An FAQ on Civic Studies

Mundy 2008

Or, “What to tell your parents when they ask ‘So, what IS this course you’re taking?’”

“Isn’t this just POLITICS?”

Politics, Civics, Government, Action, Change, Power...

these are all words that convey different meanings while retaining some elements in common

amongst them.

“But isn’t it just GOVERNMENT?”

The short answer? No.

In order for you to understand what this course involves, it is time to clear up some erroneous semantics (mistaken meanings) you may have picked up along the way.

CIVICS =

= the study of the citizenry (Mundy, 2008)

Citizens are the people who are ‘members’ of a community (city, country, etc.)

As ‘members’ (i.e. – citizens), people have differing rights and responsibilities

RIGHTS =

= something that is due to a citizen, usually backed up or guaranteed by law

Ex.- In Canada, we have the right to vote. This means no one, not even the government, may block us from doing so.

NOTE – RIGHTS differ in strength from PRIVILEDGES, which are things we can do, but may be taken away from us by law.

Ex. – we can get a drivers’ license, but it can be revoked if we are convicted of reckless driving

RESPONSIBILITIES =

= duties that citizens are expected to perform

RESPONSIBILITIES are usually in the form of actions citizens need to take to ensure that their community (READ: city, country, etc.) is healthy and functioning well for its people.

Ex. – In Canada, citizens have the responsibility to obey Canadian laws.

“So why are we studying this?”

In truth, it’s not the what’s that are important – for example, Mundy can teach you all of the rights and responsibilities of citizens in roughly ten minutes (depending on the audience!)

What is the more necessary study for the year are the how’s and why’s of civic identity, rights and responsibilities.

The HOW’s

How is civic life created? - HISTORYHow can civic life be created? - PHILOSOPHY How does Canada fulfill our rights and

responsibilities? – LAW, GOVERNMENTHow does civics in Canada differ from other

countries? - INTERNATIONAL POLITICSHow can civic life change? – CIVIC STUDIES

The WHY’s

Why do we bother with civic life? – PSYCHOLOGYWhy do we use democracy? – HISTORYWhy do other countries have different modes of

civic life (dictators, etc.) – INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Why does power seem to be in the hands of certain people? – ECONOMICS

Why don’t we do something about it? – CIVIC STUDIES

“So what’s GOVERNMENT, then?”

Governments, as defined, are formal groups holding power and control over a territory and its inhabitants.

Governments provide services, such as police and road construction.

Governments work for the interests of people (democracies) or for its own leaders (dictatorships)

“...it’s about power and control?”

The short answer: Yes.

Power is defined as the ability to achieve what you want.

Power may be in the hands of a government, or held by a person, or a group, or a corporation, at any given time.

“Is this starting to sound like Darth Vader?”

The real questions we need to study regarding power in this course are:

How is power gained/lost?How is it used?How should it be used?For what purposes/benefits should it be used?Who should wield it?

POLITICS =

In essence, the old adage remains true: “No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is

a piece of the Continent, a part of the main...” John Donne (1572 – 1631)

POLITICS = connections between human beings (i.e.- “society”); the study of power relations amongst humans

“Therefore, Civics Studies is...

... the study of human beings and how they gain, lose, and use power. The study of how we as human beings attempt to get along, how we try to function together to enjoy our lives, and how successful we are.”

Civics Studies 11 looks at this primarily through Canada, while being compared to other countries

“So why would I need to know this?”

Ever feel like you follow what others tell you needs to be done on a daily basis?

Ever think that certain things need to be done a different way?

Ever consider that we are the ones who can and must move towards making these changes?

Finally, the full quote

“No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main;

If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were;

Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind;

And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;

It tolls for thee.” – JOHN DONNE,

Meditation XVII