education for citizenship and human rights 2 eso€¦ · have a brilliant natural intelligence...

EDUCATION FOR CITIZENSHIP AND HUMAN RIGHTS

2nd ESO

IES CERVANTES

2014-2015

CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION – 2nd ESO

CONTENTS

UNIT 1. FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY........................................................................3UNIT 2. EQUALITY AND DIFFERENCE.............................................................................11UNIT 3. COEXISTENCE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION................................................19UNIT 4. HUMAN RIGHTS......................................................................................................27UNIT 5. HUMAN RIGHTS IN OUR WORLD.......................................................................35UNIT 6. GLOBALIZATION....................................................................................................41UNIT 7. DEMOCRACY...........................................................................................................45UNIT 8. RIGHTS AND DUTIES IN OUR CONSTITUTION................................................53UNIT 9. THE SPANISH STATE IN OUR CONSTITUTION................................................61

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UNIT 1. FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY

OBJECTIVESAfter studying this unit you will be able to:

- Difference the genetically inherited aspects of human beings from the acquired habits - * Recognize the importance of education in our habits and understand our responsibility in

its acquisition- * Explain the difference between legal rules and moral norms - * Assume the importance of autonomy as a foundation of moral responsibility

The human person: temperament and character

In all human beings two different dimensions can be identified: a physical one (our body) and a psychological one (our mind). Each person is the result of the combination of inherited features (with a genetic origin) and acquired features (learnt through culture). For example, our hair's colour is biologically inherited, but our language has been learnt in our interaction with other people.

Each person has a distinctive personality; a peculiar way of being that is unique. But there are two elements in this personality: temperament and character. Temperament is an inherited feature, but character is formed by acquired habits. A habit is a disposition or tendency that we have learnt and that has become part of our way of being. We are not responsible for our temperament, but our character is a consequence of what we do. For example, a person might have a brilliant natural intelligence (which is part of her temperament), but if she acquires bad habits she will become lazy and not very wise (as part of her character)

Some genetically inherited tendencies are the basic intellectual capacities, the active or passive attitude, the sociability or the main emotional features of a person.

The habits that are acquired and change our natural tendencies are called virtues if they are positive and vices if they are negative. As habits are not natural, but acquired, learning to educate our character is extremely important in order to help us to become the person that we really want to be.

Legal and moral rulesPeople strive throughout their life in search of freedom and happiness. But what does freedom really mean? Are we free when we do what we first imagine in every moment? And what is happiness? Are we happy when we get what we want? Can we live together in society if we all do just what we feel like doing?

In order to organize our common life, the society has established law: a series or rules and norms that we all are supposed to follow. But we must admit that, besides law, there are also personal rules that show what each individual considers to be fair and correct. Law is made by

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society, so if we don't obey the law we can be punished. On the other hand, moral rules come from our personal conscience. If we don't act according to our own personal moral rules, we feel bad and suffer remorse.

Autonomy and responsibility

People can decide how to behave. We can choose between saying the truth or lying, between respecting the rules or breaking them, between helping other people or ignoring them. Morals have to do with these choices that we do in our everyday life. These choices are possible because we are – at least partially- free. This possibility of choosing also makes us responsible of our decisions. And these decisions can make our happiness easier or harder to reach for us.

Choosing what we do by ourselves implies responsibility. When we freely choose what we want to do we become responsible or our own deeds. This means that we should think about our actions and its consequences in relation to us and to other people. We must be able to respond for what we have done, because we have chosen to behave in that particular way. So choosing correctly what we want to do is a very important matter indeed!

Ancient philosophers, who spent long time thinking about these topics, thought that people, in order to be happy, must learn to wish what is right and convenient. This learning is also a habit, that ancient thinkers called prudency and that we call good sense. That's why we must learn to make a responsible use of our individual freedom.

If you can decide by yourself what must be done and if you really do it in practice, then you are an autonomous person. The word “autonomy” means “giving a law to oneself”. The opposite word is “heteronomy”. You are heteronomous if you do what other people tell you to do. You are autonomous if you can choose by yourself, instead of following what other people say or suggest. But being autonomous is not an easy task. If we want to achieve autonomy, we must overcome external and internal forces that tend to choose in our place, and we must also make an effort to acquire good habits in order to improve our personal freedom.

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QUESTIONNAIRE1. In all individuals there are genetically inherited features and acquired features that

have been learnt with time. Can you identify at least five inherited features and five acquired features of people?

2. What is the difference between temperament and character? Which of these two features of personality is inherited? Which of them is acquired? Can you give examples?

3. What is a habit? Explain your answer mentioning at least three of your own personal habits.

4. Are habits something we are born with or are they something that we learn with time? Explain your answer.

5. Can habits modify a person's temperament? And can they modify her character? Explain your answer.

6. How do we call positive habits? Give at least four examples of good habits. How do we call negative habits? Give at least four examples of bad habits.

7. Where do legal rules come from? Who makes them? And where do moral rules come from? What happens if we don't follow these two sets of rules? Explain your answer.

8. Give at least two examples of legal and moral rules.9. What does the word “autonomy” mean? What is the opposite word? Can you explain

the difference between these two concepts giving some examples?10. Do you think that wild animals are responsible for what they do? What about people?

Are people responsible for their actions? What is the difference between both cases? Explain your answer.

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GLOSSARY

GENETIC FEATURES ACQUIRED FEATURES PERSONALITY TEMPERAMENT CHARACTER HABITS VIRTUES VICES LAW MORAL CONSCIENCE AUTONOMY HETERONOMY

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ACTIVITY 1

Genetic or acquired?This is a list including twenty relevant features of a friend of mine. Could you tell me which of these features are genetically inherited and which are acquired? Remember that genetic features are part of people since their birth, but acquired features are built with time (by learning them, for example)

FEATUREGENETIC OR ACQUIRED?

EXPLANATION OF YOUR ANSWER

The colour of her skin

Her ideas

Her inclination to talk constantly

The colour of her eyes

Her myopia

Her language

Her weight

Her courage

Her religious beliefs

Her allergy to pollen

The way she dresses

Her height

Her generosity

The aspect of her face

Her ability to play football

Her tendency to be optimistic and happy

Her intelligence

Her skill to play the guitar

Her incredible musical sensitivity

Her flat feet

What are the conclusions that can be drawn from this activity?

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ACTIVITY 2

Virtues and vices

This is a list of positive habits. Can you give a name to each of them?

1. Knowing how to listen to other people2. Not creating problems to other persons3. Not inventing rumours 4. Being part of the team even when things go wrong 5. Not changing your opinion depending on who you are talking to6. Keeping your promises7. Avoiding being at the same time the prosecutor and the judge8. Staying by your friends when they are in trouble9. Not rejecting other people just because of their aspect or their ideas10. Not cheating during the exams11. Treating other people just as you would like them to treat you12. Accepting the fact that each person is different to other people13. Not accusing without real evidence14. Keeping our word when we make a deal15. Not laughing at people who have been punished

You can use some of these names

COMPASSION HONESTY RESPECT INTEGRITY LOYALTY RESPONSIBILITY TOLERANCE ………

Could you make a list with the negative habits that are the opposite to those that you have identified before? Could you give a name to each one of them?

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ACTIVITY 3A FAMOUS TALE

Geppetto, a poor old wood carver, was making a puppet from a tree branch. "You shall be my little boy," he said to the puppet, "and I shall call you 'Pinocchio'." He worked for hours, carefully carving each detail. When he reached the mouth, the puppet started making faces at Geppetto. "Stop that, you naughty boy," Geppetto scolded, "Stop that at once!" "I won't stop!" cried Pinocchio."You can talk!" exclaimed Geppetto. "Of course I can, silly," said the puppet. "You've given me a mouth to talk with." Pinocchio rose to his feet and danced on the table top. "Look what I can do!" he squealed."Pinocchio, this is not the time to dance," Geppetto explained. "You must get a good night's rest. Tomorrow you will start going to school with the real boys. You will learn many things, including how to behave."On his way to school the next morning, Pinocchio stopped to see a puppet show. "I can dance and sing better than those puppets and I don't need strings," boasted Pinocchio. He climbed onto the stage."Get off my stage," roared the Puppet Master. Then he noticed how much the crowd liked Pinocchio. He did not say anything and let Pinocchio stay. "Here, you've earned five copper coins," the Puppet Master told Pinocchio."Take these coins and go straight home," said the Puppet Master. Pinocchio put the coins into his sack. He did not go very far before he met a lame Fox and a blind Cat. Knowing that Pinocchio had money, they pretended to be his friends. "Come with us. We'll teach you how to turn those copper pieces into gold," coaxed the sneaky Cat. "We want to help you get rich. Plant your coins under this magic tree. In a few hours they'll turn to gold," said the Fox. "Show me where," said Pinocchio excitedly. The Cat and Fox pointed to a patch of loose dirt. Pinocchio dug a hole and put the sack in it, marking the spot with a stone."Splendid!" exclaimed the Cat. "Now let's go to the inn for supper." After supper, the Fox and Cat, who weren't really lame or blind, quickly snuck away and disguised themselves as thieves. They hid by the tree waiting for Pinocchio to come back and dig up the money. After Pinocchio dug up the coins they pounced on him."Give us your money!" they ordered. But Pinocchio held the sack between his teeth and resisted to give the sack to them. Again they demanded, "Give us your money!"Pinocchio's Guardian Fairy, who was dressed all in blue and had blue hair, sent her dog, Rufus, to chase the Fox and Cat away. She ordered Rufus to bring Pinocchio back to her castle. "Please sit down," she told Pinocchio. Rufus kept one eye open to watch what was going on."Why didn't you go to school today?" she asked Pinocchio in a sweet voice. "I did," answered Pinocchio. Just then, his nose shot out like a tree branch. "What's happening to my nose?" he cried. "Every time you tell a lie, your nose will grow. When you tell the truth, it will shrink," said the Blue Fairy. "Pinocchio, you can only become a real boy if you learn how to be brave, honest and generous." The Blue Fairy told Pinocchio to go home and not to stop for any reason. Pinocchio tried to remember what the Blue Fairy told him. On the way to home he met some boys. "Come with us," said the boys. "We know a wonderful place filled with games, giant cakes, pretty candies, and circuses." The boys didn't know that if you were bad, you were turned into donkeys and trained for the circus.It was not very long before the boys began changing into donkeys. "That's what happens to bad boys," snarled the Circus Master as he made Pinocchio jump through a hoop.Pinocchio could only grow a donkey's ears, feet, and tail, because he was made of wood. The Circus Master couldn't sell him to any circus. He threw Pinocchio into the sea. The instant Pinocchio hit the water, the donkey tail fell off and his own ears and feet came back. He swam for a very long time. Just when he couldn't swim any longer, he was swallowed by a great whale. "It's dark here," scared Pinocchio said.Pinocchio kept floating deep into the whale's stomach. "Who's there by the light?" called Pinocchio, his voice echoing. "Pinocchio, is that you?" asked a tired voice. "Father, you're alive!" Pinocchio shouted with joy. He wasn't scared anymore. Pinocchio helped Geppetto build a big raft that would hold both of them. When the raft was finished, Pinocchio tickled the whale. "Hold tight, Father. When he sneezes, he'll blow us out of here!" cried Pinocchio.Home at last, Geppetto tucked Pinocchio into his bed. "Pinocchio, today you were brave, honest and generous," Geppetto said. "You are my son and I love you."Pinocchio remembered what the Blue Fairy told him. "Father, now that I've proven myself, I'm waiting for something to happen," he whispered as he drifted off to sleep.The next morning Pinocchio came running down the steps, jumping and waving his arms. I He ran to Geppetto shouting, "Look Father, I'm a real boy!"

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UNIT 2. EQUALITY AND DIFFERENCE


- * Understand the basic equality of all human beings, regardless of our personal differences- Value the personal and cultural differences as a way of enriching our coexistence, making a

distinction between difference and inequality- Explain the meaning of the concepts of sex and gender, appreciating the changes of gender

roles in different cultures and historical periods- Define the concepts of discrimination, segregation, male chauvinism, racism, xenophobia,

homophobia- * Develop a critical and active attitude facing the terrible situations that involve

discrimination

CONTENTS

We are all equal and we are all differentEverybody knows that each person is unique and different to the others. We can find tall and short people, very clever and not so intelligent persons, old and young people, men and women... But in essence there is something that makes us all equal, because we are all human beings. That is the reason why all people have the same rights and the same obligations, and that explains why we must always respect human dignity in every person, regardless of any possible peculiarities or personal features.

Diversity, as a matter of fact, is a good thing, as it makes life much more interesting and varied. Can you imagine how boring could life be if we were all exactly the same in every single aspect? But these positive differences shouldn't lead us to create unfair inequalities or discriminations. For example, the difference between the salaries of two persons is fair and just if it based in the different trainings or skills of the two workers, but it is clearly unfair if both are equally efficient. Unfortunately, this situation can be frequently found, and many skilled women earn lower salaries than men with the same training.

Equal rights for all

The first article of the International Declaration of Human Rights states that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. This sentence means that all people must be respected, regardless of our personal differences in colour, gender, ideas or wealth, for example. Just because we are all human beings, we all have a number of basic rights that nobody can take away from us.

Gender difference

Men and women are not only different because of their biological features, but they are also

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different in the way they behave. Your sex refers to the biological characteristics that make you a man or a woman. Gender, on the other hand, refers to the social condition of men and women, which have different roles in society. Our sex is an inherited aspect of our life, but our gender is an acquired feature of our personality. As gender has social meaning, gender roles are not always the same: they are different in different places and historical periods, and they keep changing with time as our society evolves. We can appreciate how gender roles have changed in our society having a look at the family roles. Nowadays we are used to see how both men and women take part in the everyday housework, sharing their time and their efforts equally. A few decades ago things were quite different, as most men refused to get involved in what they called “feminine” tasks, so men used to work outside the house and women used to stay at home.

The worst situation happens when aggressive men try to impose their will on the women they live with. Gender violence is the consequence of this attitude, and includes denigration, humiliation, aggression and sometimes even the victim's death. These situations are extremely serious, as they are a terrible violation of human rights, so we should all do as much as we can to prevent them.

Discrimination

Unfortunately, people's rights are not always respected. When someone is unfairly treated and her rights are violated we say that she has suffered discrimination. There are different kinds of discrimination. For a long time, women have been discriminated because the access to basic rights was out of their reach. For centuries, most women couldn't study, work or take part in the political decisions of their communities. This attitude is sometimes called sexism or male chauvinism. Male chauvinism states – wrongly – that men should command and women should obey. Another terrible form of discrimination is racism. Racism consists in behaving unfairly with people that have specific physical features, like the skin colour for example. Xenophobia is different, as it consists in discriminating people that come from other countries. Other ways of discrimination unfairly attack people who have likings or ways of living that are different or special. Homophobia, for example, consists in discriminating homosexual people just because they have a different way of living their sexuality.

Segregation is an extreme case of discrimination. When a group suffers segregation, they are physically separated from the rest of the people, and they are treated in a different, unfair way. For example, during decades in the South of the United States of America black people were separated from the rest of society. They had to use special schools, hospitals, beaches, buses and even lavatories in order to keep separated from white people. A similar situation happened in South Africa. This attitude is extremely negative, as it violates people's rights and doesn't respect human differences. Segregationists forget that regardless of our differences, all human beings are basically equal and have the same human rights that must always be respected.

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QUESTIONNAIRE1. As we all know, each person is different to the rest of the people. So what do we mean

when we say that we are all equal “in dignity and rights”? Explain your answer giving clear examples.

2. Sometimes we can hear the opinion that, as people are different we should be treated in a different way. For example, only clever people should have the opportunity of going to school. Do you agree with this opinion? Explain your answer

3. What are the personal features that should be taken into account when someone is trying to find a job? What should the person's salary depend on? Explain your answer.

4. What is the difference between sex and gender? Can you explain your answer with specific examples?

5. Gender roles have changed a lot throughout time. How do you think these gender roles were in Spain a century ago? In which aspects are they similar or different to our current gender roles? Try to explain your answer giving clear examples.

6. What is gender violence? In your opinion, why does it appear? Is there any way to help the victims of these aggressions? Explain your answer.

7. What is sexism? Do you think that people are still male chauvinists in modern society? What can we do in our everyday life in order to fight against sexist attitudes?

8. What is homophobia? Is it a fair and just attitude? Explain your answer.9. What is racism? Is racism the same as xenophobia? Explain your answer giving

examples.10. What is the meaning of segregation? Is it a fair and positive way of treating people?

Why? Explain your answer.

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GLOSSARY

HUMAN DIGNITY SEX DIFFERENCE GENDER DIFFERENCE DISCRIMINATION SEXISM GENDER VIOLENCE RACISM INTOLERANCE SEGREGATION XENOPHOBIA HOMOPHOBIA EXCLUSION

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ACTIVITY 1SOME DEFINITIONS

These words are linked with the lack of respect to people. Do you know what they mean?

1) DISCRIMINATION

2) SEGREGATION

3) INTOLERANCE

4) HOMOPHOBIA

5) EXCLUSION

6) SEXISM

7) RACISM

8) XENOPHOBIA

Try to link match each of these words with its corresponding definition:

a) Separate a certain group of people from the rest

b) Reject homosexual people

c) Deprive a group of people from their rights

d) Reject a group of people because of the country they come from

e) Unfair behaviour based on the wrong supposition that men should command and

women should obey

f) Reject some people because of their personal features, like the colour of their skin

g) Lack of respect regarding other people

h) Unfair behaviour consisting in treating a certain group of people worse than usual

without any acceptable reason

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ACTIVITY 2

Yesterday and today

In this activity we will try to compare women's situation in the past and present times. You will have to make three interviews to different women from three different generations: your grandparent's generation, your parent's generation and your own generation. You should try to find out the following questions.

1. What was the difference between men's and women's roles when you were young?2. Who did the housework? Who took care of the children? Did that person have any

help from the other partner? What kind of help?3. Who had a paid job? Could the other partner earn any money?4. What are the most relevant things that have changed in this situation nowadays? What

are the main differences between past and present times?5. Do you think that the situation between men and women has improved with time?

Explain your answer.

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ACTIVITY 3

Can you answer these questions? There is only one correct answer!

1. When did women vote for the first time in Spain?

In 1798 In 1812 In 1931 In 1978

2. Who has been the only person that was awarded the Nobel prize for two different disciplines?

Thomas Edison Albert Einstein Santiago Ramón y Cajal Marie Curie

3. What did Clara Campoamor do in favour of women?

She asked a salary for housewives She struggled to obtain the women's right to vote She wrote the Declaration of women's rights She won the elections with a feminist party

4. In which of the following countries women still haven't got the right to vote?

United States Iran Morocco Saudi Arabia

5. What did Olympe de Gouges do in favour of women?

She asked a salary for housewives She struggled to obtain the women's right to vote She wrote the Declaration of women's rights She won the elections with a feminist party

6. Which was the first country that granted women the right to vote in 1893?

United States Spain France New Zealand

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7. Which is the percentage of women among the poorest people in the world?

30 % 50 % 60 % 70 %

8. What is gender violence?

Is violence exerted against some people because of the colour of their skin Is violence exerted against some people because of the country they come from Is violence exerted against some people because of being women Is violence exerted against some people because of their religious beliefs

9. Why battered women don't always report their situation to the police?

Because domestic violence begins moderately and gets more and more intense progressively with time

Because domestic violence is not always equally intense, as it increases in certain periods followed by the temporal remorse of the batterer

Because many women are afraid of their partner's reactions Because of all the previous reasons

10. Accessing education has not always been easy for women. Do you know what Concepción Arenal had to do in the nineteenth century to study Law at the University?

She had to ask a permission from her father She had to go to class disguised as a man She had to pay an extra fee to be admitted She had to go to a special class in which she was all alone

What conclusions can be drawn from this activity?

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UNIT 3. COEXISTENCE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION


- Understand the importance of developing social skills in order to achieve a satisfactory social coexistence

- * Value assertive behaviour, in contrast with aggressive and passive attitudes- Know what empathy means, appreciating its importance in social life- * Understand that conflict is a normal part of ordinary life, assuming the importance of

using adequate means when dealing with conflict resolution.- Appreciate that our school is also a coexistence community in which we must all cooperate

in order to make things work properly

CONTENTS

Learning about coexistence Human beings cannot live alone. We need other people in order to develop a normal and satisfactory life. But coexistence is not always easy. We frequently cooperate with other people, but sometimes we also have to face conflicts, so we must learn how to solve these problems in a satisfactory way. Learning how to deal with other people in our everyday life is an extremely important task.

Assertiveness and empathyThere are different possible ways of reacting when we face a problem with another person. We can behave in aggressive, passive or assertive ways. The aggressive reaction consists in yelling, menacing and threatening people in order to earn respect and consideration. But this is not a positive attitude, as it tries to impose our will attacking other people. On the other hand, the passive attitude consists in letting other people impose their ideas and actions in order to prevent conflict. Assuming a passive attitude is not a good way to solve problems, because instead of facing conflict we are just avoiding it. The right way to face problems is the assertive style. Assertiveness consists in defending our interests and opinions, but being always respectful and positive with other people. Assertive people say clearly and directly what they think, so they won't let other persons impose their will, but they never attack or insult other people. Assertiveness is a habit that has to do with our social skills, so it can be learnt. Among these relevant social skills we can highlight the importance of knowing how to listen to other people, how to ask things, how to apologize, how to respectfully express complains, how to praise what other people do, how to say no, and how to comfort people who are suffering.

Empathy is another basic element in our relationship with other people. It consists in being able to assume the other people's position, trying to understand the way they feel. Imagine, for example, that as you are walking down the street you meet an injured person as a result of an

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accident. Can you imagine how that person might feel? What does she need? Empathy consists in being able to understand what other person feels, imagining that you are in her position. As you can imagine, empathy is a basic human emotion that pushes us to cooperate and help other people.

How should we face conflictCoexistence is not always easy. As we all know, people frequently argue and dispute when their personal interests or wishes are incompatible. Conflict is caused by disagreement between different persons or groups. Conflict is not always a bad thing, as it can sometimes help us to change unfair situations. But conflict can be destructive and negative when it becomes violent and menaces a peaceful and satisfactory coexistence.How should we solve conflict in our society? When problems are serious, following the law is the best option. But there are other ways of solving conflicts, like mediation. Mediation consists in presenting the problem to an impartial person that may help us to solve the problem through dialogue and mutual agreement.

Coexistence in our schoolIn order to regulate the coexistence of students, teachers and working staff, schools have a basic set of rules that we must all obey. These rules include specific ways to solve problems whenever conflict arises. The dean of studies and the coexistence commission deal with these matters. In some schools there are also mediation programmes or other systems, like school credit identity cards, for example. Schools are collective and democratic institutions that can only work properly if we all share the responsibility of collaborating. There are several ways of taking part in the everyday life of your school. As a student, you should attend your classes, do your homework, prepare your lessons and study regularly. As a member of the school community you should follow the rules, help other people and collaborate with your fellows and your teachers. You can also take part in the decision-making process if you are elected as a representative of your class or as a member of the School Board.

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QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Could a person survive if she was left alone during all her life? Why do you think that the Greek philosopher Aristotle said that we human beings are “social animals by nature”?

2. Whenever we face a problem with another person we can react in different ways. What is the difference between the aggressive, the passive and the assertive styles of reacting? Try to explain your answer giving clear examples of each case.

3. What is empathy? Can you give a specific example in order to make the meaning of this concept as clear as possible?

4. Do you think that killers and torturers feel empathy? Why?5. What is a conflict? Can you give a clear example? Are conflicts always negative and

harmful? Explain your answer6. How would you organize coexistence in your school? If you were a member of the

School Board, which basic rules would you propose in order to make things work better? Explain your answer.

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GLOSSARY

• COEXISTENCE• CONFLICT• AGGRESSIVE REACTION• PASSIVE REACTION• ASSERTIVITY• EMPATHY• MEDIATION

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ACTIVITY 1

Aggressive, passive or assertive?

These are several situations in which people react in different ways. Do they behave in an aggressive, passive or assertive way? What do you think about their behaviour?

1. James wants to buy a sandwich for the school break, but he has forgotten the money at home, so he asks her Friend Martha to lend him the money. Martha has only brought the exact amount of money for her own sandwich, but as she doesn't want James to be disappointed with her she gives him all the money and says: “Take the money, because I am not hungry”

2. Mary wants to copy John's notes, but John answers her: “How do you dare! You really have a nerve! I'm fed up of you, so you had better not ask me anything else in the rest of your life!”

3. Tony wants to use Sarah's markers. Sarah answers him: “You can use them, but you must give them back to me later because I need them”

4. Peter borrowed a book from Ann three months ago, but he has forgotten to give it back to her. Ann tells him: “Peter, I wish you could give me my book back, because I like it very much and I think you have forgotten about it”

5. Liz is in the park with her friend Laura. Liz wants to smoke a joint with her, but Laura doesn't really feel like it. Anyway, to prevent Liz from getting angry with her, Laura says: “Well, if you insist we can smoke it”

6. William had a date with Nicole, his girlfriend, but he has arrived quite late. Nicole tells him: “You are really a dreadful person, you are always late! Now, as you nearly stood me up, I will go home so that you will be alone this evening. And if you go on like that we will break up and you will never see me again!”

7. Bernie is Gertrud's husband. Sometimes, when Bernie drinks a lot, he batters his wife. In those situations she feels terrible and tells him: “What have I done wrong, Bernie? I'm sorry. Please, forgive me!”

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ACTIVITY 2CROSSWORD

ACROSS1 A problem between two persons or groups 7 The ability of imagining yourself in another person's position 8 A good habit 9 Reject people because of the colour of their skin 10 Deprive a group of people from their rights 11 A bad habit12 The ability of taking decisions by ourselves, creating our own rules

DOWN2 This is what we do when we live with other people 3 Inherited part of our way of being4 A person who says what he thinks in a respectful way 5 Separate a group from the rest 6 It is something that you regularly do in your life

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ACTIVITY 3

What do they do?This is a list with the different roles that people have in our school. Can you match each role with its corresponding function?

1) CARETAKERS

2) TEACHERS

3) TUTORS

4) PRINCIPAL

5) CLEANERS

6) CLASSROOM DELEGATE

7) MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL

8) EDUCATIONAL COUNSELLORS

9) DEAN OF STUDIES

Match each of these words with its corresponding definition

a) Give advice to students and help them whenever they have learning problems

b) Represents the pupils in the classrooms and tries to solve their problems

c) Open the doors and control who can enter the school

d) Mend and fix things whenever they break down

e) Keep our school clean

f) Organizes all timetables and coordinates academic activities

g) Teach and grade pupils

h) Help pupils they are in charge of

i) Is the head of our school and represents us all

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ACTIVITY 4

CROSSWORDSCan you find five words that linked with what we have studied in this unit?

Use the words you have found to complete the following sentence:

When we ____________ with other people sometimes ___________ arises, as living together is not always easy. So it is important to say what we think in a respectful way being _____________ and being able to imagine what the other person feels using our ________________ When problems are really serious perhaps ______________________ could help us to fix the situation.

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UNIT 4. HUMAN RIGHTS


- * Know the basic features of human rights, valuing its universal, inalienable, imprescriptible and inviolable character

- Recognize the importance of human rights, appreciating the long history of social fight that has been necessary to achieve its official proclamation

- * Distinguish first, second and third generation human rights, being able to explain some of the most important rights in each group.

CONTENTS

What are human rights?Human rights are based on the fact that all human beings are basically equal regardless of our personal differences. All people deserve to be treated respectfully because we all have the same human dignity Human rights have some basic characteristics that make them extremely important: they are universal, inalienable, imprescriptible and inviolable. They are universal, as they are valid for all human beings. They are inalienable because nobody can take them away from us, and this means that we cannot refuse our own rights, sell them or give them away. They are imprescriptible because they never expire. And they are inviolable because nobody can ignore, violate or ride roughshod over them.A long and difficult historical fight has been necessary in order to achieve the official acceptance of human rights. For a long time people were discriminated, humiliated and attacked, so human rights were not respected at all. The final acknowledgement of human rights was achieved in 1948, when the United Nations proclaimed the International Declaration of Human Rights. Since then, human rights have become the basic reference in the pursuit of dignity for all people in the world.

First generation human rightsThe first rights that were acknowledged to people are those that we have as citizens of a particular country. As they were the first ones to be included in the official legislation, they are called “first generation” rights, and they can be divided in two groups: civil and political rights.Civil rights were established in order to set limits to the power of the state over individuals. In ancient times, political rulers could send you to jail take your possessions or even kill you without any explanations. To prevent this from happening it has been necessary to strive for centuries. Finally, some basic civil rights were finally acknowledged: the right to life, to personal security, to private property and to free speech.

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Political rights were only achieved later. These rights grant us to participate in public affairs. They include the right to vote, to freely associate with other people, to take part in a political party or a trade union, etc.

Second generation rightsSecond generation human rights have an economic and social content. They include the right to work, to education, to health protection, to social security, to culture, etc. Achieving the official protection of these rights took a long time. In Spain, these rights are included in our Constitution. We say that Spain is a social and democratic state because these economic and social rights have been finally acknowledged.

Third generation rightsThird generation rights are solidarity rights. These are collective rather than personal rights, as they affect people and not only isolated individuals. They are extremely important for the persons who live in poor countries, because these rights try to protect people from war, unfair inequality or ecological disasters. Among these rights we can point out the right to self-determination, to peace, to development, etc.

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QUESTIONNAIRE1. What are human rights? Who can claim these rights? On which basis? Explain your

answer giving clear examples.2. When was the International Declaration of Human Rights officially proclaimed?

Which organization promoted this Declaration?3. What do we mean when we say that human rights are UNIVERSAL,

IMPRESCRIPTIBLE and INALIENABLE? Explain your answer.4. What are civil rights? Can you give an example?5. What are political rights? Explain your answer giving at least one example.6. What are the economic and social rights? Give two clear examples.7. What are the third generation rights? Explain your answer giving examples.

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GLOSSARY

• UNIVERSAL• IMPRESCRIPTIBLE• INALIENABLE• CIVIL RIGHTS• POLITICAL RIGHTS• SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS• SOLIDARITY RIGHTS• THE THREE GENERATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS

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ACTIVITY 1

SOME DEFINITIONS

Do you know the meaning of the following words?

1. UN

2. 1948

3. UNIVERSAL

4. IMPRESCRIPTIBLE

5. inalienable

6. INVIOLABLE

7. 1ST GENERATION

8. 2ND GENERATION

9. 3RD GENERATION

10. HUMAN DIGNITY

Try to link each word with its corresponding definition:

a) Human rights are based on it

b) Are civil and political rights

c) Are social and economic rights

d) Are solidarity rights

e) Means that nobody can ignore or ride roughshod over our rights

f) Means that our rights never expire

g) Means that human rights are valid for all people

h) Means that we cannot sell or give our rights away

i) Is the organization that proclaimed the International Declaration of Human Rights

j) The International Declaration of Human Rights was promulgated in this year

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ACTIVITY 2

Complete the sentences using the following words:

1948, EQUAL, 30, UN, GENERATIONS, CIVIL, SOCIAL, POLITICAL LIFE, FREEDOM, INTERNATIONAL, HEALTH, EDUCATION, DECLARATION, RIGHTS, DIGNITY, IMPRESCRIPTIBLE, inalienable, PEACE, DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC, SOLIDARITY, UNIVERSAL

All persons have the same _________ because we are all human beings. We are all fundamentally ______________ because we are all people, regardless of our personal differences. Human rights are based on human ____________________ which must always be respected.

In order to guarantee the respect of these rights, the _____________ proclaimed the _________________ Declaration of Human Rights in ___________. This document includes _________ articles stating our fundamental rights.

Human rights are _____________________ because they are valid for all people. They are also __________________ because they never expire. As they cannot be sold or given away they are also _________________________

Rights are generally divided in three different __________________ The first includes _______________ and _______________ rights. Two examples of them are the right to _______________ and the rigtht to _______________

The second generation includes ________________ and _______________ rights. In this group we can find, for example, the right to ______________ and _______________

The third generation includes the _______________ rights. Here we should include the right to _____________________ and _____________________of all countries and peoples in the world.

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ACTIVITY 3

Complete the table filling in the missing information

Kind of right Function Examples

1ST GENERATION

2ND GENERATION

3RD GENERATION

KINDS OF RIGHTS

Solidarity

Civil and political

Social and economic

FUNCTION OF RIGHTS

Foster peace and justice in our world

Grant citizen's freedom and political participation

Guarantee that we all have a decent life

EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT RIGHTS

Peace, justice, development, clean environment...

Life, freedom, personal security, vote, strike...

Health, education, work, housing...

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UNIT 5. HUMAN RIGHTS IN OUR WORLD


- * Value the current situation of human rights in our world, identifying some relevant cases in which these rights are not respected.

- * Identify some of the international organizations and NGO that try to foster human rights - Assume the importance of our personal contribution in order to promote respect for human

rights in our everyday life

CONTENTS

Human rights are not always respectedAlthough all human beings deserve respect, even nowadays there are many places where human rights are not granted to everyone. This situation is likely to be found in countries without democracy, where basic human rights are frequently violated. There are some places in our world where citizen's freedom is not granted, and people are not allowed to express their own ideas. In some countries people can be tortured or killed without any legal trial. And there are still some places where women are not granted the same rights as men – there are countries, for example, in which women cannot even drive a car. But the worst situation happens where wars are held. Currently there are more than thirty active war conflicts in our world, though some of them are not frequently shown in the news.The right to life and personal security is, by large, the most important of all human rights. But, unfortunately, even this essential right is not always respected. In our world there are millions of people who suffer starvation or lack a decent health system. In some countries death penalty still exists, and in many others torture is common and basic rights are systematically violated.

International organizations and NGOs

Several international organizations try to defend human rights, helping people in difficult situations. Many of these organizations are related to the United Nations, like UNHCR, UNRWA or UNICEF. UNHCR helps refugees throughout the world, and UNRWA is devoted to improve the specific situation of Palestinian refugees who have been obliged to leave their land because of the political conflict between Israel and Palestine. The UNICEF helps children in difficult situations, as children are frequently the first victims of international conflicts. The FAO is in charge of providing food aid when needed, and the WHO tries to improve health conditions in our world.

There are also independent associations, called NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) that try to improve the situation of people in difficulties, fostering human rights in different countries. Some well-known NGO's are Doctors without Borders, the Red Cross, Amnesty International, Oxfam, Caritas, etc.

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What can we do?Sometimes, when we are aware of the difficulties of people who suffer war conflicts or ecological disasters, we think that those problems are so terrible that little can be done to improve the situation. So what can we do to foster human rights? Knowing and respecting human rights in our everyday life is probably the first and most important thing that can be done. Besides, we can show other people the importance of respecting all human beings, regardless of our personal differences. We shouldn't keep silent while other people's rights are violated. And we can also take part in the periodical campaigns and mobilizations that try to improve the situation of human rights in our world. If you want to get more involved in the promotion of human rights, you can also contribute helping the organizations that defend human rights or you can even consider the possibility of joining one of them.

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QUESTIONNAIRE1. Do you think that human rights are respected everywhere? Give at least three

examples to make your answer clear.2. Why do you think that human rights are not respected in war conflicts? Who are the

people that suffer the most under these circumstances?3. Do you know the name of any international organization devoted to defend human

rights? What is the specific task of these organizations?4. What is a NGO? Do you know any human rights NGO?5. What can you do to defend human rights? Give specific examples to make your

answer as clear as possible.

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GLOSSARY

• UN• UNICEF• WHO• FAO• UNHCR• NGO

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ACTIVITY 1

SOME DEFINITIONS


1. UN

2. UNICEF

3. UNRWA

4. ACNUR

5. NGO

6. FAO

7. WHO

8. Amnesty international

9. Oxfam

10. Doctors without borders

a) It is an association of doctors that helps people everywhere in the world

b) It is an organization that helps Palestinian refugees

c) The United Nations agency for refugees

d) Is the acronym of “United Nations”

e) It is an organization that deals with food and agriculture in our world

f) It is the World Health Organization

g) It is a NGO that strives to foster human rights

h) Is the acronym that stands for “Non-governmental organization”

i) It is an organization that helps children throughout the world

j) It is a NGO that strives to reduce poverty in our world

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ACTIVITY 2

TRUE OR FALSE?

Are these statements true or false? If they are true, try to explain why. If they are false, write the true corresponding sentence.

Human rights are equal for all persons in the world□ TRUE □ FALSE

Human rights are respected everywhere in our world□ TRUE □ FALSE

Women have the same rights as men□ TRUE □ FALSE

Nowadays women are always treated like men everywhere□ TRUE □ FALSE

Many organizations work trying to foster human rights□ TRUE □ FALSE

The UN is a very important NGO□ TRUE □ FALSE

The Red Cross is a very important NGO□ TRUE □ FALSE

UNICEF protects children's rights in our world□ TRUE □ FALSE

ACNUR deals with food and agriculture□ TRUE □ FALSE

Amnesty International is a famous NGO that strives to protect people's rights□ TRUE □ FALSE

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UNIT 6. GLOBALIZATION


- * Understand the basic features of modern globalization- * Identify positive and negative aspects of globalization, being able to value in a critical

and personal way the different perspectives of this phenomenon- Know the name and basic goals of the most important international organizations that try to

achieve peace and fight inequality in our world, understanding the various problems that they have to face in their difficult task.

CONTENTS

What is globalization?Nowadays, all countries are interconnected. What happens in a certain point affects what will happen in other places. For example, many of the objects that we buy and use in our everyday life have been produced in distant countries. And many Spanish products are exported and sold abroad. This interconnection that links different territories in our world is called globalization.Nowadays there are many economic interchanges in our planet. Every day a huge amount of money and products are interchanged in a world without frontiers. But the situation is quite different when we talk about people. Although money and goods can move freely, there are many barriers than are making people's movements more and more difficult. These restrictions are related to serious problems like illegal migrations.Nowadays, most of the world countries are economically organized in a capitalist way. Capitalism is based in private enterprises that work trying to make a profit. This system has positive consequences, because it fosters economic activity offering us all kinds of goods and services. But it also has negative consequence, because it can create big differences between rich people and poor people.Our modern world is incredibly unequal. Rich countries like Europe, USA or Japan have only 20 % of the world's population, but they accumulate 80% of the world's wealth. So 80% of the world's population has to live with the remaining 20% of the world's resources.

Is globalization a good or a bad thing?Answering this question is not an easy task. Some people think that globalization is an irreversible process with positive aspects. These people think that globalization is good, because if provides a promising way to solve our world's problems. According to this interpretation, the interconnection of all countries will foster economic growth and prosperity, and it will also promote democracy and human rights throughout the world. On the other hand, there are people who think that globalization is negative, because it is increasing differences between different countries and creating unfair inequality.Globalization also has its cultural aspects, related to our habits, ideas and ways of life. For example, as in our globalized world everything is interconnected music, drinks and films

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made in the USA can easily reach remote African cities. Some people think that cultural globalization is good, because it will create a universal culture that will include the best elements of all human forms of life. Other people think that this process is imposing the culture of rich and powerful countries, and destroying local traditional ways of life. As an example of cultural globalization we could talk about languages. In many remote regions minority languages are quickly disappearing, but English and Spanish are becoming widespread international languages. How should we value this process? Some people will stress the importance of having a global language that can be spoken and understood by everyone, while other people will focus on the irreversible loss of many local languages that will never be spoken any more.

International OrganizationsAs you know, our world is full of conflicts and disputes between different countries. After the Second World War an international organization was created in order to keep peace and try to avoid war. The United Nations were founded in 1948, with the basic objective of finding a peaceful way to solve international conflicts. Nowadays nearly 200 countries are represented in the United Nations, and many international organizations depend on the UN. Some of the most important are:

UNESCO – United Nations organization for Education and Culture WHO – World Health organization FAO – Food and Agriculture organization UNICEF – The United Nations organization for the protection of children ACNUR – The United Nations organization for the protection of refugees

The important task developed by these organizations has helped to improve the general situation of the population in many poor and developing countries. Nevertheless, the basic goal of the UN – namely, the peaceful solution of international conflicts – has not always been achieved. In the United Nations, the most important decisions are taken by the Security Council, formed by 15 members. Among these members there are five great countries that can block any decision that might interfere with their interests. These countries with veto power are the USA, UK, France, Russia and China. This method of decision-making is not very democratic, and it has frequently made it difficult to achieve peace and prevent war.

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QUESTIONNAIRE1. Where do your trainers come from? And your mobile phone? And your computer?

And the music you like? And your favourite food? What does all this have to do with globalization? Explain your answer

2. Is wealth fairly distributed in our modern world? Explain your answer giving examples.

3. Some people think that globalization is a beneficial process that will improve the world's situation. How do they support this opinion?

4. Some people think that globalization is a harmful process that is destroying traditional cultures. How do they support this opinion?

5. What do you think about globalization? Is it a positive or a negative process? Explain your answer supporting your opinion with reasons and examples.

6. What are the United Nations? What is the basic goal of the UN? Why do you think that this organization is not always able to achieve its objectives?

7. Search information about the Millennium Goals promoted by the United Nations. Do you think that these goals can be reached? Are they going to be achieved in practice? Why? Explain you answer.

GLOSSARY

• ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION• CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION• MILLENIUM GOALS

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ACTIVITY 1

These are three different maps of the world. In the first one the size of each country is proportional to its territory. In the second one, the size of the country depends on population.l In the third one the size represents wealth.

What is the meaning of the striking differences between these three maps?

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UNIT 7. DEMOCRACY


- Understand the concepts of society, culture and State- Appreciate that there are legitimate and illegitimate ways of government- * Assume the importance of the rule of law in modern democratic societies- * Know the difference between direct and representative democracy- Value the historical importance of Athenian democracy, pointing its limitations in

comparison with our current democratic societies.- * Identify the basic elements that define a truly democratic system

CONTENTS

Society and State

Human beings cannot live alone, we need other people. A big group of people that live together forms a society. The members of a certain society share common ways of living, ideas and habits that form their culture. In order to work properly, each society must create organizations like the government, the police, the army, the schools, the hospitals, etc. These organizations are called institutions. The State is the most important of all institutions. In modern societies, each State corresponds to a national country, so instead of saying “Spain” we could use the expression “the Spanish State”. The State exercises power and authority, because it is the institution that rules over all the individuals and over all the other organizations in societyThere have been different historical ways to organize States throughout time. Sometimes a king or an emperor had the power, and sometimes the power has been exercised by the people (when there has been democracy). Each of these different ways of ruling a State can be legitimate or illegitimate. A way of government is legitimate only if the people willingly accept their rulers.Sometimes, rulers have reached power using force and violence. This has happened, for example, when dictators have used the army in order to seize power and become supreme rulers. Dictators exercise power in a personal and authoritarian way, which cannot be considered legitimate. Nowadays, modern societies only accept power and authority when they are based on the rule of law. We say that a society is governed by the rule of law when there are specific laws that tell us how to exercise power and what the rights of the people are.

DemocracyDemocracy is a specific way of government in which the people have the power. This word comes from the Greek language, because during the fifth century BC there was a democratic government in the city of Athens. The Athenian democracy was direct. This means that all citizens could take part in the assembly that decided about laws and that elected the rulers. In

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this initial form of democracy only free adult men could vote. They met in the public square, called agora, where deliberations were held and decisions were adopted by majority. Nowadays in our country we also have a democracy. But as we are too many people, a direct democracy is not possible, so we have a representative democracy. Voting, citizens choose their representatives, and those representatives make the laws and take the important decisions in our name.

Basic elements of democracy

Modern democratic states governed by the rule of law have many advantages, especially if we compare them with other ways of government. These are some of the most important features of a democratic system:

Rule of law. This means that everyone must obey the law. The law shows how to exercise power and states clear limits to what the rulers can do

Separation of powers. There are three different powers in every State. The law is made by the legislative. The executive rules the administration governing according to the law. The judiciary applies law in court and exercises justice. In order to prevent abuse, these three different branches of power should be clearly separated. They must be exercised by different people and different institutions. This is a good way to prevent any of them from controlling everything and becoming dictatorial.

Citizens can exercise their rights. In a democratic country people are free to express their opinions, to take part in political parties, to vote, to access education...

Universal suffrage. All the adult citizens can vote and there are different political parties. In a democratic country there are free elections and political rulers are democratically elected.

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QUESTIONNAIRE1. What is the difference between society and State? Give some examples in order to

make your answer clear.2. What does the word “culture” mean when referred to a specific society? Can you give

examples?3. When do we say that power is legitimate? Explain your answer using examples.4. Try to give three historical examples of illegitimate ways of government. Explain why

they are illegitimate.5. What does “rule of law” mean? What is the difference between a State governed by

the rule of law and State governed by a military dictatorship?6. What does the word “democracy” mean? Where did this way of government first

appear?7. What are the most important similarities and differences between the Athenian

democracy and our current modern democratic system? Explain your answer.8. Name at least five countries governed by a democratic system similar to ours. Can you

identify a country in which there is not a real democracy?9. Which are the basic characteristics that every democratic country should have?

Explain your answer giving clear examples. 10. What are the three powers of State? What does each one do?11. Do you know who exercises each of the three powers of State in our country? Are they

in the hands of the same or of different institutions? Why?12. Why is it so important for democracy to make sure that the three powers of State are

independent? Explain your answer.

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GLOSSARY

• SOCIETY• INSTITUTION• STATE• LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT• DEMOCRACY• DIRECT DEMOCRACY• REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY• CITIZEN• UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE• RULE OF LAW• LEGISLATIVE POWER• EXECUTIVE POWER• JUDICIARY POWER• SEPARATION OF POWERS

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ACTIVITY 1

SOME DEFINITIONS

Do you know the meaning of these words?

1. SOCIETY

2. CULTURE

3. INSTITUTION

4. STATE

5. LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT

6. DEMOCRACY

7. UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE

8. RULE OF LAW

9. LEGISLATIVE

10. EXECUTIVE

11. JUDICIARY

12. ASSEMBLY

Match each word with its corresponding definition:

a) Is a valid form of government because citizens accept it and consider that it is just

b) Is the power that makes laws

c) Is the right that all adults have to vote

d) Are the habits, ideas and ways of life shared by people who live together

e) Is an official organization, like a hospital or a school

f) Is the power that rules the administration governing according to the law

g) Is the most important institution that includes all the rest of them

h) Is the group of people that live together in a certain territory

i) Is the power that applies law in courts

j) Means that rules are determined by law, and that law is equally applied to everybody

k) Is a meeting where all people can talk, participate and decide

l) Is a way of government in which the people have the power

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ACTIVITY 2

YESTERDAY'S AND TODAY'S DEMOCRACY

Complete the text using the following words: Women, France, Agora, Direct, United States, Dictator, Kings, Legitimate, Athens, Democracy, XVIII, Pericles, World, Vote

A long time ago, in the Greek city of ____________, during the fifth century BC, _____________ was invented. It was a ________________ because all citizens could participate. They met in the public square, called ____________ where they could talk and vote. In those days, ___________ did not take part in the democratic process because they were not allowed to _____________. Athenian democracy reached its best moment in the time of ________________, who was a famous general and ruler.

Then democracy disappeared. There were many different ways of government, but none of them was democratic. In some places ___________ or emperors ruled. In other places the power was in the hands of a small group of rich and important people.

Modern democracy appeared in the ___________ century. It first came into being in America, when the _____________________ became independent. Then it was established in ________________ after the French Revolution. Since then, democracy has been adopted in many places throughout the ________. Nowadays we think that only a democratic way of government can be considered __________________. In spite of this, there are still many countries that are ruled by a ______________

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ACTIVITY 3

For or against democracy?

This is a list of celebrities. Were they for or against democracy?

CELEBRITY FOR AGAINSTPericles, Athenian rulerFranco, Spanish rulerRousseau, French philosopherNapoleon, French rulerPlato, Athenian rulerHitler, German rulerStalin, Russian rulerJefferson, American rulerOlympe de Gouges, French revolutionaryJuan Carlos I, king of SpainMussolini, Italian rulerChurchill, English ruler

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ACTIVITY 4

What is democracy?

What are the basic features of a truly democratic government? Could you explain the difference between democracy and dictatorship? Choose the correct type of government for each of the characteristics given in the table.

Democracy DictatorshipThe power in the hands of the people

Power is in the hands of one person or a small group

There are frequent free elections

There are no free elections

There are many different political parties

There is only one party because the rest are prohibited

There is freedom of the press: newspapers are free

There is censorship, so books and news cannot be freely published

All people are equal before the law

The law generally favors the ruler's friends

Some people make the law and other people apply it

The same people make the law and apply it

Citizens can take part in political decisions

People cannot freely take part in politics

There is freedom of speech

If you say what you think you might be punished

Judges are independent

Judges do what the ruler wants them to do

People's rights are respected

The respect of human rights is not granted

Law indicates what must be done

The ruler decides what will be done

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UNIT 8. RIGHTS AND DUTIES IN OUR CONSTITUTION


- * Appreciate the importance of the Spanish Constitution as a coexistence frame in our society

- Understand what we mean when we say that Spain is state of law- * Identify some of the basic rights and duties of citizens, as they are stated in the Spanish

Constitution

CONTENTS

The Spanish Constitution

The Spanish Constitution is the most important law in our society. Creating a Constitution was not easy, because Spain suffered Franco’s dictatorship for a long time. After Franco’s death, all political parties decided to reach an agreement in order to promote peaceful coexistence in a democratic new era. Our Constitution was established in 1978 with the people’s votes (referendum), and has regulated our society since then.Spain is defined in our Constitution as a social and democratic State, subject to the rule of law. Spain is a democracy because the power belongs to the people. Our society is organized under the rule of law because in our country everyone must obey the laws that regulate our coexistence.

Fundamental rights and dutiesThe first part of the Spanish Constitution refers to the rights and duties of citizens. Fundamental human rights are protected by our Constitution. These rights are based on human dignity. All persons are basically equal, so we must all be treated with respect regardless of our peculiarities or differences. Among these basic human rights are the right to life, to freedom and personal security, to religious and ideological freedom, to education, to participate in public affairs, etc. We also have the right to work, to private property and to create our own enterprise if we want to do so.The Spanish Constitution also includes other economic and social rights, like the right to enjoy a clean and safe environment, the right to health protection, the right of a decent and adequate housing, the right of getting an adequate pension for old people, etc. But we should point out that these last rights, important as they are, are not considered fundamental, so the State cannot always guarantee its complete fulfilment.Personal rights are linked with personal duties. These duties are also included in our Constitution. To begin with, all citizens must respect other people’s rights. We must also contribute to common welfare paying our taxes, helping other people whenever it is necessary and collaborating with the judicial power when required. Our Constitution also states that all citizens have the duty to defend Spain, to work, to study, to know the Spanish language and to take care of our environment.

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QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What is the Spanish Constitution? When was this law established in our country?2. Our Constitution states that Spain is a democratic State. What does this sentence

mean? Explain your answer with examples.3. What is the rule of law? Is Spain subject to the rule of law? Explain your answer

giving examples.4. Which are the most important rights that are granted to all citizens in the Spanish

Constitution?5. Citizens do not only have rights, but we also have duties. Do you remember some of

the most relevant duties of citizens included in the Constitution?

GLOSSARY

• CONSTITUTION• CITIZENS• FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS• CIVIC DUTIES

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ACTIVITY 1

Complete this text filling in the gaps

The Spanish Constitution was promulgated in _________________ when people voted for it in a _____________________. The Constitution is the most important ____________ in our country.

The Constitution states that Spain is a _____________ because in our country the power is in the hands of the people. It also says that the three powers of State should be ______________

The first power of State is the _______________________ and is responsible for making the laws. In Spain this power is exercised by ________________________________ formed by the _________________ and the ___________________

The second power of State is the _________________________________. It rules the administration according to the law. In Spain it is exercised by ______________________

The third power of State is the ______________________. It applies the law in the courts and is formed by ________________________________.

Spain is a democratic __________________________. This means that we have a king, who is the __________________ of the State and the symbol of the unity of all the Spaniards.

According to the Constitution, the capital city of our country is _______________. Our flag is formed by ____________________________

Our Constitution states that basic rights are granted to all citizens. Some of the most important rights that are included in our Constitution are the following:

Section 11: Right to ____________________________________

Section 14: Right to ____________________________________Section 15: Right to ____________________________________




Section 47: Right to ____________________________________But we also have some important duties as citizens. The first and the most important one is

to _____________________ other people's rights. Besides, we have the following obligations:

Section 30: Duty to ____________________________________Section 31: Duty to ____________________________________

Section 39: Duty to ____________________________________

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ACTIVITY 2

What do you know about people's rights and duties?

1. The Spanish Constitution protects the rights...

□ of all the Spaniards □ in some cases □ if you are not a criminal

2. The right to life...

□ is granted to all the persons that live in the Spanish territory □ is not granted to irregular immigrants □ is only granted to some people

3. Have we got ideological freedom in Spain?

□ No. □ Sometimes □ Yes, our Constitution grants ideological freedom. This means that people cannot be persecuted because of political or religious ideas.

4. The right to personal intimacy means that...

□ you can say whatever you want about other people□ you can keep silence when asked by a judge in court□ nobody can spread personal information about you without your consent

5. Can the police search your house?

□ No, never□ The police can only search your house with a warrant □ Yes, whenever it is considered necessary to protect national security

6. Are we obliged to keep living in the same town for ever?

□ No, but the mayor can force us to do so □ No, because our Constitution states that we can freely choose where to live,as well as enter and leave Spain whenever we want□ No, we are only obliged to do so if we are married

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7. Does our Constitution grant the right to assembly?

□ Yes, if it is a peaceful unarmed meeting □ Yes, whenever we want, even if it bothers other people□ Yes, but only in special ceremonies and celebrations

8. What is the purpose of our Constitution?

□ It can decorate our bookcase at home□ It can be read whenever we are bored□ It protects the Spanish citizens' rights and freedoms

9. Can people demonstrate in the street?

□ Yes, if it is in favour of a just cause□ No, because it would interrupt the traffic□ Yes, but it must be previously notified to the authorities

10. Does our Constitution grant the right to a public and free education to all people?

□ Yes, as a right aimed to the full development of the person□ Yes, but only if you don't change your home address□ Yes, but only for people under the age of 14

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ACTIVITY 3

SOME DEFINITIONS


1. CONSTITUTION

2. REFERENDUM

3. 1978

4. PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY

5. 18

6. UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE

7. NON DISCRIMINATION

8. FREEDOM OF SPEECH

9. RIGHT TO PERSONAL INTIMACY

10. NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY

11. DEMOCRACY

12. SPANISH

13. MADRID

Try to match each word with its corresponding definition:

a) It is the legal coming of age in Spain

b) Is the capital of Spain according to our Constitution

c) Is our political system, with a king and a Parliament

d) Means that we must all be treated equally, regardless of our personal differences

e) In this year the Constitution was proclaimed

f) Is the Constitutional right to have our own private life

g) Is the vote in which the Spanish people approved the Constitution

h) Means that all adult Spaniards can vote

i) Is the power, that according to the law is in the hands of the people

j) Is the Constitutional right to say what we think

k) Is the official language of the Spanish State

l) Means that the people have the power

m) Is the most important law in our country, because it states the rules of our coexistence

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ACTIVITY 4

Complete the text with the following words

STUDY, VOTING, DEFEND, DISCRIMINATION, FREEDOM, EQUALITY, INTEGRITY, SPEECH, PAY, ASSOCIATE, EDUCATION, HELP, WORK

The most important rights that are included in our Constitution are:

1. __________________ before the law, regardless of our personal differences 2. Ideological and religious _______________3. The right to life and personal ____________________ 4. The right to ______________5. The right to free___________________6. The right to choose our political representatives ____________________ under

universal suffrage7. The right to _______________, to work and to a decent housing

The most important duties that are included in the Constitution are:

1. The duty to _________ and __________________ 2. The duty to _____________ our taxes as a contribution to public expenditure3. The duty to ____________ Spain4. The duty to _____________ other people when necessary

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ACTIVITY 5

Complete the text using the following words

REFERENDUM, ALL, LIFE, PARTICIPATE, CONSTITUTION, RIGHT, PEOPLE, DUTIES, LAW, 1978, DEMOCRACY, SECURITY, RESPECT, OBEY, FREEDOM, CITIZENS, TAXES, PUBLIC

The Spanish _______________________ is the most important _________ in our country. It was proclaimed in ___________________________ when the Spanish people approved it in a ____________________

The Constitution states that Spain is a ________________________ because the power in the hands of the ______________________ It also says that Spain is a State of _____________, meaning that the law indicates what to do, so ___________ people must obey the law.

The Constitution grants the citizens' rights. We all have the right to __________________ , _______________________ and __________________________. Besides these rights, we also have some _____________. All Spaniards must pay their ______________. We must also __________________ the law and ___________________ other people's rights.

In Spain all persons have rights, and can actively _________________________ in ______________ decisions, so we are not subjects but we are_________________________

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UNIT 9. THE SPANISH STATE IN OUR CONSTITUTION


- * Value the importance of the democratic separation of powers, understanding the differences between legislative, executive and judicial powers.

- * Know the most relevant institutions in the Spanish State: the Parliament, the Government, the Crown and the judicial power

- Explain how Spain is organized in different autonomous regions- Understand that Spain is part of the European Union, and that because of this reason many

important decisions are taken in a European level- * Recognize the importance of respecting the rules in order to make coexistence possible,

using the traffic rules as a clear example

CONTENTS

Spanish democracy and the division of powersAs you know, Spain is a democratic country. This means that the people have the power, so our political representatives are voted in free elections.Three different political powers can be identified in a democratic State. The legislative power makes the law. The executive power uses the law to rule the country. And the judicial power makes sure that everyone obeys the law, punishing the people who violate the rules. In order to keep a transparent and efficient democracy, it is extremely important to make sure that these three powers are clearly separated and exercised by different and independent people.

The State institutionsDemocracy cannot be directly exercised in our society, as we are too many people. That's why citizens must vote in order to elect our political representatives. Those representatives hold periodical meetings and decide about the laws. In Spain, the legislative power is exercised by the Parliament, also known as “Cortes Generales”, which are formed by two different chambers: the Congress and the Senate.Our political representatives in the Parliament are also in charge of electing the President of the Spanish Government. Once elected, the President forms his executive with the ministers. The executive has the executive power, as it is responsible for taking the necessary measures in order to rule the country. The executive power executes the law and has the responsibility for the daily administration of the State.The judicial power is exercised by judges and public prosecutors in the justice courts. It is in charge of making sure that we all respect the law. Spain is subject to the rule of law, so in our country the law must be obeyed by everyone, and it must also be obeyed by the three state powers. The judicial power is exercised in the justice courts. Sometimes the sentences can be appealed, and then the trial must be repeated in a higher court. Every autonomous region has a regional High Court of Justice. The highest court in our country is the Supreme Court. In

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order to control and organize the work of judges, magistrates and public prosecutors, the judicial power is governed by the General Council of the Judicial Power.In Spain every law must respect the Constitution, as the Constitution establishes the basic rules that guarantee our coexistence. Whenever a law is under suspicion of being contrary to the Constitution, it can be appealed. The Constitutional Court is in charge of hearing about these cases. If a law is proved unconstitutional, it must be rejected and completely redone.The Crown is also a very important institution in our country. Though the king does not have a direct role in the Government, he is in charge of representing the Spanish citizens as the Head of the State. He also acts as an arbitrator in case of serious conflicts.

The autonomous communities and the European UnionSpain is formed by different autonomous regions which have their own government in order to deal with the various matters that directly affect them. There are 17 autonomous communities in our country, and there are also two autonomous cities (Ceuta and Melilla). As our state is organized in autonomous communities we say that Spain is a decentralized country. Each autonomous community is ruled according to its own Statute of Autonomy, which is the act that organizes the basic regional institutions.Frequently in our modern world, international cooperation is necessary in order to solve the basic problems that affect the citizens. That's why the European countries have decided to join their efforts and create the European Union. Nowadays, the European Union is formed by 27 States. Spain is part of the European Union since 1985.The European Union has a Parliament in which very important decisions are taken. These decisions affect millions of European citizens. For example, the introduction of a new currency unit (the euro) was a European decision which has helped to foster trade and economic interchanges in many European countries.

An important example of our rules: traffic rulesThe legal rules that are adopted in our country try to promote coexistence and social development. As you know, every act must respect our Constitution and should also follow the basic directions given by the European Union. Traffic rules are a good example of these acts. Traffic rules regulate how vehicles and pedestrians should behave in public roads and streets. In order to feel safe while driving, walking or riding a bike in our everyday life we should all respect some basic rules. Let's have a look at the most important:

The driver. The driver should make sure that her vehicle is kept in good state. She must revise the car's state and make sure that she has all the necessary indication elements. The driver must respect traffic signals and traffic lights. The driver should never drink alcohol or use drugs, as this would certainly put in a serious risk her own security and other people's lives. She must also avoid all kinds of distractions. She must never use the mobile phone or other electronic devices while driving

Other passengers. All passengers, even if they are not driving, must use the safety belt and make sure that the passenger occupation limit of the vehicle is respected.

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Pedestrians. Pedestrians must respect traffic signals and traffic lights. We must always cross the street using pedestrian crosses, respecting the indications and checking that we can walk safely before crossing.

Active and passive security. Modern cars are protected by active and passive security systems. Active security systems try to prevent accidents. Lights, brakes or wheels are active security systems. Drivers are responsible for keeping all these systems in good state in order to avoid problems.Passive security systems work when an accident happens. In case of an accident, these systems try to minimize its consequences. Some passive security systems are the security belts, the airbag or the head protectors. All passengers are responsible for the use of these systems, in order to protect themselves in case of an accident.

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QUESTIONNAIRE1. What are the three state powers? Who exercises each of these powers? Why is it so

important to keep them separated and independent? Explain your answer.2. What is the Parliament? Who take part in its deliberations? What does the Parliament

do? 3. Who is responsible for choosing the President of the Spanish Government? What does

the President do?4. What do judges and public prosecutors do? Why are they so important?5. What does the General Council of Judicial Power do? Explain your answer6. What is the Supreme Court? What is its function? Explain your answer with a clear

example.7. What does the Constitutional Court do? Can you give an example of its function?8. What is an Autonomous Region? How many Autonomous Regions are there in Spain?

Can you give the name of at least five different Autonomous Communities?9. How is the basic act that regulates an Autonomous Community called?10. What are the main functions that the Crown has in our country? Does the king take an

active part in the government? What is the king's official dignity according to the Constitution?

11. Spain is part of the European Union. What is the purpose of the European Union? How many countries are there in the European Union? Can you give the name of at least five of them?

12. Why should we respect the traffic rules? What would happen is nobody respected traffic lights or traffic signs? Explain your answer.

13. Which are the basic traffic rules that drivers must take into account?14. Which are the basic traffic rules that passengers must take into account?15. Which are the basic traffic rules that pedestrians must take into account?16. What is the difference between active and passive security systems in a car? Explain

your answer giving at least three different examples of each kind.

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GLOSSARY

• STATE INSTITUTIONS• GOVERNMENT• PARLIAMENT• CONGRESS OF DEPUTIES• SENATE• GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE JUDICIARY POWER• SUPREME COURT• CONSTITUTIONAL COURT• AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES• AUTONOMIC COMPETENCES• CENTRAL COMPETENCES

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ACTIVITY 1

SOME DEFINITIONS

Do you know the meaning of these words?

1. STATUTE OF AUTONOMY

2. GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE JUDICIAL POWER

3. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

4. CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

5. HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

6. APPEAL

7. SUPREME COURT

8. CONGRESS

9. CORTES GENERALES

10. SENATE

11. HEAD OF STATE

12. 27

Try to match each word with its corresponding definition

a) Makes the law for all the European Union

b) Is the law that regulates the basic organization of the Autonomous Community

c) Is the highest court in Spain. Its decisions cannot be appealed

d) Is the governing body of the judicial power

e) Form the legislative power in our country

f) Is the highest court in the Autonomous Community

g) Consists in requesting a higher court to change a legal decision

h) Sees that all the Spanish laws are according to the Constitution

i) Is formed by the deputies and forms the lower house of the Cortes Generales

j) Is the number of countries in the European Union

k) Is formed by the senators and forms the upper house of the Cortes Generales

l) Is the king, who represents all the Spaniards

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ACTIVITY 2

Complete the text with the following words

DEPUTIES, STATUTE, 17, COURT, EXECUTIVE, JUDGES, DECENTRALIZED, GOVERNMENT, LEGISLATIVE, CONSTITUTIONAL, CONGRESS, SENATORS, JUDICIAL, INDEPENDENT, PROSECUTORS, SENATE, CONSTITUTION, SYMBOL, CROWN, CORTES, PRESIDENT, COUNCIL, MINISTERS, COMMUNITIES, ARBITRATOR

In Spain our _____________________ states that the three powers of State must be

_____________________

The __________________ power makes the laws. In our country this power is exerted by

the ____________ Generales, which are formed by the _________________ and the

__________________. The ____________________ and ___________________ that

represent all the Spanish citizens meet in these houses.

The __________________power executes the law and is responsible for the administration

of the State. In Spain this power is held by the ________________________ formed by the

________________ and the ___________________

The _____________________ power is exercised by the ___________________________

and ___________________ It applies the law and determines if suspects have committed

crimes or not. The governing body that rules this power is called the General

_______________ of Judicial Power. There is also a special court in charge of making sure

that all the Spanish law are according to the Constitution. It is called the

________________________ Court.

In Spain the _______________ doesn't exercise any of the three powers of State.

Nevertheless, its role is very important, as the king is a _____________ and represents us all.

Besides, he acts as an _______________ whenever it is necessary to guarantee that all the

institutions work properly.

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ACTIVITY 3

The three powers of State

Complete the table filling in the missing information

Legislative Executive Judiciary

What function does it carry out?

Who exercises it in Spain?

Who is the highest representative?

Why is it so important to keep the three branches of State power separated and independent?

Explain your answer.

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