Introduction to Studying the Social Sciences /

SCS1150 Final Exam Study Notes: Introduction to Studying the Social Sciences

Understanding Tier-1 Superficial Tolerance as Intolerance

  • Three-Step Process to Explain Superficial Tolerance:

    1. Labelling Minorities:

    • Definition: The act of assigning negative labels to minority groups.

    • Example: Muslims are labelled as "radical" and associated with violence, suggesting they cannot be trusted.

    1. Segregation of Minorities:

    • Definition: The practice of isolating or marginalizing minority groups based on their identity.

    • Example: Quebec Bill-21, which limits public displays of religious symbols, allowing Muslims into the community only if their identity is not visible.

    1. Scapegoating Minorities:

    • Definition: Blaming minority groups for broader societal issues or conflicts.

    • Example: When discussing equality for Muslims, individuals may claim it will harm others, framing it as if granting rights is a slippery slope.

Myths and Distorted Realities Associated with Anders Breivik

  • Multiculturalism:

    • Distortion of Reality: Breivik interpreted multiculturalism as a deliberate attempt to undermine European culture.

    • Myth: He deemed multiculturalism as a "marxist" ideology enforced to present all cultures as equal, viewing this as an attack on traditional European values.

  • Liberals:

    • Distortion of Reality: Breivik depicted liberal individuals as traitors promoting the downfall of Europe through support of immigration and multiculturalism.

    • Myth: He characterized liberals as facilitating a Muslim takeover through their political actions.

  • Muslims:

    • Distortion of Reality: He painted Muslims as invaders bent on dominating Europe through immigration and cultural means.

    • Myth: Framed Islam itself as inherently violent and oppressive, incompatible with Western civilizational norms.

Paradigms Concerning Death and Dying
1. Sanctity of Life Ethos/Principle

  • Definition: Life is viewed as inherently valuable and sacred, rooted in religious and moral doctrines.

  • Key Normative Assumptions:

    1. Stewardship: Limited personal autonomy since life is a gift from God, only God can take it.

    2. Suffering as Meaningful: Suffering is seen as having a transcendent purpose, where individuals must remain obedient until death.

    3. Divine Wrath/Slippery Slope: Legalizing assisted death is perceived as a slippery slope leading to broader moral decay.

2. Quality of Life Ethos/Principle

  • Definition: Emphasizes the importance of subjective well-being, autonomy, and meaningful life experiences, assessing life value based on happiness, pain, and cognitive function.

  • Key Normative Assumptions:

    1. Autonomy: Individuals have the right to decide their time of death.

    2. Subjective Suffering: Each person’s experience of suffering is personal and varies.

    3. Feasible Safeguards: Guidelines must be flexible to allow for various circumstances in life-threatening situations.

Example from Bishop John Shelby Spong’s Article

  • Origin of the Sacredness of Life:

    • Rooted in Judeo-Christian beliefs stating that human life is created in God's image (Genesis).

    • Decisions about life and death are considered the sole domain of God.

Historical Examples of Ignoring Sanctity of Life

  1. Giordano Bruno: Burned at the stake (1600) for astronomical teachings contradicting church doctrine.

  2. The Inquisition: Mass executions justified by religious authorities under heresy accusations.

  3. The Crusades: Vatican-sponsored wars led to massive killings of Jews, framed as targeting "infidels".

  4. Homosexual Persecution: The church engaged in the systematic persecution of homosexual individuals, including executions.

  5. Galileo's Case: Misuse of biblical interpretation by the church to reject scientific advancements; the church later admitted its error in 1992.

Significant Cases in Death and Dying

  1. Sue Rodriguez: Diagnosed with ALS, she sought the right to die with dignity. Her case reached the Supreme Court of Canada but was ruled against due to the sanctity of life concerns. Eventually, she sought physician assistance to end her life.

  2. Robert Latimer: Convicted of murdering his daughter with severe cerebral palsy; his act was defended as mercy. Initial conviction for second degree murder led to a reduced sentence after discussions around sanctity of life arose.

  3. Nancy B: Paralyzed from Guillain-Barre syndrome, she sought legal rights for assisted death but was denied.

  4. Gloria Taylor: Challenged Canada’s physician-assisted death ban, leading to a landmark 2015 Supreme Court decision following her case’s success in 2012, which cited constitutional rights violations.

Historical Transition in Abortion Laws

  • Lord Ellenborough's Act (UK: 1803): Abortion post-quickening could result in the death penalty; before quickening = misdemeanor punishments.

  • Offences Against the Person Act (UK: 1837): Established equal penalties regardless of abortion timing—life sentence for both.

  • Pope Pius IX’s Declaration (1869): Proclaimed no abortions post-conception, escalating restrictions over time with several declarations against abortion under any circumstance.

  • Infant Life Preservation Act (UK, 1929): Marked the first weakening of sanctity of life by allowing abortions only if mother's life was threatened.

  • Rex v. Bourne (UK, 1938): Introduced allowance for abortion in cases of sexual assault.

  • Criminal Law Amendment Act (Canada, 1969): Expanded women's rights to abortion under certain conditions, requiring hospital permissions from a Therapeutic Abortion Committee made primarily of male doctors.

  • Roe v. Wade (US, 1973): Allowed abortions to be performed across trimesters with conditions outlined.

  • R. v. Morgentaler (Canada, 1988): Overturned previous laws, declaring them unconstitutional as they violated women's rights to life and autonomy under the Charter.

Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life Arguments During the “Trial for Life”

Pro-Choice

Pro-Life

1. Women have bodily control and autonomy as primary host.

1. Women are co-hosts; fetuses are separate beings.

2. Fetuses do not have legal personhood and hence no rights.

2. Fetuses are recognized as persons legally.

3. Testimony indicated abortion benefited women's mental health.

3. Claims of psychological damage from abortion were presented.

4. Historical figures like Dorothea Palmer showed reasons for legalizing contraceptives.

4. Testimonies by former abortion providers raised moral dilemmas upon seeing ultrasounds.

5. Abortion is often necessary for women's life and health.

5. Arguments suggested pregnancies were ended for socio-economic reasons primarily.

Empirical Influences from the Badgley Report Influencing Supreme Court's Decision

  1. Inequality in Access: Legal abortions lacked consistency, depending heavily on location and socio-economic status violating the equality principle (S.15) of the Charter.

  2. Therapeutic Abortion Committees: Many hospitals failed to implement these committees, causing undue delays exposing women's health risks.

  3. Illegal Abortions: Report highlighted an increase in unlawful abortions, suggesting the existing laws failed to deter, shifting focus instead onto health safety for women.

Paradigms of Sex Work According to Ronald Weitzer

  • Empowerment Paradigm: Views sex work as empowering, advocated by liberal feminists who emphasize personal choice and autonomy.

  • Oppression Paradigm: Considers sex work as inherently exploitative; endorsed by radical feminists who argue it perpetuates gender inequality.

  • Polymorphous Paradigm: Accepts that sex work can be both empowering and exploitative depending on context; supported by postmodern feminists focusing on diverse experiences and backgrounds.

Contrasting Opinions on Polygamy: Stephen Kent vs. Lori G. Beaman

Stephen Kent (Against Polygamy)

Lori G. Beaman (For Polygamy)

1. Systemic abuses are prevalent in polygamous communities, including underage marriages.

1. Women often choose this lifestyle, and denying this is paternalistic.

2. Communities rely on secrecy and control, increasing human rights violations.

2. Polygamy is not inherently abusive; abuse is not exclusive to it.

3. Cross-border trafficking of minors for marriage is a legal and ethical breach.

3. Criminalization targets religious minority groups and undermines multiculturalism.

4. Young men are marginalized (“lost boys”) to decrease sexual competition.

4. Criminalizing polygamy forces it underground, risking women's access to protection.

5. Cultural coercion makes women’s choices in polygamous settings not truly autonomous.

5. Harm assessment should be context-dependent rather than based on generalizations.

Comparison of Rights: Mormon Women in Utah vs. Protestant Women
Rights of Mormon Women in Late 1800s

  1. Mormons enjoyed unique legal rights, including polygamous marriages sanctioned by their church.

  2. Women had property rights and could inherit, unlike many Protestant women.

  3. Polygamous unions offered economic and domestic support among women.

  4. Ironically, Mormon women were more empowered in marital roles compared to Protestant women facing more restrictive norms.

Protestant Women Outside of Utah

  1. Majority lacked legal recognition of property ownership upon marriage.

  2. Many were expected to fulfill homemaker and child-rearing roles, limiting aspirations.

  3. Facing strict religious norms that prohibited premarital relations and autonomy over their bodies.

  4. Social mobility for Protestant women was restricted more than for their Mormon counterparts.

R. v. Labaye (2005) "Swingers' Club" Case Judgement

  • Majority View: Labaye was acquitted as activities were consensual, private, and non-indecent; emphasis was placed on evolving societal morals without harm.

  • Minority View: Dissenting opinion held that the activities violated public morals and societal norms and had the potential to disrupt public order, despite being consensual.

Cosmopolitan Mindset Characteristics by Kwame Anthony Appiah and Martha C. Nussbaum

  1. Universal Concern: Moral obligation extends beyond local loyalties, supporting global responsibility.

  2. Respect for Differences: Acknowledges cultural and individual variations without enforcing a single lifestyle.

  3. Global Citizenship: Belonging to a global community rather than affiliations to specific nations.

  4. Ethical Commitment: Recognition of human dignity across cultures and a driving force for justice worldwide.

  5. Dialogue Across Boundaries: Promoting engagement, mutual understanding, and cultural exchange across different societies.

Insights from Guest Speaker Dr. J. Brian Scott on International Development

  • Post-War Reconstruction:

    • Post-World War II, Europe faced immense devastation, leading to initiatives like the Marshall Plan aimed at rebuilding economies.

    • U.S. contribution: over $12 billion (approximately $130 billion today) towards restoring European infrastructure, preventing communism.

  • Role of the United Nations: Became the primary entity for international development post-war, replacing the League of Nations.

  • Non-Governmental Organizations: Emerged alongside government efforts, including groups like Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders, contributing to rebuilding efforts.

  • Marshall Plan Significance: Viewed as a foundational model for current international aid programs that promote growth and stabilize conflict-affected areas.