Civics and Citizenship Textbook: Power and Privilege Work

Power and privilege can lead to injustice

Read pages 24-27 of your textbook and complete the following work:

1. What is power?
Power is about influencing and changing. It is also an ability to finish things up.

2. What is hard power? Give an example from your life.

Hard power is when you are forced, or you force someone to do something out of threat or
fear.

Example: my mom telling me to clean my room

3. What is soft power? Give an example from your life.

soft power involves shaping the preferences of others through appeal and attraction.

5. Fill in the chart below using the information on page 25.

Term Definition Example from your life

Authority he power or right to give orders,
make decisions, and enforce
obedience.
Reward a thing given in recognition of one's
service, effort, or achievement.
Force make (someone) do something
against their will.
Interaction with a police
officer
When I won 10th place in a
cup stacking contest in grade
3 out of 300 students.

Knowledge facts, information, and skills When I do extra curricular

acquired by a person through activities other than school
experience or education; the
theoretical or practical
understanding of a subject.

1
 Respect a feeling of deep admiration for When working in groups
someone or something elicited by
their abilities, qualities, or
achievements.

7. Of the sources of power above, which is the most important in your life?

Knowledge is the most important because knowledge is action. Without taking action, knowledge
simply becomes more knowledge . If you are accumulating knowledge just for the sake of knowing it,
what impact are you making? Reading a book can give you great input and expand your knowledge
base

8. Of the sources of power above, which is the most important in society?

It is vital to be valued by others because it allows us to feel comfortable and express
ourselves. Respect means that even if they're different or you don't agree with them you
support others for who they are. Respect builds trust, protection and well-being in your
relationships.
9. Of the sources of power above, which is the most important to a government?
Authority can be used to safeguard our rights to life, freedom and property. Authority should
be used to ensure peace and safety in the life of people. Major rights and freedoms may be
secured by authority.
10. What is the formula for active citizenship? How do you think you can become a more
active citizen?

11. Read the three quotes in black boxes on page 25. Write 3-5 sentences giving your opinion
on the quote. Do you think it is true or false? Think of an example which shows the quote
to be true (or false).

12. Answer questions #1-3 on page 25.

13. What is privilege?

14. What is an earned privilege? What is an unearned privilege?

15. Look at Source 3 – How does this diagram reflect Canada today? List three or four groups
that fit into the “everyone else” part of the diagram in Canadian society.

16. Look at the cartoon in Source 4. What kind of privilege is shown in this cartoon?

17. What are the consequences of under privilege? What areas of people’s lives can be
impacted?

18. Look at Source 5. What do you think a ‘continuing cycle of under privilege is? Why might
the disadvantages listed in the source lead to a continuing cycle of under privilege?

19. Read Source 6. What can and should be done to ensure people with disabilities in Canada
2
 are given more opportunities?

20. What privileges do you and your friends and family enjoy? Identify which ones are earned
privileges and which ones are unearned privileges.

21. Has power and privilege led to injustice in your life – for you or for others in your life?

22. Watch the following short video on a “privilege walk”:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzubW6e4P6g
We are not going to do an actual privilege walk, but we are going to look at things that add to
or take away from our privilege.

 Read the following statements about privilege. In the space provided indicate whether
or not you take a step forward or a step back. At the end of the statements, count your
total.
Forward:_____
Backword:____

1. If you are right-handed, take one step forward. ______________

2. If English is your first language, take one step forward. ____________
3. If one or both of your parents have a college or university degree, take one step forward.
__________
4. If you can find Band-Aids at mainstream stores designed to blend in with or match your
skin tone, take one step forward. ______________
5. If you rely, or have relied, primarily on public transportation, take one step back.
___________
6. If you have attended previous schools with people you felt were like yourself, take one
step forward. _______________
7. If you constantly feel unsafe walking alone at night, take one step back. ______________
8. If your household employs a cleaning service, people to shovel the snow or cut the law
etc., take one step forward. __________________
9. If you are able to move through the world without fear of sexual assault, take one step
forward. ______________
10. If you studied the culture of your ancestors in elementary school, take one step forward.
_______________
11. If you often feel that your parents are too busy to spend time with you, take one step back.
_______________
12. If you were ever made fun of or bullied for something about you that you could not
change or was beyond your control, take one step back. ____________________
13. If your family has ever left your homeland or entered another country not of your own free
will, take one step back. _________________
3
14. If you would never think twice about calling the police when trouble occurs, take one step
forward. ____________________
15. If your family owns a computer with a working printer and other devices, take one step
forward. ________________
16. If you have ever been able to play a significant role in a project or activity because of a
talent you gained previously, take one step forward. ___________________
17. If you can show affection for your romantic partner in public without fear of ridicule or
violence, take one step forward. ____________________
18. If you ever had to skip a meal or were hungry because there was not enough money to buy
food, take one step back. ____________________
19. If you feel respected for your academic performance, take one step forward.
________________
20. If you have a physically visible disability, take one step back. __________________
21. If you have an invisible illness or disability, take one step back. ____________________
22. If you were ever discouraged from an activity because of race, class, ethnicity, gender,
disability, or sexual orientation, take one step back. _________________
23. If you ever tried to change your appearance, mannerisms, slang expressions, or behaviour
to fit in more, take one step back. __________________
24. If you have ever been profiled by someone else using stereotypes, take one step back.
___________________
25. If you feel good about how your identities are portrayed by the media, take one step
forward. ____________________
26. If you were ever accepted for something you applied to because of your association with a
friend or family member, take one step forward. ___________________
27. If your family has health benefits, like paying for prescription drugs, visits to the dentist
and glasses, take one step forward. ________________________
28. If you have ever been spoken over because you could not articulate your thoughts fast
enough, take one step back. _____________________
29. If someone has ever spoken for you when you did not want them to do so, take one step
back. ________________
30. If there was ever substance abuse in your household, take one step back. ______________
31. If you come from a single-parent household, take one step back. _________________
32. If you live in an area with increased crime and drug activity, take one step back.
_____________
33. If someone in your household suffered or suffers from mental illness, take one step back.
________________
34. If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, take one step back. __________________

4
 35. If you were ever uncomfortable about a joke related to your race, religion, ethnicity,
gender, disability, or sexual orientation but felt unsafe to confront the situation, take one
step back. ___________________
36. If you are never asked to speak on behalf of a group of people who share an identity with
you, take one step forward. _______________
37. If you can make mistakes and not have people attribute your behaviour to flaws in your
racial or gender group, take one step forward. _____________________
38. If you have always assumed you’ll go to college or university, take one step forward.
_______________
39. If you have more than fifty books in your household, take one step forward.
__________________
40. If your parents have told you that you can be anything you want to be, take one step
forward. _________________

Total number of steps forward: ______25___________

Total number of steps back: ________15___________

23. What do you think? Are you privileged? Explain your response.

24. Watch the following short video on YouTube:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KlmvmuxzYE

Do you think this exercise was an effective way to teach about privilege?

Yes, this was a successful practice, since students had determined whether they would be
privileged or disadvantageous to place themselves in class. It had also shown that the wealthy
were not concerned with the disadvantaged.

Why do you think the students at the front did not question the fairness of the exercise? What
does this tell you about people with power and privilege in our society? Explain your response
in a paragraph of at least 5-7 sentences.

The students before the class did not doubt equality because the paper ball could be easier in
the jar for them. Basically, that means you're greedy, and nobody behind you cares if you
have an opportunity. The more fortunate people do not know it, it teaches us. Just a few
people in the back could keep up with the privileged, whether the paper ball was nice or lucky.
I think there will be no difference between these two classes if rich people begin to support
disadvantaged people.