Values and Social Change HSB Grade 12 Challenge and Change Unit 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.

Pluralism

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 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: (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.

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

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.

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.

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