Social Responses, An Active Citizenship Lesson

The aim of this activity is to stimulate conversation and debate regarding "approriate" and "not appropriate" responses of citizens to the social, economic, political issues and concerns that they face in their community. This activity is not meant to create a dicotomy of "right" and "wrong" but rather to evaluate with a critical eye the effectivemess, safety, and longterm consequences of particular types of responses and participation, that citizens have in their society.
Part 1
Using the boxes below, give one set (already cut up) to each pair/small group and ask the students to arrange them from “least extreme” to “most extreme”.

Take up as a class and using principles of consensus determine the best arrangement.

Have the students form a horseshoe labeled on one end as “least extreme” and on the other as “most extreme”.

Read details of a current political issue (or one’s that have been brainstormed by the class) for example, the increase in homelessness due to evictions in low rent buildings for the purposes of redevelopment caused by the Olympics.

In response to the political issue, ask the students to arrange themselves along the horseshoe to represent what they think would be the best response.

Ask people to defend why they are where they are. Students are allowed to move in response to someone convincing them of a better position to take.

March and Demonstration
A non-violent gathering of people that take over the street and display signs, and banners to provide information about their concern or demands.

Petition Drive
Having people sign their names in support of a call to action by the government regarding their demands.

Information Picket
Peacefully giving out information materials while on public property.

Vandalism
Graffiti and breaking or damaging private property, are examples. It specifically targets property and not people or animals.

Campaign to Call, Email or Write a Letter to Your MP
Asking people to do the above usually while providing information.

Saboteurs
Using non-violent methods to interrupt normal operations, such as putting a pound of salt in cafeteria food to prevent students from eating meat.

Sit-down Protest
Occupying a Government Office or Public Land
A non-violent protest where people refuse to move with the hope of preventing movement in or out of a building or site

Clean Up
For example making an area safer for people or animals by cleaning it up.

Picketing
Targeting a specific building, site, or business to create attention in front of it and encourage other people to not go in or use it.

Sit-down Protest
Occupying a Private Business or building A non-violent protest where people refuse to move with the hope of preventing movement in or out of a building or site

Write a letter to the editor
Either in response to media coverage or the lack of it people write to the editors of newspapers

Boycott
A campaign that focuses on asking people to stop buying or consuming a specific product or business.

Do Nothing
This means to have no response or engagement.

Part 2
In a democracy, citizens have the right to express and defend their views freely and publically. There is considerable debate, however, about how far citizens should go to express their views and the type of police responses and the use of force in response to citizen actions. Brainstorm the pro’s con’s of the different types of citizen action, and what type of police response they should be met with.

Action Type: March and Demonstration

Action Pro’s

Action Con’s