Values and Social ChangeHSB Grade 12Challenge and ChangeUnit 2

Values: the beliefs of a group that provide standards for members' behaviour.

Brainstorm and discuss:

What are our Canadian values?

A consensus of values promotes social solidarity. Social Solidarity: unity, group consciousness, and social cohesion

Durkheim is primarily concerned with solidarity.

What holds individuals together in social institutions?

Durkheim believed that solidarity was the normal condition of society, and even though he recognized the turmoil associated with industrialization, he considered conflict abnormal or pathological.

Singularity

Singularity: a belief that

everyone in society should

act and think the same

way

Example: 1979,

following a revolution in

Iran, the government

introduced laws based on

strict interpretations of

Islamic religious texts.

Pluralism

Pluralism- there is a widespread acceptance of differences in culture, religion, values, lifestyle.  Inclusiveness: implies that all law abiding people, regardless of their particular background or circumstances, should be able to play a constructive role in the life of the nation. An example of a struggle of inclusiveness-women’s equal participation in society.

Systemic Discrimination a system exists that favours one or some groups over the others in terms of hiring, benefits, promotions, and pay increases. Some hiring requirements rule out particular groups, even though the requirement may not have any relevance to the person’s ability to preform the job.

Example: height or strength requirements have often accomplished preventing women or members of a visible minority from qualifying for jobs such as police officers or firefighters.

Looking Ahead

1986- Federal Employment Equity Act passed

• Act affected all employees of the federal government and

all federal government regulated industries. (armed

forces, health care system, postal service). Purpose was

to tackle systemic discrimination.

• It required that employers developed policies to provide

the target groups with workplace equity by setting hiring

goals for each target group

• Another feature was to provide equal pay work of equal

value. This means that job classifications must be

compared for skills they require, responsibilities they

involve, their work conditions, and the effort required.

• Although it is a difficult process, this Act has allowed us

to achieve social change in the workplace. (Reflecting the

change in value of Canadians). In this was, the collective

Canadian cause of inclusiveness is advanced.

The Employment Equity Act (1986)

Purpose: to tackle systemic discrimination

Act identifies four main groups: visible minorities,

Aboriginals, people with mental and physical

disabilities, women

Requires employers to provide these groups with

equity by setting hiring goals for each group

(reflective of these groups in Canadian workforce)

Federal Employment Equity Act (1986)

Promote Equity

Aboriginal Peoples

Visible Minorities

People with physical

disabilities

People with mental

disabilities

Women

The Environment and Social Change

• In the 1970s sociologists began to stress a growing concern that pollution of the environment constitutes a real danger to health and the future of the human race.

• Recognized the “trade off” between economic expansion and environmental change

Dominant Paradigm versus Alternative Paradigm

Dominant paradigm: (favoured by many in business and industry) holds that humans have a duty to create material wealth to make this and future generations richer. An in attempts to doing so, we have the right to dominate, change, and even corrupt the natural world.

Alternative Environmental paradigm: rejects such thinking. Believes that society must place a higher importance on non-material values, encourage stronger communities built on stronger relationships, and act with a greater respect for nature.

Paradigm- an underlying way of viewing the world. A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline.

Through such a paradigm, we can only achieve this ideal through economic development that respects nature of it own sake and that refrains from exploiting the natural world from short-term economic gains.

Sociologists surveys have repeatedly discovered that the environment ranks lower as a concern for most Canadians’ consciousness than does the need for jobs and continued economic securities.

Does that tell you anything about of Canadian values?

Understanding opposing paradigms …

Watch trailers• Shark waters• Tapped

Competing Realities

Environment Vs. Profit   

Read Case: Nightmare on Frederick Street…and discuss

Q: How would a supporter of the (a)dominant paradigm and (b)the alternative paradigm explain the

cause and solutions to the current situation at the Sydney tar ponds?

Only when there is some sort of environmental catastrophe that Canadians become alarmed about the environmental concerns.

The Sydney tar pond case illustrates the anthropological concept that Lawrence Rosen (1984) calls Bargaining for Reality. 

Bargaining for Reality

Lawrence Rosen created the idea of

bargaining for reality.

He believed that power can be acquired and

maintained by groups and organizations if

they are able to convince others that their

view of the situation is the correct one.

Competing Realities

Government:In the tar pond case, the government took the position that, although the site is clearly polluted, the health risks are not fully known, They claim that the clean-up would be hazardous and exceedingly costly, requiring them to cancel other worthwhile projects if they had to devote all their resources and efforts to the clean-up. Their reality featured uncertain risks and a huge public cost.

Sydney Citizens:

Argued that although the risks were unknown, they were understood. Clean-up of the site and compensation for losses should begin at once. If the government did not have the money, they should raise additional taxes from those people and businesses that could afford it. Their reality featured understood risks and human suffering.

Competing Realities

Environment Vs. Profit   

Watch trailers clips: • Tapped • Shark Water

As the twenty-first century unfolds, it seems likely that environmental considerations will increasingly affect debates about social change.