CIVICS FOR DEMOCRACY

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CIVICS FOR DEMOCRACY

• You Have
• The Power to Produce an Effect.
• You Have
• EFFICACY!

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Profiles of Students in Action(Readings from
Civics for Democracy text)

• Saving Whats Left (high school)
• Channel One Boycott (high school)
• Energy Patrols in Washington, D.C. (elementary
  school)
• Public Interest Research Groups (college)
• Polystyrene Foam Ban in New Jersey (high school)
• Study Group Report on Nursing Homes (high school)
• Utah Pupils Fight Toxic Waste (intermediate
  grades-4-5-6)

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A History of Social Movements (Readings from
Civics for Democracy text)

• Civil Rights pp.17 - 51
• Labor Movement pp. 55 - 81
• Women's Rights pp. 85 - 111
• Consumer Movement pp. 113 - 135
• Environmental Movement pp. 137 - 151

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A History of Social Movements (Answer these
questions from your readings from the Civics for
Democracy text)

• Which social movement are you reporting on?
  Describe the movement.  
• What were the historical and/or social events
  that led to the movement?
• Who were some of the leaders of this movement?
• How did the leaders get started in the movement?
• What opposition did people in the movement face?
  How did they handle this opposition?
• What were the results of the movement?
• What lasting effects did this movement have on
  American society?
• Would you support the efforts of this movement
  today? Why or why not?

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Acronyms to know

• PIRG Public Interest Research Group
• PSA Public Service Announcement
• FOIA Freedom of Information Act
• LWV League of Women Voters
• OP-ED Opposite Editorial page

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Recipe/formula for ACCOMPLISHING CHANGE

• Choose 1 issue
• Set Long Range Goals
• Representative of the ideal, model
• may not be attainable!
• Establish Short Range Goals
• These MUST be attainable/recordable
• Delegate responsibility
• Establish ownership of issue
• Confidence building
• Motivational

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Recipe/formula for ACCOMPLISHING CHANGE

• Individual or Group
• / \
• Join? Start own?
• RESEARCH issue/topicthroughout this whole
  processabove AND below
• Think of CONCRETE(solid) ways to work towards
  goals(above)as opposed to abstract
• Visible
• Tangible

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Recipe/formula for ACCOMPLISHING CHANGE

• Offer CONCRETE(solid) solutions
• real, workable solutions
• Attack ROOT of the problem
• Plan Your Strategy
• Develop around concrete ways and solutions
• Choose Appropriate tactics/techniques
• Keyed to accomplishing goals ? CHANGE!

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Techniques for Participation (Readings from
Civics for Democracy text)

• Individual Action
• Examples
• Effectiveness
• Forming a Group/Recruiting supporters
• Citizen Lobby
• Citizen Coalition
• Community Organization

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Techniques for Participation (Readings from
Civics for Democracy text)

• Public Education
• types/effectiveness
• Research
• value/use
• Sources
• "right to know
• F.O.I.A.

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Techniques for Participation (Readings from
Civics for Democracy text)

• Direct Action
• types/effectiveness of each
• Boycott
• Picketing
• demonstrations/protests
• Strikes
• nonviolent civil disobedience
• Citizen Lobbying
• methods/procedure
• effectiveness

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Techniques for Participation (Readings from
Civics for Democracy text)

• Court/Legal Action
• Suits
• Injunctions/Orders
• Small Claims
• Initiative and Referendum
• Definitions
• Differences
• Uses

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Techniques for Participation (Readings from
Civics for Democracy text)

• Use of the Media
• Printed
• Electronic(radio/TV)
• Fundraising
• types
• effectiveness

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REPRESENTATION

• Citizen action can be extremely effective if
  government can be used to enact it. This can
  only happen if the citizen knows whom to contact(
  that is, who is representing him/her).
• Click the title above to see the government
  officials that represent you at all levels of
  government.

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KNOW THESE TERMS

• boycott
• pamphleteering
• initiative
• whistleblowing
• speakers' bureaus
• civil disobedience
• clearinghouse
• demonstration
• lobbying
• referendum
• strike
• coalition

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• "The punishment which the wise suffer who refuse
  to take part in the government, is to live under
  the government of worse men.
• -- Plato