Foreign aid and the fight against poverty

This workshop will investigate the global fight against poverty through the lens of Western foreign aid. By examining societal misconceptions around global development, mainstream anti-poverty movements, unequal power relations and neo-colonialism, the workshop will give students the opportunity to learn more about the world of global philanthropy and will encourage them to question the role of foreign aid in alleviating or perpetuating extreme poverty in developing countries. 

Curriculum learning objectives: 

• Explain how various socioeconomic conditions (e.g., international competition, prejudice, unfavourable economic conditions, military occupation/rule) and structures (e.g., the welfare system, public health and education, non-profit social service organizations) operate to increase, entrench or alleviate poverty. 
• Explain how individual and systemic factors (e.g., fear, greed, isolation, pressure to conform, poverty, individual and systemic discrimination) can cause or perpetuate inequity and social justice. 
• Analyze how social and cultural belief systems can affect perspectives and decisions on equity and social justice issues (e.g., one’s position on land development/resource exploitation versus the preservation of sites sacred to Indigenous people; Islamic law [Sharia], Jewish law [Halakhah] versus a single system of family law in Canada; individual responsibility versus social responsibility). 
• Analyze stereotypes found in media and popular culture, and assess their effects. 
• Understand the various ways in which media and popular culture can be used to raise awareness of equity and social justice issues (e.g., how popular music, feature films, documentaries, photographs and the Internet can raise social awareness). 
• Explain how power and privilege operate in various Canadian social, economic and political contexts (e.g., in the arts, education, publishing, community organizations, professional sports, financial institutions, the labour market, the media, government). 
• Describe how various social groups have created effective coalitions to achieve significant equity and social justice objectives (e.g., the Ontario Coalition for Social Justice, the World Social Forum, the Equal Pay Coalition, the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions).

Related Courses:

• General Social Sciences: HSP3U, HSB4U
• Equity Studies: HSE4M, HSC4M
• Politics: CPW4U
• Law: CLN4U
• Interdisciplinary Studies: IDC3O, IDP3O, IDC4U, IDP4U

How Feminist Movements use Social Networks (available in French only)

In your opinion, what role do social networks play in the struggle for women’s rights? Are you aware of any major feminist causes promoted through social media? How have these causes fared? How do you feel about the idea of feminist influencers? Do feminist accounts on social media encounter obstacles? 

This workshop will feature interactive activities that will help you understand the important role that social networks play in mobilizing feminists. Using recent, specific examples, we will evaluate the contribution of social networks to feminism. We will also explore the difficulties and challenges of online feminism and suggest possible solutions. 

Curriculum learning objectives: 

• Understand online feminism and the work of feminist influencers. 
• Analyze the power relations between feminists and anti-feminists online. 
• Evaluate the impact of social media on issues related to equality between men and women. 
• Analyze the position of advertisers on the use of platforms to advance issues related to women’s rights.

Related Courses 

• General Social Sciences: HSG3M, HSP3U, HSB4U
• Equity Studies: HSE4M, HSC4M
• Media Studies: EMS3O
• Interdisciplinary Studies: IDC3O, IDP3O, IDC4U, IDP4U