SOCIAL JUSTICE BELIEFS AND VALUES WHY ARE YOU

SOCIAL JUSTICE BELIEFS AND VALUES

WHY ARE YOU TAKING SOCIAL JUSTICE 12? Identify/recall the reasons why you decided to take Social Justice. . .

WHY ARE YOU TAKING SOCIAL JUSTICE 12? Not to be ignorant, closed or narrow- minded, prejudice, discriminatory. . . To understand the issues, to gain more knowledge, personal interest, to be more active, to have a voice, to help with equality, to be part of a solution not part of the problem. . .

AWARENESS A Vital Social Justice Skill

SELF-AWARENESS is. . . Self-awareness = is the capacity for introspection (examination of one's own conscious thoughts, beliefs and feelings) and the ability to recognize oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS is. . . Situational awareness = involves being aware of what is happening in the vicinity (around you), in order to understand how information, events, and one's own actions will impact goals and objectives, both immediately and in the near future.

BELIEFS are. . . Beliefs = 1. an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists = "her belief in the value of hard work" 2. trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something = "a belief in democratic politics"

VALUES are. . . Values = 1. the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something = "your support is of great value" 2. a person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life = "they internalize their parents' rules and values"

DISCUSSION 1. Why is it valuable to know who we are? 2. Why is it important to know what we believe, why we believe it, how our beliefs affect ourselves and others? 3. To what extent can our beliefs change over time and for what reasons?

IMAGES The “Story” Behind Them

ACTIVITY #1 As a group construct what you believe to be the background information or “story” behind the image = what is going on? Provide as many details as you can + provide evidence for your ideas. Your stories or scenarios should be plausible and thoughtful.

IMAGE #1

IMAGE #2

IMAGE #3

IMAGE #4

DISCUSS Share your interpretation of the image you received. All students are encouraged to respond in an attempt to reveal the many differences in beliefs and perceptions about human beings and their situations. What are the similarities and differences among the responses? Why would this be?

ACTIVITY #2 As an individual take a look at the following images and note down on a piece of paper who you think the person is. You will only have seconds to analyze and label the picture. The following is the list of options to choose from = match the image to the label.

Label Options List Athlete Freedom Fighter Child Soldier Rapist Poet Felon/Criminal Teacher/Educator Person with a Disability

Picture #1

Picture #2

Picture #3

Picture #4

Picture #5

Picture #6

Picture #7

Picture #8

Picture #1 = Felon + “Teacher” Martha Stewart

Picture #2 = (Differently Abled) Athlete Oscar Pistorius + murderer (Felon)

Picture #3 = Child Soldier + Freedom Fighter Michel Chikwanine

Picture #4 = Freedom Fighter (+Felon) + Politician Nelson Mandela

Picture #5 = Poet Shane Koyczan

Picture #6 = UBC Professor/Educator Kim Snowden

Picture #7 = Clara Hughes: Raising awareness about Mental Illness (Depression) Person with a Disability + Athlete

Picture #8 = Rapist + Felon (Paul Wilson, UK)

Reflection and Analysis Why did you match the labels to the pictures the way you did? What do you think is behind such categorization?

Information to Digest These split second assessments are what we do on an everyday basis. Some of your connection play into bias, prejudice + stereotypes other not so much. Bias, pre-judging and using stereotypes are how we sort out/categorize/organize our world; it is “normal”.

Information to Digest However, it is when we use our bias, prejudice, and stereotypes in actively discriminatory ways that they become a problem/a social injustice. It is our awareness of them that is important; our ability to recognize them as (potentially) harmful and erroneous.

IMPACTS OF BELIEFS Reflection= write a “let your thoughts flow” response to the question: What impact do my beliefs have on others, locally and globally? You are encouraged to consider the impact on other people as well as on animals and the environment.

BRAINSTORM Brainstorm (as a class) a list of items that answers the question: Where do our values and beliefs come from? All responses shared by the class will be recorded by your groups – have a note taker.

BRAINSTORM Now, in your table groups, categorize/group the responses. Possible categories might include family, peers, cultural expectations, society, institutions, employers, other individuals, and so on.

GROUP DISCUSSION Discuss the differences among the categories: Why are so many beliefs from _____? Why are others influenced by _____? What does this mean. . . ? Etc.

GROUP RANKING 1. First, rank the original list of items from greatest to least influence on your current beliefs. 2. Now rank the list according to which you think will be the greatest and least influence on yourselves ten years in the future.

CLASS DISCUSSION INFLUENCE + TIME Why are there differences in influence on you (as individuals)? Do you think time impacts or changes these influences? Why or why not? Explain.

BELIEFS ARE. . . SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED Social Constructionist Theory = Social constructionist is a sociological theory built upon the observation that many aspects of our everyday experience are the consequence of implicit social agreement, institutional practices or collective social action rather than objective reality, and only exist within the context of such agreements, practices or collective actions.

BELIEFS ARE. . . SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED Thus, many of the things we take for granted are not actually objective facts about the world, independent of human subjectivity, but are instead the products of human intersubjectivity (psychological relations between people).

BELIEFS ARE. . . SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED What is a Social Construct? = A social construct is anything that exists by virtue of social interactions, as opposed to objective reality.

BELIEFS ARE. . . SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED For example, such things as nations, presidents, money and language do not exist outside of the context of human social behavior. Nevertheless, they exist as integral parts of our social functioning.

BELIEFS ARE. . . SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED What is Social Reality? = Social reality is the "universe" of socially constructed knowledge created by virtue of our social interactions.

BELIEFS ARE. . . SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED Social reality is grounded in our behavior, our beliefs and values, our languages, our culture and our institutional practices and it colors almost all of our perception. Although it is largely the consequence of our shared inter-subjective practices, we nevertheless occupy it largely without ever becoming explicitly aware of its contingent and constructed nature.

BELIEFS ARE. . . SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED Social constructionism | Society and Culture | MCAT | Khan Academy 2: 45 minutes https: //www. youtube. com/watch? time_continu e=4&v=5 U 2 XAJNazik

RESPONSE/REFLECTION Discuss in your table groups: To what extent (how I do and how I do not) do I have control over my own beliefs?

INVESTIGATING PERSONAL BELIEFS Raising awareness of how we react to what others believe

THE STATEMENT ACTIVITY You will be provided with controversial and inflammatory statements. These are not meant to cause conflict; they are for you to assess how you feel about/perceive them.

THE STATEMENT ACTIVITY It is not the statements being made that are important; rather, what is crucial is how you respond to what is being said. Pay special attention to your own feelings, interpretations, biases, physical and emotional reactions, and perceptions.

THE STATEMENT ACTIVITY I will read aloud each statement. I will repeat the statement and pause to provide time for you to respond. Note down the statement number (i. e. Statement #8) before you respond.

THE STATEMENT ACTIVITY You will be given time to privately record your reactions (emotional + intellectual) after hearing the statements being made. Remember, you are not commenting on whether or not they agree or disagree with the statement; only on how you respond to hearing it (or saying it).

THE STATEMENT ACTIVITY: Assistance via Guiding Statements To assist you in your emotional and intellectual responses use the following guiding statements (see handout) as guidelines: I felt angry when I heard her/his/their statement about… When I read that statement, I was embarrassed/ashamed/etc…

Assistance via Guiding Statements I hope she/he/they doesn’t really believe that … When I heard/ read that, I couldn’t help but feel… The statement made me think about how dangerous bias/prejudice/stereotypes can be… It was hard to hear that because I know it’s true…

THE STATEMENT ACTIVITY: Response/Reflection Review/reflect on your responses to each of the statements. Now select ONE statement that resonated with you for various reasons (include the number + a description about what the statement professed or the general topic it focussed on).

THE STATEMENT ACTIVITY: Response/Reflection Using that statement, write a response/ reflection. Do the following in your response/ reflection: 1. Identify the statement you are referring to 2. Comment on the nature of your response:

THE STATEMENT ACTIVITY: Response/Reflection physical response—quickened pulse, raised eyebrow, laughter, scowl, etc. (list the body response(s)) emotional response—sadness, pity, empathy, rage, etc. (list the emotion(s)) intellectual response—connections made to other situations or experiences, rationalizing or justifying, etc.

THE STATEMENT ACTIVITY: Response/Reflection 3. Comment on how your response made you feel + why (i. e. I felt surprised, aware, bigoted, justified, etc. because. . . ) 4. Indicate the likelihood of the same response from you in a non-experimental situation. 5. Indicate and explain the possible reasons why your reaction might or might not change over time given new perspectives and understandings.

HOW PERSONAL CHOICE AFFECTS OTHERS UP NEXT

HOW PERSONAL CHOICE AFFECTS OTHERS Personal Choices Impact Others Locally + Globally

PERSONAL CHOICES + EMPATHY Empathy = is the experience of understanding another person's condition from their perspective; you place yourself in their shoes and feel what they are feeling.

PERSONAL CHOICES + EMPATHY Social Empathy = is the ability to understand people by perceiving or experiencing their life situations and as a result gain insight into structural/social inequalities and disparities.

PERSONAL CHOICES + EMPATHY Why do we need social empathy? 1) Increased understanding of social, economic, and political inequalities can lead to social, economic, and political justice and societal well-being = equality.

PERSONAL CHOICES + EMPATHY 2) Offers a model for how we can help people think about and act in ways that are in the best interest of others. 3)Helps us to see how we can achieve social justice.

PERSONAL CHOICES + EMPATHY 4) Can serve as an educational model to help policy makers and members of society make decisions that are grounded in the experiences of those who will be impacted by the policy/law. 5) Can effect change.

PERSONAL CHOICES + EMPATHY Why do we need to promote social empathy or just plain empathy? Because people need help to understand how we are connected across groups and social policies; since we are all connected it is our responsibility to actively help one another.

SOCIAL EMPATHY AS A PATHWAY TO SOCIAL CHANGE We need empathy because: Lacking a deep understanding of others can lead to scapegoating, distrust, and in extreme cases destruction of other cultures.

SOCIAL EMPATHY AS A PATHWAY TO SOCIAL CHANGE Lacking empathy can lead to racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, ableism etc. because levels of empathy are different for people who are “different” = in-group vs. out-group or Us vs. Them. Lacking empathy can led to superficial responses to personal or world crisis even when there is a violation of human rights.

SOCIAL EMPATHY AS A PATHWAY TO SOCIAL CHANGE When we use our analytical, critical thinking skills with an understanding of context, we can begin to think about ways to take action that will improve social conditions locally and globally. This is social empathy; this is social justice

PERSONAL CHOICES + EMPATHY The Power of Empathy Brené Brown on Empathy vs Sympathy http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=1 Evw gu 369 Jw (2: 53)

PERSONAL CHOICES + EMPATHY The Importance of Empathy in Everyday Life http: //lifehacker. com/the-importance-of-empathy-in -everyday-life 1791961488? utm_campaign=socialflow_lifehacker_twi tter&utm_source=lifehacker_twitter&utm_medium=s ocialflow (3: 30)

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Response/ Reflection Quick write = write (individually) a “free flow” paragraph response to each of the following questions: 1) How can empathy make a difference in our world? Make sure you thoroughly explain your thoughts/ provide details.

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY The many aspects of life include society, the environment, and the economy. In this activity you are required to think about how one choice or decision to act or not act impacts other areas of life.

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY You will be divided into small groups. Each group will receive a slip of paper that has three or four words written on it. In this activity, these words represent what are known as the stakeholders.

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Stakeholders Definition Stakeholders = a person, group, organization, member or system who affects or can be affected by an individual or organization's actions.

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Our Stakeholders The Stakeholders = family members friends peer group our community the environment (including animals) people in other parts of BC people in other parts of Canada people in other countries the local economy the global society

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Instructions In your groups, think of a topic related to this course. Once the topic has been selected, come up with a hypothetical or real situation that demonstrates the ways in which personal choices impact the stakeholders written on your cue card.

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Example For example, someone might say: “Our stakeholders are family members, friends, the local economy, and the global economy. I know someone who tied herself to a giant red cedar on Vancouver Island. This choice impacted our stakeholders by …”

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Instructions Each of your groups is required to record your ideas using some form of graphic organizer (e. g. diagram, chart, drawing, graph). Remember that. . .

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Remember 1. All ideas need to be considered and that 2. Making connections between and among ideas is desirable

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Remember 3. It is important to try to clarify cause and effect relationships as much as possible 4. Identifying spin-off effects to other stakeholders not indicated on the cue card is also encouraged

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Group Share Present your groups ideas to the class. As an entire class, discuss the impact personal choices have.

PERSONAL CHOICES ACTIVITY Response/ Reflection Quick write = write (individually) a “free flow” paragraph response to each of the following questions: 1) How do personal choices impact others? 2) How can empathy make a difference in our world? Make sure you thoroughly explain your thoughts/ provide details.

SELF-STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT UP NEXT

SELF-STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT Examining our attitudes, behaviours, values, + beliefs

YOUR ATTITUDES, BEHAVIOURS, VALUES, + BELIEFS The following (see handout) is a list of questions to examine your own attitudes, behaviours, values, and beliefs.

SELF-STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT The Questions 1. What are my biases? How do they affect the way I see/view the world? 2. Where do my beliefs come from? (e. g. family, peers, school, religious teachings, media, experiences, etc. ). To what degree are they unique to me?

SELF-STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT The Questions 3. How do my personal experiences and circumstances (e. g. age, sexual orientation, sexuality, gender identity, ethnicity, family, socioeconomic status) affect my perceptions? 4. What roles do cultural traditions and language play in my perceptions, understandings, values, and beliefs? How are my beliefs socially constructed?

SELF-STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT The Questions 5. How do my ancestry (your relatives; ethnic/racialized background) and nationality (citizenship/nation you “belong” to) affect my perceptions? 6. Am I privileged and entitled? In what ways? To what extent does this colour (influence/change) the way I relate to the world?

SELF-STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT The Questions 7. Am I oppressed or marginalized? In what ways? To what extent does this colour the way I relate to the world? 8. How do I perpetuate (support/am complicit) or challenge the status quo (the “norm”; the existing social structures/values; the traditional ways)?

SELF-STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT The Questions 9. What are my assumptions about how our society functions and should function? (e. g. , competitive, collective, etc. . . ) 10. How do I respond when someone disagrees with me? How do I treat others with beliefs and values different from my own?

SELF-STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT The Questions 11. To what extent do I understand the concept of social justice? What do I do to promote social justice ideals? 12. How willing am I to take personal risks in sharing my views about and advocating for social justice issues?

SELF-STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT The Assignment Create a written assignment (a short report) that answers ALL the selfassessment questions. Your report must be a proper paragraph or point format + write the question out in its entirety and then answer below in a on a separate sheet of paper typed or written.

THE END. . . SORT OF UP NEXT: THE DAILY CHANGES