Chapter 1 - Exploring Canadian and World Issues

Perspective

Some factors impacting perspective include:

• Socioeconomic Status

• Ethnic Background

• Age

• Schooling

• Religious Beliefs

Impact of Perspective

Your perspective influences how you:

1. View issues presented in this class

2. Believe society should operate

3. Believe you should be governed

4. Think social issues should be managed

The Political Spectrum

Left Wing vs. Right Wing

Socioeconomic Status (SES)

Measure of an individual’s or group’s position in a community

Determined by factors such as parents’ occupations, income, education, & place of residence

Life Experiences

Gender, ethnic background, age, schooling, religious beliefs & places you have lived or experienced determine your life experiences

Right-Wing Authoritarian

Believes the economy works best if the government doesn’t interfere with business or trade; exerts a significant measure of social control

Left-Wing Authoritarian

Believes the economy works best if the government applies considerable control over business and trade, while also applying a significant amount of social control

Left-Wing Libertarian

Feels the government has an important role to play in the economy but feels government should allow people to make their own social decisions

Right-Wing Libertarian

Someone who wants to minimize the role of government in all aspects of life

Centrist

Someone who believes social and economic controls should be applied if they’re for the public good, or taken apart if they don’t benefit society

Issue

An important subject open to discussion or debate

Characteristics of Issues

• Are multifaceted (many sides)

• Have complex causes

• Involve interrelated environmental, social, and political components

• Result in complex, imperfect solutions

Media

Various forms of mass communication (See: Newspapers, television, radio, and the internet) & the people involved in their production

What are the two different types of media?

Mainstream and Alternative

Bias

A prejudice or preference for or against a particular point of view

What are the different types of biases?

Implicit and Explicit

Implicit Bias

Unconscious bias which operates outside of the person’s awareness (Not Aware)

Explicit Bias

Conscious bias in which individuals are aware of their prejudices, preferences, and attitudes

Characteristics of Media Bias

Examine…

• Choice of language, tone, and emphasis

• Selective reporting or selective quoting

• Excluding key details or information

Euphemism

The substitution of an inoffensive expression for one that may be offensive or unpleasant to the listener

(Ex: “Passed Away” instead of “Died”)

Opinions

• Subjective (Based on personal experiences, feelings)

• Disputable (Open to question or debate)

• Cannot be verified with evidence

Ex. LeBron James is the best basketball player of all time

Facts

• Objective (Based on relatives on reality)

• Indisputable and evidence based truths

• Verifiable with evidence

Ex. Queen Elizabeth died on September, 8th 2023

Evaluating the Validity of Information

1. Authorship

2. Date of Publication

3. Referencing

4. Form (How it’s being presented)

Authorship

What are the qualifications, expertise, and reputation of the author?

Date of Publication

When was a piece written or last updated? Does the piece reflect the current situation?

Form

What is the form of information being presented?

One form is more reputable than the other

Ex. YouTube vs. News Article

References

Does the author provide references and citation to support their claims?

Mainstream Media

Large, well-established media organizations that dominate public communication

Alternative Media

Independent (Smaller) or non-mainstream sources that challenge dominant narratives or provide niche perspectives

Digital Divide

Is the gap between societies that can access modern technology and those who cannot. The divide or gap has a variety of factors such as income, education, geography, economy, etc. 

Factors of Digital Divide

• Access to computers, smartphones, and the internet

• Lack of skills to effectively use the technology

• Affordability of devices, internet connectivity, and other digital services

Propaganda

Messages aimed at influencing the behaviour or opinions of a large number of people

Propaganda Techniques

1. Appeal to emotion

2. Transfer

3. Bandwagon

4. Fear Mongering

Appeal to Emotion - Propaganda Technique

Attempts to create a strong emotional response (see: fear, anger, pride, joy, etc.) to influence behaviour

Transfer - Propaganda Technique

Involves transferring positive or negative qualities from one person, entity, object, or value (such as an individual, group, organization, nation, patriotism, etc.) to another

Bandwagon - Propaganda Technique

Aims to convince individuals to adopt a particular behaviour or belief because “everyone else is doing it.” (see: peer pressure)

Fear Mongering - Propaganda Technique

Creating or exaggerating threats fear to persuade the audience to support a particular cause or take a specific action

Jargon

Specialized language used in a specific group, profession, or culture used to express ideas. Often distinguishes those who belong to a group and those who don’t

Spin

To slant or twist a story to portray an event or situation that is favourable to a particular point of view or political situation

Globalization

The trend toward greater “interconnectedness” between countries, economies, cultures, and societies

Types of Globalization

• Cultural

• Political

• Technological

• Economic

• Financial

• Sociological

• Ecological

• Geographical

Cultural - Types of Globalization

The spreading or blending of cultural elements, including ideas, values, traditions, and products

Technological - Types of Globalization

Growing global interconnected through advancements in technology like the internet, cellphones, and other digital tools

Political - Types of globalization

• Work collaboratively to complete the task in the time allotted

• The trend towards more uniform political policies as well as greater international cooperation and collaboration

Ecological - Types of globalization

The growing belief that the planet must be treated as a single ecosystem

Economic Development

The level of a community’s material wealth and trade

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

The total value of all goods and services produced within a country over a specific period

Two World Models

Categorizations based on economic development

(Ex. Developed/Developing Countries)

Social Development

The level of overall well-being and quality of life of a country’s population

Human Rights Development Index

Measures a country’s achievements in health, education, and standard of living

Political Maturity Development

The stability, effectiveness, and a development of a country’s political system is

The Freedom House Rating

Measures political freedom and civil rights in a country

Methods of Grouping Countries: Beyond Two-World Models

1. More globalized Core (Core)

2. Less Globalized Periphery (Periphery)

3. Semi-Periphery

More Globalized Core (Core)

That part of the world containing countries that are more involved in and have benefited to a greater extent from globalization

(Ex. United States)

More Globalized Core (Core) - USA

1. Economic Power

2. Technological Leadership

3. Military Strength

4. Cultural Influence

5. Political Influence

Less Globalized Periphery (Periphery)

That part of the world containing countries that are less involved in and have benefited to a lesser extent from globalization

Periphery

To the side

Semi-Periphery (Periphery)

Countries that share the characteristics of both core and periphery countries (More in the middle)