What is an issue? PHS Geography CGW 4U

Interrelated environmental, social, political and economic components Issues are important subjects or problems open to discussion or debate. They are multi-faceted and usually have or involve Complex issues Interrelated environmental, social, political and economic components Groups of people with different points of view Groups of people who are involved in disputes because they cannot resolve their points of view People unwilling to compromise Complex, often imperfect solutions Local, national and/or global implications

Canadian & World Issues When you chose to take this course, you undoubtedly expected to learn about issues. But what exactly is an issue?

Understanding Issues A framework is required to deal with investigating and analyzing issues...not to solve them. The complexity of an issue means that people will have different explanations for, and perspectives on, issues which concern them. Trying to understand such complex issues will make demands on your intellect and patience. You will need skills that help you identify the issue, research information, compile the facts, evaluate various points of view, draw conclusions, and recommend viable courses of action. The following framework will help with this task.

Analytical Framework Identify the issue Steps to Follow Questions to Ask Identify the issue What do you currently know about the issue? What is the issue about? What are all aspects of the issue?

Define the scope of the issue Local, national or international; are there connections; impact on the Earth; what is the time period; what individuals or groups are involved; what are implications

Organize the information Conduct more intensive research What are the economic, social, cultural, and economic aspects? What information is missing; what sources do i need to consult?

Organize new information under headings in step 4. Analyze information you collected. What organizational format best suits my needs? Make sure all questions are answered, all points of view have been considered.

Draw Conclusions What conclusions can i reach about the issue based on the analysis and evaluation?

Let’s pull an issue apart! A single issue has interrelated aspects. Because most issues have political, environmental, social and economic implications, it is helpful to organize them into these 4 basic areas.

Politics Politics is about power and control. Any organization (for example, a government or multinational corporation) that designs, administers and makes judgements about rules and control, has power. When there are global problems, it is necessary to identify who controls the situation. However, when there is no clear controlling power, solutions become more complex.

Environmental Environmental features are those that impact both the natural environment (for example, a rainforest) and the environment within which people interact with (for example, a village or a city). Environmental considerations can be either localized (such as a water shortage in a village in India) or they can be global (such as the impact of global warming on the earth’s oceans).

Social Social factors are those having to do with interpersonal relations or relations among communities, and include cultural factors. “Culture” describes the customs, values and other forms of human endeavour characteristic of a particular community. Our lifestyles – the way we work, the way we learn, what we eat, where we live, what we do in our free time, the way we dress, the music we listen to, and even the way we relate to our friends and family – are part of our culture and our social systems.

Economic Global warming will have immeasurable financial consequences. The effect of changing atmosphere on land features will have an enormous impact on economies. On the other hand, if countries attempt to slow global warming, it would take huge financial resources to switch from the tradition of burning fossil fuels to using cleaner forms of energy.

Assignment Issue: Poverty Concern: min. 2 points Causes: min. 3 points Implications (6 marks allocated) Political – minimum 1 point Environmental – minimum 1 points Social – minimum 1 points Economic – minimum 1 point Possible Solutions: (4 marks allocated) minimum 2 points List sources used. USE PROPER WORKS CITED FORMAT