tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15047433022166858822024-03-17T21:02:32.015-06:00 Social Justice and the Common Good Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-87820230471628344492016-03-22T13:13:00.003-06:002016-03-22T13:13:36.575-06:00Student Blog #5: Inequality and the Caste System in India<div style="text-align: center;">
...but there the laws of religion, the laws of the land, and the laws of honour, are all united and consolidated in one invariable system, and bind men [sic] by eternal and indissoluble bonds to the rules of what, amongst them, is called his [sic] caste.</div>
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Edmund Burke (1852:310)</div>
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Just the other day, the Starphoenix ran a story about a couple in India who were attacked with machetes for having married outside their caste. The wife remains in intensive care while the husband sadly succumbed to his wounds. Despite being caught on CCTV cameras the attackers remain at large (The Starphoenix 2016).<br />
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Discrimination based on caste – including prejudice against “untouchables” or “Dalits”, “backwards castes”, and other markers of difference based on descent – is a significant social justice issue in contemporary Indian society. Caste is a complex system of social stratification which allows for little, if any, possibility for social mobility outside of the particular caste into which one is born. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW) approximately 260 million people are affected by caste-based discrimination worldwide, most of whom reside in the South Asian countries of Nepal and India (HRW 2016). Low caste people regularly suffer discrimination in many forms, including perpetual extreme poverty, degrading and humiliating work, violence enacted by upper caste militias and police, and obstacles towards accessing education. Furthermore, women experience additional discrimination due to intersections between caste, gender, and poverty, which put them at even greater risk of sexual assault, forced sex work, violence and indignity through crimes from which the perpetrators walk with impunity (HRW 2016). Despite caste-based discrimination being rendered illegal under India's constitution since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, corruption within the justice system and ineffective bureaucracy makes filing complaints and seeing justice enacted remains prohibitively complex and ineffective for most people.<br />
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Last summer I had the opportunity to connect with a very interesting organization working to end caste-based discrimination in the villages surrounding the city of Varanasi, India. The Peoples' Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) was started in 1996 by Lenin Raghuvanshi and his wife Shruti Nagvanshi, along with musician Pandit Vikash Maharaj, poet Gyanendra Pati, and historian Mahendra Pratap. I was lucky enough to get to meet with Dr. Raghuvanshi for an afternoon to hear about his personal story and the projects in which the PVCHR are involved, and I was inspired by their breadth of scope and creative approaches to community-based social justice work.<br />
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What initially prompted me to seek out the PVCHR was a personal question that I had about the appropriateness of applying universal human rights – which I regarded as a Western construct – in non-Western cultural contexts. It is not that I was in any way in support of exploitation based on caste due to reasons of cultural relativism, but rather skeptical of the use of the language of human rights by aid organizations that apply western interpretations of human rights to developing countries. While there are certainly examples from the last six decades to suggest that human rights language can be mobilized for imperial purposes, my brief time at PVCHR helped to shift my thinking towards the possibility for social justice initiatives to use the language of human rights in an effective culturally attentive way through community based work.<br />
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Though textual evidence confirms that forms of the caste system have existed for hundreds of years in the Indian subcontinent, the contemporary form of right-wing Hindu nationalism which promotes casteism – known as the Hindutva movement as championed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) organization – was formed in the 1920s as a manifestation of British colonialism (The Kashmir Scenario 2014). Alternatively, PVCHR identifies tolerant, plural, and syncretic threads in Indian society throughout history, promoted by famous figures such as Kabir and Raidas in the 15th century. As such, the question of caste politics is open to change from within the society itself and to assert alternative forms of political, social, and religious identity against fascist political currents is by no means an imperial act, but is rather a radical act of social justice. Rauna Kuokkanen notes a semantic distinction, used by the International Indigenous Women's Forum (FIMI), between “harmful traditional practices” and “violence in the name of tradition”, which I think illuminates the realization that I experienced while listening to Dr. Raghuvanshi and other people at the PVCHR (Kuokkanen 2014:133).<br />
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While the work of the PVCHR began as an advocacy group for low-caste peoples it has grown to include intersectional initiatives working against neoliberal capitalism, nationalism, and fascism, towards supporting justice for women, Muslim minorities, children's rights to education and food, labour groups such as auto-rickshaw unions and weaver's cooperatives, and victims of police torture, to name a few (PVCHR 2011). The PVCHR are just one example of grassroots organizations around the world working to enact change where the official avenues fail to deliver justice to marginalized groups. While I remain skeptical about some of the “official” mobilizations of human rights discourse I believe that the language of human rights can offer a framework for grassroots social justice struggles.<br />
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<i>- Thomas Seibel</i><br />
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References<br />
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Burke, Edmund. 1852. The Works and Correspondence of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Volume 7. London: Francis and John Rivington.<br />
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Human Rights Watch 2016. https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/03/11/un-human-rights-council-general-debate-ending-discrimination-based-caste-and-descent<br />
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The Kashmir Scenario. April 13th, 2013. “The need of the hour is to create new dynamics and debate within India: Lenin Raghuvanshi”. URL: http://thekashmirscenario.com/2014/04/13/prominent-activist-co-founder-peoples-vigilance-committee-human-rights-pvchr-lenin-raghuvanshi-conversation-mushtaq-ul-haq-ahmad-sikander-early-life-influences-work-h/<br />
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Kuokkanen, Rauna. 2014. “Confronting Violence: Indigenous Women, Self-Determination, and International Human Rights”, in Indivisible: Indigenous Human Rights. Joyce Green, ed. Fernwood Publishing: Halifax.<br />
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The Starphoenix. March 15th, 2016. “Graphic video shows Indian 'untouchable' hacked to death after marrying upper-caste woman”. URL: http://thestarphoenix.com/storyline/graphic-video-shows-indian-untouchable-hacked-to-death-after-marrying-upper-caste-woman<br />
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PVCHR 2011. “Call for a neo-Dalit movement to overthrow feudalism, neo-fascism and neo-liberalism through a popular action”. URL: http://www.pvchr.net/2011/07/call-for-neo-dalit-movement-to.html<br />
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Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-78367819264226015292016-02-13T16:05:00.004-07:002016-02-13T16:06:44.557-07:00Student Blog #4: A Critique of “Pop Culture Feminism”<br />
While I was walking to class recently, I noticed the cover for that week’s edition of the Sheaf, the University’s student newspaper. The cover had a photo of the famous World War II propaganda poster “Rosie the Riveter” on it, which had encouraged women’s participation as workers in war industries; except Rosie’s face had been replaced with Taylor Swift’s. Since that moment, I’ve been thinking about the piece, called “<a href="http://thesheaf.com/2016/01/29/in-defense-of-pop-culture-feminism/" target="_blank">In Defense of Pop Culture Feminism</a>.” I’ve been thinking about it so much that I believed a response piece was necessary.<br />
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The author of the piece claims that feminism is on the rise in part because celebrities like Emma Watson and Taylor Swift are identifying as feminists. She argues that this is important for the feminist movement, and that “serious” or “academic” feminists need to stop bullying Taylor Swift for her so-called “watered-down feminism.”<br />
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First, I take issue with her distinction of “’serious’ feminists,” as though the inclusion of feminist theory in academia is a bad thing. Gloria Steinem, an American radical feminist and journalist, who has expressed rather problematic opinions in the past, has said: “nobody cares about feminist academic writing…these poor women in academia have to talk this silly language that nobody can understand in order to be accepted…knowledge that is not accessible is not helpful.” Many philosophers use this elevated language – Kant or Noonan come to mind – and many of us struggle with their density to the point of frustration. But has anyone ever called them “silly,” or implied that they’re just trying to keep up with the Big Dogs of academia? I am aggravated by the suggestion that feminist theory should not be adopted in the philosophical canon because it is important critical theory in all fields. To criticize those who endeavour to advance the field with scare-quotes on “serious” feminist issues is to further divide the study of feminism in academia. Yet, the author praises pop-culture feminists for supposedly bringing feminists together.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The author further clarifies that pop-culture feminism is “based around ideas of girl power, female solidarity, and that feminism is for everyone.” The author also notes that while pop-culture feminism is deserving of critical analysis, it is valuable in that it makes gender equality appeal to the masses. On its base level, feminism is for everyone. To be sure, that is an important point. Yet, if that’s true, someone should remind Taylor Swift that identifying as a feminist means feminism is for women of colour, women who are not able-bodied, women who are impoverished, transwomen, etc.<br />
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I am, of course, assuming that the author did not do an in-depth search of why pop-culture feminists like Taylor Swift face an enormous amount of criticism within contemporary discussions of feminism. Taylor Swift, with the status that she has, has an extremely loud voice. And she has used it, time and time again to dismiss feminist issues that do not directly service her exact type of (tall, white, slim, blonde) “girl power” and “female solidarity.” Other than culturally appropriating in her music videos (see: Wildest Dreams), or glamourizing abusive relationships (see: Blank Space), I can tell you about one important example. Last year Nicki Minaj called out the music industry, arguing that “black women influence pop culture so much but are rarely rewarded for it.” She is very clearly pointing out systemic racism and sexism in the music industry directed against black artists. In short, Nicki Minaj is using her powerful voice to speak for many who don’t get the chance. Taylor Swift, by contrast. nominated for the award Nicki Minaj believed she was snubbed for, hit back: “I’ve done nothing but love and support you. It’s unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot.” Um, this wasn’t about you, Taylor Swift!<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The author of the Sheaf article further clarifies the position from which she writes this article: “I am a white, straight-passing, middle-class, cisgender woman. I speak from a position of unearned privilege. I’ve never experienced discrimination based on my race, class or sexual orientation. Also, I’m a huge Taylor Swift fan.”<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So I must ask, why is a “white, straight-passing, middle-class, cisgender woman” deciding what is and isn’t problematic within our understanding of feminism and feminist theory? Taylor Swift’s self-serving feminism is not intersectional, and it ignores the serious issue of racism in society, which in “serious feminist” terms would make swift a privileged and wealthy White Feminist. To support this type of ignorance is dangerous because as a white, wealthy woman within feminism, Taylor Swift has a powerful and elevated position. To exploit others in order to elevate herself, is to further diminish the voices of the women below her. Also, to exploit existing patriarchal structures within society – which encompasses sexism and racism – is to ignore these issues to to her own benefit. So when another white woman hails the “feminist” achievements of a White Feminist like Taylor Swift, it in turn diminishes the valid concerns of women of colour, who are given less of a voice already.<br />
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This was an extremely frustrating article to read. The Sheaf has a wide-reaching base within our University and I am concerned about the number of people who will be given the wrong idea about feminism after reading it. I agree that feminism should be accessible to everyone (if feminism excluded men completely, we would just be shouting into a vacuum). However, this inclusionary sentiment is necessarily challenged by intersectionalism, which is like feminism 2.0. Intersectionalism is the acknowledgement that feminism does not need to be about raising ourselves to the status of men anymore. In fact, men face a crappy deal due to patriarchy’s expectations of hyper-masculinity and aggression almost as much as women do. Intersectionalism acknowledges that feminism now needs to be about defeating patriarchal standards so that the most marginalized people in society can rise up, and that includes people of colour, people who are not able-bodied, people who are impoverished, LGBTQA+ people, etc. To look at power systems that reward white, slim, able-bodied women like Taylor Swift (who no doubt work very hard) but to question why these systems don’t in turn reward people who look much different that Swift, yet work equally hard (if not more so given the obstacles faced) is essential.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Is this to say that no celebrity can be a good feminist role model? Absolutely not. I do agree that young feminists should have someone to look up, to make feminism “cool” and “accessible” but not to simplify it. Rowan Blanchard, a young Disney Channel actress and great pop-culture feminist has noted: “feminists issues include sexual assault, rape, abortion, Planned Parenthood, domestic violence, equal education, and the wage gap…many [White Feminists] have not accepted the fact that police brutality and race issues are our issues too…the way a black woman experiences sexism and inequality is different from the way a white woman experiences sexism and inequality.” I would genuinely like to see Taylor Swift make an acknowledgement like this.<br />
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The author of this Sheaf article concludes that “the job of celebrities [isn’t] to be ‘good feminist activists.’ They’re entertainers. They’re here to sing, act, or market a reality show, not to be feminist scholars.” Wait, so which is it? Celebrities should be hailed for the hard work they do of bringing feminism to the masses? Or they should be praised because we don’t expect more from them in the first place? I’d have to disagree here and note that celebrity women aren’t brainless entertainers, dancing around a stage and incapable of a complex thought; women, even celebrities, should be capable of engaging in a conversation about feminism and social justice.<br />
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Everyone has the right to call themselves a feminist, and decide for themselves what that should mean. My issue, however, arises when celebrities use this position of power to further advance themselves at the cost of others.<br />
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- <i>Raquel Alvarado</i><br />
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Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-46534926078295132772016-02-08T16:02:00.003-07:002016-02-08T16:02:28.375-07:00Student Blog #3: Racism and Social JusticeWe often overlook the large amounts of social injustice and racism in our everyday lives until something brings it to our attention. Recently I received a gentle reminder of this at a popular hotel downtown Saskatoon. My two friends and I were entering the hotel on a Saturday evening at the same time as a young aboriginal couple. While we all stood waiting for the elevator, a security officer approached the group and began to ask the couple their first and last name, while writing everything down on a piece of paper. At first I thought that this may be just protocol to document visitors of guest, but then the security officer left without taking any other names. I was shocked at how someone could be so blatantly prejudice and not even see anything wrong with it. <br />
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Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-69361351043571673052016-01-31T08:16:00.002-07:002016-01-31T08:16:24.303-07:00American election seasonAs the American election season officially begins tomorrow, many progressive voters seem excited about the Bernie Sanders campaign. Outside of the United States, Sanders looks like a fairly mainstream social democrat, but inside the country he certainly seems like an aberration of the American political tradition. That being the case, I was fascinated by <a href="https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/03/thomas-paine-american-revolution-common-sense/" target="_blank">this recent piece </a>on one of the American founders, Thomas Paine. Clearly there is an intellectual radicalism within the American tradition, which Sanders seems to be channeling. Fascinating stuff in an otherwise bleak and scary election season inside America. Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-88495761708351211842016-01-28T19:20:00.000-07:002016-01-28T19:20:16.769-07:00Student Blog 2: Health Care Inequality for WomenInequality in the health care system just does not happen in the United States or in other countries that does not have a universal health care system. Health care inequalities are happening right here in Canada too. Health care inequality just does not happen to other people, it happens to women like you and me every day.<br />
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When I was in my 20s I got sick, I mean really sick. I was seeing more doctors then my 70- something year old Granny. At this point in my life I had worked as a health care aide for about six years, so I thought I knew how the medical system worked. However, my time as a health care aide did not prepare me for the inequality that I would face as a female patient.<br />
By design our health care systems gives doctors (and to a lesser extent nurses) all the power in the delivery of healthcare. It is truly amazing the power that doctors hold over someone else’s health. Patients really have little say in how the medical system treats us and/or our bodies. Patients are taught from an early age not to question doctors or nurses and not to second guess the quality of our care. In my experience, many doctors see their patients as a commodity that they need to treat as fast as possible in order to make the most money from the health care system.<br />
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When I got first sick, I truly believed that doctors were there to help me. However I quickly learned that this was not the case. I was often treated like I was dumb, and when I pointed out how bad my lab results were I would be told that it really did not mean anything. If continued to push for the results, I was told that my medical problems were caused by stress and that I should see a therapist. I had little power in these appointments and I often left the appointment thinking maybe I was crazy.<br />
I remember one time leaving an appointment and going to a friend’s house crying because I felt so belittled by the latest doctor. I was telling her and her mom what happen and they told me that this is what happens in our medical system. My friend said all women are treated like this, and her sister who has MS, was told she was crazy on multiple occasions by multiple doctors before she was diagnosed correctly. After this I started asking other women about their health care experiences and many of them had similar stories: many women had been labeled crazy by a doctor. This is when I truly started to understand that women are treated differently than men in our health care system. I also learned that if you added any other labels in front of woman such as young, poor, immigrant, and/or minority your health care experience was often worse than my bad experience.<br />
When I finally was given my official diagnosis, it was not the victory I thought it would be. It was just another way to show me that I was powerless and that women’s health in general was not a priority in our health care system. My diagnosis was not given in person or over the phone, it was sent to me in a letter, where the doctor wrote that my tumour was of no concern; except it was of concern, this little tumour was affecting my life, my overall health and it was affecting my marriage.<br />
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I called to make an appointment with the doctor, to discuss this matter and I was told she did not want to talk about it and when I asked if I could get a second opinion, I was told,” no and that the matter was closed.” After hearing this I knew I need to find a doctor that cared about me and my health. I was lucky my husband’s job allowed us to move and I was able to start over in another health care system in another province.<br />
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The new health care system still had the same power dynamics at play, but this time I was older and wiser and I knew how the system worked. I had also learned how to work the system. I also made sure I found a family doctor that was female and who understood how my tumour was impacting my life, health and marriage. I remember explaining to her at my first appointment that I was not crazy, that I was sick because of this little tumour that was of no concern. I am not sure if it was because she was female, or if it was because she was knew to the Canadian health care system, but I found a doctor that care for me and would spend her own time looking for the best specialist to take care of me. With my family doctor’s help, I finally was able to receive the medical care and surgery that I needed.<br />
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Today I run a support group, and one of the things that many of the women tell me is that they were not prepared for was how they are treated by doctor, nurses or the medical system in general. Many of the women tell me that they feel like second class citizens in our universal health care system and that every test, appointment, procedures was/is a fight to get.<br />
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-<i>Debra Kulcsar</i><br />
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Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-83198971420666036762016-01-20T14:07:00.003-07:002016-01-20T14:10:24.380-07:00Student Blog Post #1 W2016: Global Capitalism and Democracy<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Towards the end of the first chapter of James Cairns and Alan Sears’
“The Democratic Imagination,” the authors describe the application of the
globalised paradigm of neoliberal capitalism through the spread of westernized
systems of democracy. Regarding the opportunity for development of
greater political stability in Libya in 2011, Barack Obama noted “even as we
promote political reform and human rights in the region, our efforts cannot
stop there. So the second way that we must support positive change in the
region is through our efforts to advance economic development for nations that
transition to democracy” (21). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cairns and Sears temper Obama’s purported
motives of selfless intent with perspectives of economists who point out that
the advancement of democracy internationally also provides supportive
conditions for self-interested western nations to increase their GDP by means
of increased export, bolstered by stable and reliable governmental institutions
including courts, an independent judiciary, and rule of law (21). In
addition, although economic development in the form of industrialization
allegedly leads to greater quality of life for citizens in impoverished
nations, it also conveniently alleviates the responsibility of more prosperous
western nations to provide foreign aid, whether directly or through contributions
to the United Nations or other NGOs. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An example of a case study that illustrates the damage of an
emphasis on capitalist democratic politics to the detriment of liberal human
rights (or really any structure which could be called “ethical”) is the garment
industry in the Global South. No longer called the “third world”, the
Global South has been collectively redefined as “developing” or
“underdeveloped” countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
self-centeredness and egocentrism underlying the agenda of western nations in their
overseas promotion of democracy becomes apparent when one asks whose definition
of “development” is being prioritized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
example, Jeff Noonan discusses the life-blindness of money-value growth as
measured by quantifiable data such as GDP that conceals the practically
unrestrained environmental damage caused by capitalistic economic growth (142).
This is especially true in the global south where industry regulations
can vary from being loosely enforced to practically nonexistent. Simply
put, it is more convenient for western nations if the environmental degradation
inherent in modern industrial practices is relegated in the far-off global
south. In relation to the textile and garment industries, the amount of
chemical waste and polluted water and air is enormous, with the World Bank
estimating that the textile industry alone produces 20 per cent of all global
industrial water pollution. Such an emphasis on “development” conceals
the fact that such practices are not authentically in the best interest of said
nations’ inhabitants. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Solutions for sustainable economic growth and
local development which respect the integrity of the environment and human
rights are considered impossible to implement if the residents of the Global
South are to progress towards experiencing the same quality of life as
westerners. That is, quality of life as defined by access to a wide range
of goods and services produced by a competitive local market or imported from
the west, particularly consumerist domestic goods like cosmetics, clothing,
food, and entertainment. The cultural propaganda promoted within the
content of such goods further reinforces narratives of the prestige of western
democracy. Thus, a common-sense western style of thinking dictates that
the only option available for “developing” nations is industrialization since
it opens additional avenues for export, reinforces the legitimacy and prestige
of democracy, and prevents environmental damage from taking place within the
borders of western nations.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another benefit of western “development” is
increased access to the inexpensive and easily exploited labour force of the
Global South, which arguably has an even greater impact on its respective
societies than environmental degradation. In the garment industry, women
primarily dominate the workforce due to structural issues of patriarchy
worldwide. Capitalist practices of ruthless exploitation in the garment
industry add to the oppression by further subordinating them, especially in
Muslim countries such as Bangladesh where women are conditioned to not have a
voice. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On a personal note, I’ve had the privilege of
doing some research and writing on the topic of the female-dominated workforce
in the textile and garment industry since the Rana Plaza collapse in Dhaka in
2013. I have talked at length with friends and family regarding the inhumane
practices that are entrenched in the labour system due to a lack of
international intervention for the promotion and securing of workers’ rights.
I’ve noticed when sharing information regarding the desperate working
conditions of garment labourers that there is a point at which individuals tend
to reach “maximum saturation,” indicated by a glazing of the eyes. I’m
guessing that this indicates that the individual is either overwhelmed with the
horror of it all and is experiencing feelings of hopelessness, or, that they’re
apathetic and don’t desire to have their belief system challenged regarding the
westerner’s entitlement to cheap and disposable clothing. Westerners have
become accustomed to having access to inexpensive, disposable clothing for so
long without asking questions or thinking about it critically that it’s become
part of the cultural narrative. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the topic of the conflation of life-value and
money-value in capitalism, Noonan writes:</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">the money-value system is the ruling
value-system of liberal-democratic capitalist society. As the ruling
value-system it is the ultimate basis of legitimacy of both public policy and
individual choice...This instrumentalization of life requirements and
capacities is the basic structure of ethical harm in liberal-democratic
capitalist societies. Where policy and people mistake the growth of
life-value for the growth of money-value, they can support policies or make
decisions in their own lives which reduce life-value but increase money-value
without noticing the loss of life-value” (144). </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The money-value system as the ultimate basis of
legitimacy for individual choice is illustrated by the fact that I can purchase
an exceptionally cute cream-coloured boho-inspired peasant top at H&M for
$15 and not worry about it if it just sits in my closet or I throw it out
because it’s so cheap. I would argue that “cheapness” is the guiding rule
for purchasing upheld by the vast majority of western consumers, and not
whether the person who constructed the garment received a fair wage or worked
in conditions that were reasonable. I make this observation (at least on
behalf of those who identify as women) based on the outrageous success of
fast-fashion retailers such as H&M, Joe Fresh, Forever 21, Zara, Charlotte
Russe, Bershka, Primark, Topshop, Uniqlo, etc. But if cheapness is the
only ethical standard informing our habits of consumerism, by extension, we are
also making judgments regarding the value of labour for the individual who
produced the garment, and ultimately, of their life-value (or lack thereof). </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Following the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013,
subsequent collapses and fires happened in Bangladesh in other factories,
bringing some much-needed international media attention to some of the worker’s
rights deficits in the nation. Information on the complex situation of
the garment industry is becoming harder to avoid, which means that
hypothetically, the consumption patterns of fast-fashion shoppers should be
evidencing development of an ethical conscience in alignment with increased
awareness. Following the 2013 disasters in Bangladesh, however, the fast
fashion industry had its most successful year ever. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So why do westerners abandon residents of the
global south to their dreary futures? In my estimation, it’s because of
underlying beliefs of entitlement to western privilege based on imperialism.
If I were to translate this statement into a mathematical equation in
order to depict this relationship in the reductionistic quantitative terms
typically appropriated by capitalism, I estimate that it would look like this:</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Whereas <i>w = </i>white people and <i>b = </i>brown
people, <i>w</i> > <i>b </i></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Although, to make the equation more accurate,
there could be a number of variables that contribute to structures of
consumption fostered by western privilege. Perhaps individuals feel that the
west is entitled to reward itself for having attained a certain standard of
living, or that they’re helping people in “developing” nations to obtain a
higher standard of living, or perhaps they live under a rock and are not aware
of the media attention that has been paid to Bangladesh in the past few years,
or perhaps they are simply wilfully ignorant and refuse to acknowledge their
role in a system that has and assuredly will continue to contribute to a system
of human oppression. Regardless, I think it would be appropriate for the
international sphere to quit prioritizing western interests by labelling the
global south a region of “developing” or “underdeveloped” nations, and use the
more fitting label of “nations vulnerable to exploitation” or perhaps
“habitually exploited nations.” </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At the domestic level, I repeat the words of
Lenin in asking, “what is to be done?” Bangladeshi workers who survived
the tragedies of 2013 and were asked for solutions to the problem simply
encouraged westerners to continue to purchase Bangladesh-made garments.
At the same time, a BBC documentary shot after the Rana Plaza disaster in
2013 recorded a male factory worker as saying, “</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">after five hours of
sleeping, in the morning we have to get up at 5. My mind doesn't
want to do this, brother. This, in fact, is inhuman. Compelled, we
are compelled. We are prisoners. We have to come."
Another documentary produced by the Australian Broadcasting Company in
2013 reported that there had been 43 factory fires in the past 18 months.
A Globe and Mail article from October 2013 reported that according to a
national safety assessment performed by Bangladeshi engineers, approximately 90
per cent of Bangladesh’s garment factories are structurally unsound. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #252525; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The vast majority of textile
and garment TNCs are well aware of the working conditions in Bangladesh but are
unwilling to reinforce the vast changes needed to systems of labor through
firsthand on-the-ground checks that ensure appropriate standards of building
safety and labour practices. A few have signed on to organizations such
as the Bangladesh Fire and Safety Accord (BFSA), which provides a minimal
structure of accountability by ensuring the structural stability and
fire-preparedness of factories. The Joe Fresh brand, which was heavily
implicated in the Rana Plaza disaster for having subcontracted an order to the
factory, resisted responsibility for weeks after the disaster, despite Joe
Fresh clothing items being strewn about the wreckage. They eventually
signed on to the BFSA. Minimal-intervention organizations don’t address numerous
other continued violations of worker’s rights such as denial of work breaks,
forced over-time, lack of access to plumbing facilities and running water, lack
of ventilation, sexual harassment of women by male co-workers and overseers,
and so on. Perhaps, however, the evidence of a few fast-fashion companies
signing on to the BFSA following the media blitz is a hopeful sign that
collective action in the form of consumer pressure can produce change that
moves in the direction of respecting the rights of workers. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #252525; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My own solution has been to
purchase everything I need or want from local second-hand shops. I work
at a consignment store, which makes it much easier for me to find what I need.
If I can’t find said items locally through the second-hand market, I try
to find a product that’s made in a country where ethical standards of labour
are enforced, such as in North America or Europe. I’ve written to a few
companies to tell them that I think they have ethical responsibilities that
need to be fulfilled or to tell them that I appreciate them joining
organizations such as the BFSA. I figure the BFSA is better than nothing
- it’s a start. Despite the pleas of Bangladeshi garment workers to
continue buying Bangladesh-made clothing, I don’t buy “fast fashion” anymore.
I recognize that for garment industry workers, this industry is their
livelihood, but I’m also extremely reticent to support an industry that places
individuals in such a difficult double-bind (you can be a working slave and
make a tiny amount of money, or you can be unemployed and be free but possibly
starve) and causes emotional anguish because of its oppressive practices.
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #252525; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I would rather advocate for
change through letter writing and spreading awareness rather than directly
feeding into a system that ruthlessly exploits.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> On that topic, I was thinking today about
how I used to revel in my victory as a fashion hunter when I found a pair of
basic black pants by Joe Fresh on the clearance rack at Superstore for a measly
$3. I’d reminisce with my woman friends about my “thrill of the find” and
that I managed to get several years of use out of them. It only dawned on
me today as I started to write this piece - talk about western privilege.
An actual human being with as much intrinsic worth and as much capacity
to feel and think as myself may have died for me to wear those $3 pants.
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Courtney Bowman </span></o:p></span></div>
Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-49944809082676012152016-01-20T10:35:00.001-07:002016-01-20T10:43:04.698-07:00Social Justice and the Common Good is back in W2016! St. Thomas More College's, <i>INTS 400 Critical Perspectives on Social Justice and the Common Good </i>is back for Winter 2016. This year, we're featuring new readings on the environment, which includes reading Naomi Klein's, <a href="http://thischangeseverything.org/" target="_blank">This Changes Everything</a> and Pope Francis' Encyclical Letter with a strong focus on the good and the environment (<a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html" target="_blank"><i>Laudato si</i></a>). We will also be reading on a variety of local, national, and international topics including Indigenous rights, women's rights, LGBTQ rights, critical political economy and workers' rights. As last year, we'll also be posting student blogs featuring their own observations on social justice and the common good. Please feel free to contribute along with the discussion!<br />
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- <i>Prof Smith</i>Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-67545332799183430842015-03-29T20:24:00.000-06:002015-03-29T20:59:22.483-06:00Student Blog #9: Empathy as a Tool for Social JusticeA couple weeks ago, my peer Whitney Loerzel wrote an excellent blog on the importance of critical thinking as a tool for social justice. She states: “Critical thinking is not some meaningless intellectual exercise. On the contrary, there are numerous examples of individuals using critical thinking to create a better, more just world”. Critical thinking allows for creative thinking. In this blog, I wish to build on Whitney’s thoughts and suggest another creating thinking process, one that is retrospective in nature and expressed through empathy.<br />
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My thoughts on empathy as a tool for social justice have been lingering for some time, though I have not identified it as such until very recently. This identification was spurred by my recent conversations with peers and friends, both in Canada and Guatemala, concerning the pervasiveness of child marriages in that country. This topic recently came to my attention through a New York Times article written by Stephanie Sinclair entitled <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/02/08/opinion/sunday/exposures-child-bride-mother-stephanie-sinclair.html?_r=2" target="_blank">“Child, Bride, Mother”.</a> In Guatemala, 53 percent of women age 20 to 24 are married before age 18, and 13 percent before age 15 (Sinclair). This norm, prevalent in more than 50 countries, strips young girls and women of many of their human rights, fuelling a cycle of social, economic and political oppression.<br />
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Conversations with my peers and friends in Canada on this topic have been interesting and insightful. Everyone acknowledged the gender injustices surrounding this prevalent norm but when the big question of “What can we do to change this?” was pressed, the most common response seemed to be: “I’m not sure, those are big issues. I am just happy to be living in Canada.” I have to admit, I shared the same feeling in that moment. However, my feelings soon shifted after talking with some of my female friends in Guatemala. This topic is very personal as many of their friends or families are part of this statistic. Patriarchy (“machismo”) manifests itself in many aspects of their daily lives and is a constant struggle. Accurate empathetic insight into their struggles re-engaged me as an individual which was followed by a sense of responsibility.<br />
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This example is not used to make claims of some people being more empathetic than others. Rather, it is to highlight the gap or distance between perspectives on social justice issues as a lived reality as opposed to a topic of conversation. This gap, I feel, disconnects us as humans and strips away important perspectives that have the potential to stimulate empathy.<br />
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I believe empathy has a critical role to play in creating positive social change. Cultivating empathy requires us to step outside of ourselves and experience the world through other perspectives, particularly those of the grassroots. This personal interaction requires us to not only think critically, but understand the needs and conditions of those around us- near and far. In brief, I believe that empathy fuels connection. Connection, in turn, builds solidarity that can lead to social change. I encourage everyone to not only critically engage with social justice issues, but explore their own empathy as a tool for social justice.<br />
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-Rebecca Tatham<br />
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Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-13060223178468458402015-03-28T14:29:00.001-06:002015-03-29T20:59:15.465-06:00Student Blog Post #8: Indigenous Knowledge, Culture and Building the Social Economy This week in class I am leading discussion on Priscilla Settee’s, “Indigenous Perspectives on Building the Social Economy of Saskatchewan." <br />
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I am by no means an economist or a political scientist like many of my classmates, but I find Settee’s work incredibly compelling. Perhaps more compelling to me is her conviction to Indigenous values and their application today.<br />
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I come from the college of archaeology, a place where I regularly learn about Indigenous people’s culture and history. I genuinely love learning about the cultures of the first peoples that inhabited Saskatchewan and being part of their recovery and protection.<br />
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I am quite familiar with Saskatchewan’s 14000 year history of inhabitation and can inform you as to why a specific projectile point or tool is better than another. I hope to someday be employed by a field that protects Indigenous people's material past from being destroyed by the hand of the multi-billion dollar pipeline projects.<br />
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Yet modern indigenous culture and the culture Settee argues for is completely foreign to me. There has been a disconnect in my mind because I associate the material remains I see with individuals from 4500 years ago and not the culture that lived on and exists today.<br />
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I must ask myself why? Is my privilege as a middle class white male unchecked? The short answer to this question is without even realizing it until putting myself and my own experience under the microscope: yes, it is.<br />
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I now consider this a great failure on my part as a student, a human being, and a citizen of this wonderfully multifaceted cultural landscape we known as Canada. As I enter my career I hope to remedy this situation and open pathways of access for Indigenous peoples into the archaeological process and share their history as equals. I believe a better understanding of Saskatchewan's history can genuinely be beneficial for all involved and begin a discourse that will bring our multicultural mosaic together as equals.<br />
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-Kevin NyborgProfessor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-57869732321233034212015-03-28T09:35:00.000-06:002015-03-28T09:36:47.021-06:00Education and Pedagogy <span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week, students in INTS 400 Critical Perspectives on Social Justice and the Common Good had a fruitful discussion on the role of education, pedagogy and "how we learn" in modern universities. The discussion originated in response to <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/03/11/barbara-kay-universities-are-teaching-students-what-to-think-not-how-to-think/#__federated=1" target="_blank">this article</a> from conservative commentators Barbara Kay and Adam Daifallah. I brought the article to class in order to ask the question that the article accused us of never asking: do universities teach students "what" to think rather than "how" to think? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
The discussion was impressive. Students reflected on their experiences, discussed the broader state of education (including difficulty of access) and how students tailor their arguments to different academic situations. </span><br />
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I was impressed with the high level of intellectual responses from the students. After class a student sent me this poem which I found to quite adequately reflect how many students (including myself) felt as we were navigating our education. Well done class! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is something I don't know</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">that I am supposed to know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't know what it is I don't know</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">and yet am supposed to know,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">and I feel I look stupid</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">if I seem both not to know it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">and not know what it is I don't know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Therefore, I pretend I know it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is nerve-racking</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">since I don't know what I must pretend to know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Therefore I pretend to know everything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I feel you know what I'm supposed to know</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">but you can't tell me what it is</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">because you don't know</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">that I don't know what it is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You may know what I don't know,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">but not that I don't know it,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">and I can't tell you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So you will</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">have to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">tell me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">everything.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">R. D. Laing</span><br />
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<br />Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-50721686053245071032015-03-20T15:23:00.001-06:002015-03-29T20:59:04.931-06:00Student Blog #7: The Importance of Critical ThinkingThere was a recent news article that caught my attention and caused me some concern. This particular article was discussing a recent mail out that was sent to an MP’s constituents that contained information related to Bill C-51. A survey was included in which individuals were offered two options regarding their opinions on Bill C-51: they could either agree with the bill, as it is imperative to take additional action to protect Canadians from terrorism, or they must disagree with implementing Bill C-51 because, “terrorists are victims too.” I laughed to myself as I read it: what a blatant example of the fallacy of the false dilemma this argument is! The fallacy of the false dilemma (or false dichotomy) occurs when an individual presents only two opposing views when in fact other possibilities exist. In regard to Bill C-51, one might have perfectly valid reasons for not supporting this legislation, such as its impedance on privacy rights and civil liberties, which have nothing to do with sympathizing with terrorists. This example immediately brought back “fond” memories of Vic Toews who in 2012, used a false dichotomy when he told Canadians that they are either with Conservative government or, “with the child pornographers”, in regard to Bill C-30. I am sure many Canadians were delighted to be categorized as being “with the child pornographers,” simply because they opposed the content of Bill C-30.<br />
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As ridiculous as these two examples are, we may not realize that we encounter fallacious arguments on a regular basis. For example, how many times do we witness a straw person argument in our lives? A straw person argument (commonly called a “straw man” argument, but I am a feminist after all) is one that misrepresents your opponent’s position in a way that makes it easier to attack and refute. The ever-present red herring, the deliberate raising of an irrelevant issue, seems to be a staple in argumentative discourse. However, our discourse need not be mired in fallacies. Invalid arguments, although very easy to make, are also easy to detect with the right tools. Thus, the concept of critical thinking is necessary to eradicate such fallacious arguments.<br />
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Critical thinking is the process of assessing claims and arguments with rational, cognitive thought. A critical thinker does not accept unfounded claims and is familiar with common fallacies. I presented you with the fallacy of the false dilemma, the straw person, and red herring, but there are many others. There are the fallacies that contain irrelevant premises, such as the genetic fallacy, the fallacy of appealing to popularity, tradition, emotion, and so on. Other fallacies are those with unacceptable premises, like begging the question or deploying a faulty analogy. Critical thinking is also about embracing new knowledge through discovery, and is tremendously important when evaluating and forming opinions.<br />
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Why is critical thinking so imperative? Firstly, far too often fallacious arguments slip through the cracks and are deemed valid. It becomes dangerous when people of power use fallacies to win support and make policies. Without the power of critical thinking, individuals accept invalid claims and arguments that undermine truth. Secondly, there is a risk of basing one’s beliefs and opinions on biased, unsupported, and/or fallacious claims. What you stand for and whom you are depends on the kinds of knowledge that you deem to be valid and worthy of acceptance. If you do not think critically about the reasons for accepting claims, you risk allowing others to form your opinions and beliefs for you. Every day, individuals are bombarded with information. The media, through the advancement of technology, now permeates our lives so completely that it is nearly impossible to ignore. Social media is another entity that offers the user an abundance of information and opinions. With all this information streaming into our lives it is important to be able to assess what is valid and worthy of our attention.<br />
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I equate social justice and the common good with individuals making and accepting arguments grounded in evidence. A good and just society is one that seeks truth and turns away from claims that lack credible evidence. Critical thinking is the tool that separates truths from falsehoods. A just world requires a foundation of trust, and if claims and beliefs are based on invalid or inaccurate premises, how can the good or justice prevail? Relying on unfounded claims to form opinions most certainly hinders the common good.<br />
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Critical thinking is not some meaningless intellectual exercise. On the contrary, there are numerous examples of individuals using critical thinking to create a better, more just world. It has empowered women to no longer accept that they somehow are subordinate to men and thus should be afforded lesser rights. Thinking critically has also made clear that skin colour has no bearing on the value of a human life. In my own life, critical thinking has changed the way I look at and consume food.<br />
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I have been vegan for several years now and this choice, despite what so many people think, was one the easiest decisions of my life. I critically assessed the arguments that supported an animal-based diet against those that opposed consuming such a diet. After evaluating arguments, I came to the conclusion that the arguments made in favour of a vegan diet could not be ignored, such as the appalling treatment of animals, the damage to the environment, and the waste of resources that goes into livestock production that result from an animal-based diet. Critical thinking gave me the tools to discover that I could lead a perfectly healthy and enjoyable life foregoing any animal products, a decision that has greatly increased both my physical and emotional well being. <br />
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If more people thought critically about the world around them, I truly believe that positive change would ensue. If politicians, for example, could no longer rely on unfounded claims or the politics of fear to win support, and would be forced to convey concrete and factual claims to the public. Individuals would support their own arguments with logical, factual evidence and would accept nothing less from others. The media would be required to conduct and present truthful reporting. Most importantly, the world would be truth seeking, rather than retreating into falsehoods.<br />
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In order to be a critical thinker you must refuse to go through life in blissful ignorance, accepting unsupported claims and fallacious arguments. Critically engage with the world around you, and live with a passion for learning and a hunger for new knowledge. Take control of your own learning, don’t let someone do it for you; that is, know how to properly access facts and knowledge for yourself. Demand evidence and know when a valid argument is actually being made. Know the structure of a valid argument (that the premises support the conclusion), and when making an argument, always make sure you have sufficient and supportive evidence. Familiarize yourself with the basic fallacies and when evaluating claims for yourself always ask, “Is this a valid argument?” Whenever partaking of any information from the media be aware of any biases or conflicts of interests, and know what source your information is coming from (FOX News will provide a very different entertainment experience from BBC News).<br />
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The more I learn, the more I realize I know very little, as there is always so much more knowledge to acquire. A critical thinker never stops or fears learning. She or he is always prepared to embrace new territory, and move forward, rather than retreat into ignorance. It is important to examine your own life and challenge your own beliefs through a lens of critical thinking. Are your beliefs supported by evidence and truths? Or, are you allowing falsehoods and fallacies to structure your life? A healthy amount of skepticism is often necessary when listening to opinions and arguments. Do not isolate yourself from different points of view; instead actively seek out opinions that are different from your own. If your views cannot stand up to criticism, then they were never strong enough to be held in the first place. Changing a strongly held belief is not a sign of defeat, but rather the mark of a truly open-minded critical thinker. Critical thinking, although a very simple act, has the power to change the kind of world we live in.<br />
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-Whitney Loerzel<br />
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Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-81428773634491836912015-03-15T08:08:00.002-06:002015-03-15T08:21:46.261-06:00Bill C-51 and Human RightsYesterday, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bill-c-51-day-of-action-protests-denounce-new-policing-powers-1.2994226" target="_blank">thousands of Canadians</a> took to the streets in protest over Bill C-51: the Anti Terrorism Act. You can see some pictures <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/03/14/anti-terror-bill-c51-protest_n_6870930.html?1" target="_blank">here</a>. You can read about the government of Canada's rationale for the Act <a href="http://openparliament.ca/bills/41-2/C-51/" target="_blank">here</a> and a brief summary of the criticism <a href="http://createsend.com/t/j-1ECF09F5BFBE136E" target="_blank">here</a>. The government claims that C51 is necessary to give security agencies more power to combat the threat of terrorism while civil liberties advocates argue that C51 could be used to crack down on legitimate protest. What are your thoughts on the Bill and its relationship to social justice and the common good? Will C51 make Canadians safer or will it undermine basic civil liberties across the country? Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-77604806441591428932015-03-13T16:09:00.002-06:002015-03-15T08:00:29.509-06:00Student Blog #6: #KXL Why Now?<br />
I recently read an article in the Huffington Post titled “Obama Declares Venezuela a Threat to U.S National Security” (Mason and Rampton 2015). The United States is an oil-rich country that loves to take heavy oil (or crude oil, dirty oil, etc.) from a so called, ‘strong’ ally (if it ever was) and use it domestically. However, the U.S is the number one purchaser of crude oil from Venezuela. Yet, if this failing relationship continues, a strain on imports from that country, no matter how unlikely, could happen. This short introduction brings me to the main point of this article: America, finish building Keystone XL!<br />
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If you are reading this article I can assume that you have some knowledge on the debate surrounding KXL. But let’s quickly recap: The Keystone Pipeline has been planned for about six years now. This multi-year debate on Keystone XL is actually just phase four of the project. This project began in the early 2000s when I was just a little tot in school. Since then, oil prices have risen as the ‘War on Terror’ began and Canada’s (well Alberta’s) northern oil sands began to interest companies that needed to transport oil out to the Gulf Coast to ship it to China or another overseas country. Phase one was approved under the Bush administration in 2008. Phase two is also now complete. Phase three has been put into construction. Phase one runs from Alberta to Steele City, Nebraska, Phase two runs from Steele City to Cushing, Oklahoma. Phase three continues this down to Texas, where it branches off to two ports. There is a heck of a lot that goes on between those places however. Phase four is where the current controversy arises.<br />
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KXL would duplicate Phase one, however, with a shorter, more direct route and a wider pipeline. This pipeline does not just carry Canadian oil. American crude oil would join the Canadian oil in Baker, Montana. The main debate for anti-KXL activists would be that the pipeline is dangerously bad for the environment (along with other issues). Supporters of KXL, including myself, argue that oil is an essential commodity to grow the world economy and that the pipeline is a safe way to move oil to refineries. Furthermore, the pipeline would improve both countries politically, socially, economically and whatever other word you can think of that ends with ‘ly’.<br />
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The Sand Hills region in Nebraska presented a problem with environmental concerns. KXL was originally planned to go right through this beautiful region, which also supplied eight states with clean drinking water. TransCanada, a Calgary based company, immediately proposed fourteen different routes the pipeline could take, including one that completely avoided the Sand Hills region. In November of 2011, the Nebraska Legislature passed two bills to allow TransCanada to alter the route. A year earlier, in 2010, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a report stating that KXL would pose no real threat to the environment as long as all safety procedures are followed. A few months following the TransCanada route change in Nebraska, TransCanada issued an environmental study stating that “based on extensive feedback from Nebraskans, this reflects our shared desire to minimize the disturbance of land and sensitive resources in the state” (Reuters 2012).<br />
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Now, I understand defending TransCanada’s claims with their own claim is problematic, however, the Federally regulated EPA’s report is clear. The environmental risks are minimal. However, the potential of an oil spill also looms large for anti- KXL activists. A spill would obviously pollute the air and any water it contaminated, however, the main issue of water contamination was avoided when TransCanada re-routed the pipeline around Sandy Hills. Moreover, as many scholars have suggested, if there was a leak around the “Ogallala Aquifer” (the Nebraska fresh water reserve), it would not be bad enough to penetrate the aquifer. It is obvious that a spill into fresh water would take a lot of money and time to clean. A spill would affect wildlife and agriculture in the area of the spill and that would be devastating for many ecosystems. <br />
Yet, the argument that KXL could negatively affect these ecosystems is overstated. Look, I completely understand that a pipeline is not going to save our environment. However, it is not going to necessarily hurt it and that is my point. There are already numerous pipelines that go East-West or North-South through and around the Sand Hills of Nebraska. Although they are minor compared to the proposed size of KXL, they are still there moving oil daily. <br />
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Here is another fact to consider: we are all dependent on oil! From the natural gas or coal power plants powering our homes, to the electric car you are thinking about buying or your stove at home, they all have one thing in common: they need oil. A large portion of Canadian GDP is determined by how many barrels of oil are sold. Provincial and Federal economies all, to some extent, rely on oil. Where does North America get that oil from? You guessed it, by train from Canada and developing countries around the world. <br />
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Well Mr. President, why not drastically eliminate your dependence on moving oil by train and approve this pipeline? If you google which is the safest way to move oil, pipeline beats rail every time. There were over 1000 rail accidents last year in the U.S (over 100 deaths) and only eleven pipeline accidents. The last human fatality due to pipeline accident was in 1988, my eldest sister had not yet been born (she is 25). Pipelines are safe and it is as simple as that. There are thousands of reports, articles, and essays to defend this point. Ideally, the Barack Obama administration would use the small economic gain from this pipeline to end some of their dependence on third world oil and maybe actually help develop those countries.<br />
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KXL would also create jobs. This is a key point pro-KXL supporters bring up. The U.S State Department released a report in 2012 stating that 40,000 jobs would be created during the construction of KXL. Although most of them are not permanent, that is still 40,000 jobs America! The President, in 2013, publically stated that KXL would maybe produce “2,200 permanent jobs” (Reuters 2013). The President clearly was not pleased with his State Departments findings, even still, isn’t 2,200 jobs better than zero? This is an essential reason why public opinion polls all support the KXL in the U.S. The Republican Party received a majority in the Senate in the 2014 fall election partially because of its support of KXL. The Republican led Congress and Senate then passed KXL in January and sent it to the President for approval. President Obama vetoed the bill just two weeks ago and the Congressional override did not produce its needed two thirds majority to support the project.<br />
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It is looking more and more unlikely that KXL will pass and this is problematic for both of our countries. As Canadian Ambassador Gary Doer stated “the choice is to have it come down by a pipeline that he approves, or without his approval, it comes down on trains” (McCarthy 2013). The U.S is already using Canadian oil, receiving millions of barrels of oil daily. Much of that oil comes through pipeline and crude oil will be used no matter what, so it is our challenge to make it as safe as possible. <br />
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KXL would drastically improve both of our nations’ economies. It would bring more Canadian oil to the U.S, thus eliminating its dependence on third world countries. KXL would produce more jobs for both countries and ultimately make the movement of heavy oil safer. Those summary points, in my eyes, drastically improve our common good. There is no liberal way out of this debate, either you agree with me, or you think KXL is dangerous. To those against, I strongly encourage you to really think about this issue and why we depend on oil, or what good oil can do for our society. KXL would do wonders for the common good of both Canada and the United States.<br />
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-Wyatt Carleton<br />
Twitter: @WACarl10<br />
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Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-40382495061169099412015-03-01T09:29:00.002-07:002015-03-01T09:29:17.766-07:00Addressing inequalityPerhaps it is a measure of how far our society has moved away from addressing issues of inequality, but this week the International Monetary Fund released a <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2015/03/jaumotte.htm" target="_blank">report</a> stating that declining unionization is fuelling income polarization in developed economies. In their words:<div>
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"<i>we find strong evidence that lower unionization is associated with an increase in top income shares in advanced economies during the period 1980–2010</i>"</div>
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Union activists have been making this fairly obvious argument for decades. It is fascinating that the institution associated with neoliberal s<a href="http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story084/en/" target="_blank">tructural adjustment programs</a> throughout the world is now recognizing that unions play an essential role in redistributing wealth. What is your take? </div>
Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-63313522700673043042015-02-27T13:55:00.001-07:002015-02-27T14:13:18.438-07:00Student blog #5: Transportation TribulationI dreamed a dream last night. In this dream, there were hardly any cars. There was no driver training, no driver exams, and no extensive hours of practicing to become a diligent and effective motorist. People were spending their time doing other things. Like engineering safe and efficient bullet trains. Or building eco-friendly solar powered buses. Or spending more time walking, running, and cycling places.<br />
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A little ambitious for North America? Most likely, but it’s my subconscious and I’m entitled to do whatever I want in there. Yet imagine if people were able to pool their resources together to create a transit system that all could share in. Imagine a system that benefited everyone beyond just addressing issues of mobility. With more developed public transport there would be less traffic in cities, which would reduce street congestion and engine emissions. There would be less need for vast parking lots, which would give opportunity to build more condensed infrastructure and allow for additional parks, community gardens, or recreational areas. There would be less vehicular collisions because finding a “safe” option home from the pub would be the only option. That is not to say there would not be unfortunate accidents with a highly developed public transit system, but these just might pale in comparison to our current mode of transportation (check out the statistics of American motor vehicle accidents in comparison to public transit and the Japanese high-speed rail safety record).<br />
<br />
So what is a significant downfall of creating a communal system of mobility? Independence. Or rather lack thereof. How could people conveniently drive to 7-Eleven whenever a taquito craving hit, or leave five minutes early for school because that last “snooze” makes all the difference? In fact, this notion of convenience is often what drives us to drive. People who can afford cars can do a lot at the whim of a fancy, with a vehicle that takes them wherever they want to go whenever they want to go there. This is a great freedom, and why would there be a demand for a better public transit system when it is much, much nicer to commute and run errands in the comfort of a climate controlled Escalade rather than waiting for a transfer on a muggy side-street or in minus 40° weather.<br />
<br />
But what about those people who cannot afford their own automobile? In a society structured so that not everyone can attain the level of financial security necessary to purchase and maintain a vehicle, the options of getting around become acutely limited. Especially in a city where the importance of well-developed public transportation can be summed up in one callow phrase: “People can just carpool more.” To be sure, individual car-culture plays an important part in the economy because people use their vehicles to drive to work (or use them for work). Yet, there are also those who struggle to make it to their jobs with a system that does not cater to public commuter needs. A lack of effective public transport means that people who cannot afford a car to commute hours of their day to making transfers, meticulously planning routes, or limiting themselves to employment close to home if there are no routes in their area.<br />
<br />
And what about the environmental costs paid for a little convenience? If decimating the Northern boreal forest to make room for extractive industry, pipeline spills, or using unquantifiable amounts of precious freshwater is not enough to scare you off from the oil dependency necessary to sustain individual transportation—think about all the fracking currently underway next to the Yellowstone Caldera (also known as “Supervolcano”).<br />
<br />
Sure, most of us would say we value all citizens in society and value the environment. But do we value them as much as instant-taquito-gratification? Of course, there are complex personal, political, and economic challenges to building infrastructure for a highly integrated public transit system, taking much time, forethought, and investment. These questions, however are not an obstacle. Rather they should push us to seriously reconsider how we organize our communities, not just on larger social levels but at the personal level as well. Addressing these challenges would point us in the direction of more sustainable methods of transport, rather than continuing to build up a system that disadvantages some and promotes environmental exploitation.<br />
<br />
The need for mobility is a reality, but like all needs, there are a plethora of alternatives for how to meet it. Individual car-culture is no different. Yet, is car-culture a necessary life requirement? Are we willing to re-think how our current desire for independent mobility ripples through the rest of our social and environmental world? Are we willing to relinquish some present-day personal convenience and freedom for a healthier future? And are we willing to seek out and invest in sustainable alternatives? Perhaps the goal of revolutionizing our mobility-needs seems out of reach, or entirely unfeasible.<br />
<br />
But I encourage people to tear down those normative boundaries of what is possible, and what is permissible. And even if you do not agree with my hypothetical vision of transport alternatives, I encourage you to come up with your own vision for more sustainable methods of mobility. I encourage you to dream.<br />
<br />
-Michelle McLean<br />
<br />Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-39350402150140814262015-02-24T20:01:00.000-07:002015-02-24T20:01:02.694-07:00Student Blog #4: An Unexpected Combination: torture tactics and celebrity worshipEarlier this week, an <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/if-amal-clooney-wins-the-hooded-man-case-the-embarrassment-for-the-uk-would-be-huge-10044980.html" target="_blank">article appeared </a>on The Independent United Kingdom with the headline “If Amal Clooney wins the 'Hooded Man' case, the embarrassment for the UK would be huge” and featured a large photo of a very stern and intimidating looking Amal Clooney. This article is about the case of the Irish “hooded men” who state that they were tortured 1971 by authorities in a British Army camp. As someone going to law school in the fall, the article peaked my interest and left me with two interesting takeaways.<br />
<br />
First, regardless of the outcome of this particular case, it is very important for a number of reasons. The decision will further define what is considered ‘torture’ and what is considered ‘inhuman and degrading treatment’ in international law. There is currently a large grey area between the two legal concepts and the more that cases like this call for a distinction, the more precedent is set for the future. A clearer definition of torture will not abolish it all together – it very well could push it further into hiding – but it would still force lawmakers to be explicit and not rely on legal or political grey area to avoid prosecution.<br />
<br />
If the legal team representing the surviving men are successful, it will also have grave implications for the UK. Proving the British government lied in the court of law and engaged in torture tactics against Irish citizens will not bode well for what has historically been a turbulent relationship. Any discussion around torture tactics calls into question notions of the common good and whether or not there can be a version of it that allows the blatant disregard for basic human rights. Further, if torture tactics were considered to me permissible within the common good, would the governments be nervous to be associated with these types of actions?<br />
<br />
Finally, as a sociology major, I found the framing of this article to be particularly interesting. Amal Clooney is an incredibly successful human rights lawyer that anyone living a privileged life likely has not heard of. Yet, she became known in the media when she married Hollywood actor George Clooney. Suddenly, everything she does makes headlines. This is not necessarily a bad thing – she is doing amazing work and deserves airtime over some other things I see regularly – but it is an interesting change. It invokes many commentaries on our society, from celebrity worship to the fact that a successful woman did not receive wide public recognition until she married a famous man. Even this specific legal case – which has been in the works for some time – did not receive wide media attention in North America until Amal Clooney joined the legal team. More importantly, in the article she was constantly referred to as “Amal Clooney and the rest of the hooded men’s legal team” as if she has been leading it since the beginning. Based on her celebrity, she has become the figurehead of this case, despite only recently joining the legal team. Why was the article photo not of the men at the center of the case? Would this article have reached me in Canada before Amal Alamuddin became Amal Clooney? It is hard to say. What is important is to consider these socially constructed undertones in the media and keep what is important at the centre of our analysis: striving for a better understanding of the common good and ensuring justice for those people victimized by the state.<br />
<br />
-Justine Shenher<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-49739006676866357152015-02-24T06:31:00.002-07:002015-02-24T06:35:18.252-07:00Greece, Syriza and the "Grexit"If you are not following the situation in Greece, you are missing one of the most important political and economic events since the great recession in 2008. The election of Syriza in the last Greek election was a clear demonstration by the Greek people against the austerity provisions imposed by the Eurozone. Since the election, Syriza has been in intense negotiations to get a new deal on its outstanding financial obligations to the Eurozone. So far, Germany has relented (which Phillipe LeGrain at Foreign Policy has described as outright <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/02/19/greece-should-not-give-in-to-germanys-bullying-euro-syriza-merkel-varoufakis/" target="_blank">bullying</a>) and Greece (and Syriza) are in a bind. You can read about those tensions between democracy and globalization by the great Leo Panitch <a href="https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/02/syriza-interview-leo-panitch-solidarity/" target="_blank">here</a>. The people at the Socialist Project have put together a great Hot Topics tab on Greece <a href="http://www.socialistproject.ca/inthenews/hottopics.php?t=10.2" target="_blank">here</a>. So what do you think, should Greece leave the <a href="https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/02/grexit-debate-syriza-eurozone-lapvistas/" target="_blank">Eurozone</a>? What would be the implications of such a move?Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-48861962716243204662015-02-21T14:20:00.002-07:002015-02-21T14:20:43.385-07:00Malcolm XToday is the fiftieth anniversary of Malcolm X's death. Looking at the twentieth century it is difficult to find a more inspiring leader rallying against the forces of oppression in the name of social justice. In the words of <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/21/malcolm-x-killed-50-anniversary-work-lives-on" target="_blank">Zaheer Ali </a><i>"Malcolm X wielded history like a sword in his verbal assaults on American racism and European colonialism. He understood that a nation is first founded, not on land, but on the stories that it tells — and silences — to justify its existence." </i>Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-74707306044322459802015-02-19T08:49:00.000-07:002015-02-19T08:52:43.097-07:00World Day of Social JusticeFriday, February 20 is the United Nations Day for Social Justice. It seems only fitting to discuss this important day here. This year's theme is <a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/socialjusticeday/" target="_blank">Ending Human Trafficking and Forced Labour</a>. The UN defines forced labour as:<br />
<br />
<i>"takes different forms, including debt bondage, trafficking and other forms of modern slavery. The victims are the most vulnerable – women and girls forced into prostitution, migrants trapped in debt bondage, and sweatshop or farm workers kept there by clearly illegal tactics and paid little or nothing. </i><i>In June 2014, governments, employers and workers at the ILO International Labour Conference (ILC) decided to give new impetus to the global fight against forced labour, including trafficking in persons and slavery-like practices."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The importance of ending forced labour and modern slavery is essential to a just and good society. Clearly this is a topic that should concern us all. The Government of Canada has a <a href="https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/ntnl-ctn-pln-cmbt/index-eng.aspx" target="_blank">National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking</a>. The Official Opposition's Isabelle Morin has also released this <a href="http://isabellemorin.ndp.ca/humantrafficking" target="_blank">resource</a> on the issue. What do you think of the Government of Canada's plan? Does it address the issues raised by the UN? Are there limitations? <br />
<br />
Going forward, I think the UN's definition of social justice is something worth repeating here:<br />
<br />
<i>"Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
These are important principles and really centre our attention on how social justice can guide our political consciousness. <i> </i>Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-15107119555794853132015-02-18T07:49:00.001-07:002015-02-18T07:49:12.729-07:00UkraineThere can be no greater threat to justice than war. War is the breakdown of all that is just or good in the world. That being the case, the situation in the Ukraine is troubling. The calls for war from separatists, the intrusion of Russia into the Ukraine and NATO's ever eastward push are all concerning. You can read about the breakdown of the latest ceasefire attempt <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/18/us-accuses-russia-of-breaching-ukraine-ceasefire?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2" target="_blank">here</a>. Needless to say, the situation in the Ukraine will need to be watched closely. One hopes that cooler heads will prevail and that all sides can come to mutual resolution that respects sovereign borders and peace.Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-13204061294310481232015-02-11T15:57:00.003-07:002015-02-11T15:57:40.470-07:00Resources in Social JusticeStudents always have questions about where to access resources for the study of social justice and the common good. It is difficult to navigate all the resources available and depending on topic it can really seem overwhelming. Thus, I'll try and regularly update suggestions for some good resources. Here are a few that I regularly examine: <div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://brock.scholarsportal.info/journals/index.php/SSJ/index" target="_blank">Studies in Social Justice:</a> An open access journal with a ton of great articles. Definitely worth a look. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.socialistproject.ca/" target="_blank">Socialist Project: </a>An eclectic mixture of current events, scholarly pieces and expert commentators on a host of progressive issues. Check out their Hot Topics tabs and the Bullet for expert commentary.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.lltjournal.ca/index.php/llt" target="_blank">Labour/Le Travail:</a> One of Canada's most progressive journals on labour history and working class politics. </li>
</ul>
<div>
What would you add to this list? There are of course hundreds. Let me know and I'll post regularly. </div>
</div>
Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-3298956292026514082015-02-11T08:55:00.001-07:002015-02-11T08:56:45.028-07:00Idle No More and grassroots justice movementsProbably one of the most important social movements in the past three years has been Idle No More. Dedicated to building Indigenous grassroots struggles, Idle No More has raised awareness of Indigenous issues and pushed for a more inclusive anti-colonial politics across Canada and the world. Read more about the <a href="http://www.idlenomore.ca/inmroots2" target="_blank">Idle No More </a>movement here. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Idle No More newsletter is also very informative. Here is an excerpt from the website:<br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">"The goal of the #INMroots newsletter is to share news stories that promote Indigenous rights and sovereignty and the protection of land and water. The newsletter will share our stories, actions, and honour resistance while celebrating the world that we are protecting."</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Take a look. What do you think are the most important struggle for Idle No More in the year to come? </div>
</div>
Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-12862897650948005202015-02-09T15:05:00.002-07:002015-02-09T15:06:43.573-07:00Student Blog #3:The education system under nondemocratic rule<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
The education system
under nondemocratic rule<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
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Having grown up in a country that used to be under an
authoritarian government for almost 20 years, I have come to see how the
arguments given by Jeff Noonan can be related to countries like Chile. Why and
how does a country have a totalitarian government for so many years? Why do
people not revolt against an autocratic ruler or the nondemocratic military
rule? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Those are the kind of questions I asked myself when my high school
history teachers discussed how the military government rose to power in Chile
in 1973. Teachers sometimes provided bias answers to these questions based on
how they and their families were affected by the military government. Until now
I have not been able to fully understand and answer these questions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the past month, Jeff Noonan’s book Materialist
Ethics and Life-Value provided me with some really good answers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
First of all, Noonan (2012) notes that education is a primary
way in which citizens of a country learn “how to test and then go beyond
established limits” (69). I believe this argument allows me to answer the two
questions I proposed at the beginning. First, during the Pinochet years, civic
classes were prohibited in all schools and the history of the country was
taught until the 1950s, right before the country started moving towards
electing socialist governments. Almost everything was taught under the vision
that capitalism was a superior system to communism and the USSR were an evil
that needed to be stopped. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Second, we later learned of that external forces such as the
United States supported the Pinochet government. As Noonan points out, when a
society is incapable of solving the problems in their own country, countries
like the United States often come to intervene and “help” solve these problems.
However, I see this as what Noonan says: “obey and succeed, challenge and be
destroyed.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1504743302216685882#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>
Given that in the 1970s Chile was under the government of Salvador Allende, a member
of the Socialist Party, the US saw this a threat and, therefore intervened to
remove the elected government of Chile. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Returning to education, if an authoritarian government controls
the education system it prepares people to obey, and therefore, to not be able
to challenge power and authority. In the case of people that challenged the
system, they were tortured, kidnapped or even killed. People were living in
fear, thus they were scared to challenge the government. This led Chile, and
other South American countries to have military governments for many years. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
There are many things that could be said about this topic but I
will leave you this for you to apply the situation to Noonan’s propositions
about liberalism and how the money-value system works. Are people from other
countries being treated as mere instruments for the sake of the ruling power system?
Is there a way to prevent the intervention of other countries? And how does the
education system reinforce a system that allows for such intervention?<o:p></o:p></div>
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-Felipe del Campo-Donoso<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1504743302216685882#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><sup><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> Jeff Noonan, <i>Materialist Ethics and Life-Value</i>,
2012: 159. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-7304744820113799602015-02-09T11:50:00.002-07:002015-02-09T12:15:37.330-07:00Social Justice in the News: Doctor Assisted Suicide and Peace ActivismAlmost daily there are issues in the news that touch on issues of social justice and the common good. Today there are two issues that caught my attention. <br />
<br />
First, <a href="http://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/14637/index.do" target="_blank">was the decision</a> by the Supreme Court of Canada on Friday about the complex issue of doctor assisted suicide. There are no clear answers to this question, but the Supreme Court has placed the issue firmly into the public domain. The CBC has done some good reporting on this issue <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/supreme-court-says-yes-to-doctor-assisted-suicide-in-specific-cases-1.2947487" target="_blank">here</a>. National Post columnist Andrew Coyne has written a <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/06/andrew-coyne-crossing-the-rubicon-supreme-court-seems-eerily-complacent-about-ramifications-of-assisted-suicide-ruling/" target="_blank">very good column</a> questioning where the Supreme Court decision will likely lead. Spiritual leaders have weighed in with some very important questions pertaining to how doctor assisted suicide challenges the <a href="http://www.thestarphoenix.com/health/Saskatoon+bishop+disappointed+assisted+suicide+ruling/10796496/story.html" target="_blank">common good.</a> Meanwhile the social movement <a href="http://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/resources/blog_news/post/1302.php" target="_blank">Dying with Dignity </a>has defended the decision and outlined some of the important issues moving forward. Also, the <a href="http://ckom.com/johngormleylive" target="_blank">John Gormley show </a>(podcast) had a very good discussion (with Saskatchewan callers weighing in) on the importance and challenges arising from the decision. If you see other viewpoints, please let me know and I'll post them here.<br />
<br />
The second issue arose right here in Saskatchewan. A group of peace activists with <a href="http://peacequest.ca/" target="_blank">Peace Quest</a> are marching on the provincial legislature today demanding an end to school programs that give educational credit for military training. You can read about that <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/peace-groups-gathering-today-at-sask-legislature-1.2950041" target="_blank">here</a>. Where do you stand on this question? Does military training in high school curricula contribute to the common good? Or does it violate principles of social justice?<br />
Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504743302216685882.post-61105030207016154032015-02-04T20:58:00.000-07:002015-02-04T21:12:06.497-07:00The Right to Strike and the Charter's Notwithstanding Clause What a busy few days in Saskatchewan politics. On Friday, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Saskatchewan government's essential services bill violated freedom of association rights in the <a href="http://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/14610/index.do" target="_blank">Charter of Rights</a>. In coming to that conclusion, the Supreme Court ruled that there is a constitutional right to strike. You can read my early thoughts <a href="http://rankandfile.ca/2015/02/03/the-politics-of-the-constitutional-right-to-strike/" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
<br />
In response to the SCC's decision, today the premier of Saskatchewan <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/brad-wall-open-to-using-notwithstanding-clause-over-labour-ruling-1.2945304" target="_blank">floated the idea</a> of using s. 33 of the Charter to override that decision and keep his unconstitutional bill. This raises some interesting questions about the politics of human rights and justice in the Canadian context. A few early thoughts.<br />
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<b>Section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms</b><br />
<br />
For those who have never heard of s. 33 of the Charter, you're probably in good company. The reason for that is that it has hardly ever been used. <a href="http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-15.html" target="_blank">S. 33, or the Notwithstanding Clause</a>, was inserted in the Charter during the negotiations of the constitution in 1981-1982. The clause came to read as follows:<br />
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<strong>33.</strong> (1) Parliament or the legislature of a province may expressly declare in an Act of Parliament or of the legislature, as the case may be, that the Act or a provision thereof shall operate notwithstanding a provision included in section 2 or sections 7 to 15 of this Charter</div>
</li>
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In essence, the clause allows any government in Canada to override a judicial decision that strikes down legislation if it violates the fundamental freedoms in s. 2 (religion, expression, assembly or association) s. 7-14 (the legal rights) or s. 15 (equality rights). <a href="http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/LOP/ResearchPublications/bp194-e.htm" target="_blank">By all accounts</a>, Prime Minister Trudeau hated the notwithstanding clause but he compromised in order to entrench the Charter in the constitution. Those pushing for s. 33 included Saskatchewan NDP Premier Allan Blakeney and Manitoba Conservative Premier Sterling Lyon both of whom were concerned about the erosion of Parliamentary sovereignty by so-called "activist" judges. The premiers won this struggle and s. 33 was entrenched in the constitution.<br />
<br />
There were early signs that s. 33 might be used aggressively. Stung by its defeat in opposing the constitution in the first place, the Parti Quebecois government of Rene Levesque immediately returned to Quebec City and imposed s. 33 on every provincial law passed by the National Assembly. Quebec used it again in 1988 when the Supreme Court<a href="https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/384/index.do" target="_blank"> overturned Bill 101</a>, the <i>Charter of the French Language</i>. <br />
<br />
Outside of Quebec, the Conservative government of Grant Devine also chose to use s. 33 in order to maintain back-to-work legislation against striking dairy workers. Unlike in Quebec, however, Devine used s. 33 proactively before the case went to court. In other words, Devine stacked the rules of the game in his favour by stating his legislation would stand no matter what the courts did. In the end, Devine's draconian tactic proved unnecessary as the Supreme Court concluded in the 1987 "labour trilogy" that there was no constitutional right to strike.<br />
<br />
Although there were a few minor examples of governments using s. 33, the Quebec and Saskatchewan examples remain the most prominent and both occurred in the early days of Charter jurisprudence. By the early 1990s, few government's were willing to risk being seen as overriding the fundamental rights of Canadians. To date, it has never been used by the federal government.<br />
<br />
<b>To Use or Not to Use s. 33</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Premier's Wall's musing on using s. 33 to overturn the Supreme Court's decision on the constitutional right to strike has certainly set off stirring debate about his legitimacy to do so. Yet, he certainly has the legal and constitutional authority to use the clause. Whether one likes it or not, s. 33 remains as much a part of the Charter as any other section. At its roots, s. 33 remains a tool to balance decisions of the Supreme Court against the democratic will of Legislature. <br />
<br />
That being the case, any objection to the premier's use of s. 33 is not legal or constitutional but political. By floating the idea of using s. 33, the premier is also taking a political position in opposition to the collective rights of workers' to strike. He is doing so because he believes he is defending the safety of the public. In taking that position, he is very much following in the footsteps of Saskatchewan's last Conservative premier who took similar steps in opposing workers' right to strike.<br />
<br />
The problem, as I see it, is that the premier is using an unpopular tool to sidestep what really was a moderate remedy from the Supreme Court. To be sure, the court did constitutionalize a right to strike. That has ramifications beyond Saskatchewan and will continue whether the premier uses s. 33 or not. But what the court also said in <i>SFL v. Saskatchewan </i>was that the province could maintain essential services legislation but not one as restrictive as the one passed in 2007. If the government wishes to maintain an essential services bill, all it needs to do is sit down with the unions bargain a new one. S. 33 is simply unnecessary. <br />
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<b>Final thoughts</b><br />
<br />
The right to strike is now a constitutional right beyond the reach of any one government in Canada. While he has the legal ability to do so, it is unclear why the premier continues to run roughshod over the rights of workers. There are certainly better ways to achieve legislative objectives without reverting to an unpopular constitutional clause that will achieve little.<br />
<br />
<br />Professor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674504542498469042noreply@blogger.com1