andrew Jorgenson, a sociologist at the University of Utah, provides worldwide evidence that is directly relevant to this debate. You can find a news summary of his findings, as well as a link to his original research, at the following link: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/54491383#.VHSuRNLF-3r Application Questions 1. Summarize and comment on your assessment of the credibility of Jorgenson’s findings. Answer: Jorgenson’s research covers a wide range of the planet, including 106 countries. It examines an extensive, 30-year time period (1970–2009). The study used the independent variable “carbon intensity of well-being,” which is the ratio of carbon emissions to life expectancy at birth. This independent variable was correlated with a dependent variable (gross domestic product), which indicates a country’s level of economic development. Jorgenson’s major finding is that, in all regions (with the possible exception of Africa), economic development is systematically linked to enhanced carbon emissions. The breadth, time period, and credibility of the measures suggest that we should take Jorgenson’s findings seriously. 2. Based on his research, what are Jorgenson’s views on the likelihood of finding a technological solution that will break the connection between economic growth and global warming? How does his research affect your views? Answer: Jorgenson is skeptical of a technological solution. In his words, “We need to start seriously thinking differently about solutions to these sustainability challenges and recognizing that hoping for technology and engineering solutions … is probably not the way to go. The reality is, we just need to reduce carbon emissions.” Solution Manual for Sociology My Compass for a New World Robert J. Brym, Lance W. Roberts, Lisa Strohschein, John Lie 9780176532031, 9780495763963
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