Activism and Alternative Futures

Question 1

Social activists

Answer 1

People who try to change the way that society functions or treats specific groups in order to create more equal conditions

Question 2

Two types of activists

Answer 2

There are two types of activists: self-interested individuals who will directly benefit from the societal change and benevolent individuals who will not necessarily benefit from the change directly

Question 3

Anger

Answer 3

• A function of anger is to correct injustices and to communicate these frustrations with those who are the cause of them, often people who are in positions of power and authority
• Anger is meant to produce change and work towards a solution, not to just be irrational or unproductive
• Multi-generational anger occurs when a group of people experience anger as a result of wrongs that have accumulated from past generations
• Anger is often not taken seriously by politicians because they see it as being irrational and unproductive, but dismissing claims reinforces norms and injustices within society

Question 4

What are the 4 groups within activism?

Answer 4

1. The activist group which feels strong anger and a strong desire to create social change
2. The empowered group feels low levels of anger but a strong desire to create social change
3. Angry audiences have strong feelings of anger and a weak desire to promote change
4. The disinterested group has weak feelings of anger and a weak desire to create change which results in no action

Question 5

Structural violence and inequalities

Answer 5

• Structural violence is any constraint on human potential as a result of economic and political structures
• Structural inequalities and violence often go unnoticed because they are long-standing and have become normalized within society

Question 6

Petroculture

Answer 6

• The concept that oil is one of the driving forces behind our Canadian economy and has had a huge impact on democracy
• There is a strong and negative relationship between oil and democracy, particularly in relation to power structures

Question 7

Neoliberalism

Answer 7

Focused on the privatisation of the economic sphere and declining regulation of the state

Question 8

Developmental liberalism

Answer 8

Has ended democracy by providing the conditions for our economy to grow through the abuse of power and privatization of social services

Question 9

Staples theory

Answer 9

Explores the way that specific policies contribute to the political economy of a country

Question 10

Petro-State

Answer 10

• A country that is rich in oil where only a few people benefit from the profit and have all the wealth and power
• Canada is one of the top oil-producing countries in the world which has led to increased inequalities as the rich get richer and the middle class shrinks

Question 11

The capability approach

Answer 11

Helps turn resources into valuable outcomes

Question 12

Intergenerational income

Answer 12

Creates a gap in wealth distribution which is reinforced by tax policies

Question 13

Rights talk

Answer 13

A type of communication that places responsibility on the law and courts to resolve injustices

Question 14

Participatory democracy

Answer 14

• The idea that decisions should be made based on shared ideas and experiences, not just the beliefs and opinions of those in power
• For example, in Brazil, the Workers Party created a participatory budget which allowed citizens to choose how to spend and distribute the money and be involved in decisions at a municipal level
• gives minorities and lower class a voice in the community