245 knowledge if it is presented with activities that emphasize aesthetic resources.
However, no one of course can ever hope to address all of the unique cognitive and socio-cognitive dispositions of every single pupil, nor am I claiming that what
is outlined in the following section will even work in circumventing the socio- cognitive filters that I observed in my youth participants. What is offered, is
simply a modest, largely provisional, and scattershot approach.
8.5 Sample Course: A Socio-Cognitive Approach
Area: Social StudiesCivicsPolitics Suggested Ages: 13-18
Length of time needed: approximately 10-15 hours. Materials Required: Access to YouTube and Google Video, television or projector
that is attached to an Internet connection, construction paper, markers. Concepts Taught: Neoliberal Globalization, Capitalism, Political-Economic
Systems, Content Analysis, Welfare, Human Nature.
Course Title: Shoes, Sweatshops, and Democracy Anticipatory Set: In order to effectively engage students with the following
material, it is essential that the teacher: Reviews contemporary introductory neuroscience articles on human
empathy and co-operation. Suggested readings include Gary Olson ’s
2008. We Empathize, Therefore We Are: Toward A Moral Neuropolitics, and Engemman et al., 2012 Games People Play-toward an enactive view
of co-operation in social neuroscience. Reviews contemporary articles on democratic workplace organizations and
practices. Suggested readings and specific examples can be obtained from http:www.worldblu.com
. Review contemporary articles on alternative economic frameworks, e.g.,
participatory economics. Suggested readings and information can be obtained from
http:www.zcommunications.orgzpareconparecon.htm .
Reviews some specific aspects of the contemporary welfarebenefitspublic policies of their respective national settings. Suggested readings for UK
teachers can be obtained from http:www.taxresearch.org.uk
. US teachers
246 can obtain information from http:www.ips-dc.org, and from current
articles on welfare by Frances Fox Piven.
Objectives: By the end of this course, students should be able to: Express a fundamental understanding on how to dissect media texts,
e.g., by being able to conduct a basic content analysis. Connect some of their socio-cultural practices like material and media
consumption, to larger political-economic concerns and consequences. Tell the difference between liberal and authoritarian neoliberalism,
Keynesian social-democracy, and democratic and authoritarian socialism, and representative and direct democracy.
Express a fundamental understanding of the various conceptions of human nature, and how these feed into conceptions of political-
economic organization.
Purpose: 1.
To help students develop a comprehensive understanding of existing political-economic modes and their implications and outcomes, and
potential alternatives. Additionally, to help students form connections between their socio-cultural practices and the larger political-economic
consequences of those practices. 2.
To attempt to bring out any fatalistic, apathetic, apolitical, uncritical, and self-interested dispositions, and to help foster critical, political, empathetic,
and co-operative dispositions that can take their place.
Input and Check for Understanding: The teacher will employ in depth Socratic questioning throughout this lesson and
activity to ensure that students understand the various concepts and problems being discussed.
Suggested activities: 1.
At the beginning of the first lesson, the teacher will take a poll asking students to vote on contemporary popular songs that they are currently
247 listening to. The only requisite is that the songs must include lyrics,
specifically those valorising materialism and consumption most of which can be accessed from the Billboard top 40 website. After a democratic
process, the two or three most popular songs agreed upon by majority of the students, will have their corresponding official music video accessed
on YouTube. 2.
Split the classroom into small groups of 3-4 students per group. Inform them that their task is to perform a content analysis of each song. This will
entail playing each song, and having students analyze both the types of images being displayed and the types of messages that are being overtly
expressed by the lyrics. Have the students write down their observations and then discuss them within their groups. Play the songs as many times as
necessary. The teacher should take care to prompt students to think about the more implicit messages of each song.
3. After a discussion on the materialistic and consumerist messages that have
been extracted, have students discuss whether they believe that these songs influence what they buy. The teacher should take care to prompt students
to think deeply about their consumption practices and their corresponding beliefs.
4. The teacher will then show the short documentary
The Story of Stuff
, and ask students what they think about it.
5. Key Activity After the discussion from step 4, the teacher will break up
the classroom into different small groups. During this activity the teacher will tell the students to pretend that they are now employees making Nike
shoes and that the teacher is now the boss. The teacherboss using pairs of shoes as props students can volunteer theirs, will point to different parts
of the shoe, and tell each group that they are responsible for assembling each component part. Next, the teacher should ask students how much time
they think that they should have to assemble each piece, and how much they think they are going to get paid, and supplant student responses with
correct information. Note, this information can be obtained from http:www.globallabourrights.org
. 6.
Each group is then given a different scenario e.g., pregnancy, sudden death of a family member, or an illness, and then expected to come up with ways
248 to convince the boss for time off or more money. Note: at this crucial
juncture it is impe rative that the teacher rejects all the students’ pleas, and
attempts as much as possible to get a strong affective reaction out of them. 7.
Have students discuss how these existing labour practices made them feel, and why they think that such practices are so rampant and accepted. Next
have an in depth lesson and discussion on some of the basic structural imperatives and characteristics of neoliberal globalization and capitalism.
At this juncture, the teacher should prompt students to ask themselves, is this the only way, and why?
8. Introduce students to competing political-economic systems and models,
including Keynesian Social Democracy with an emphasis on welfare and contemporary welfare policies, and democratic and authoritarian forms of
socialism. The teacher should take care to show students comprehensive examples of each. Note, when discussing Neoliberalism and Keynesian
Social Democracy, in depth lessons on welfare policies must be discussed. The teacher should attempt to bring out student’s conceptions of welfare,
and address as many misconceptions as possible by providing them with factual information. Moreover, the teacher must take care to get students
to understand the differences between political systems, e.g., authoritarian, representative, democratic, and their overlap with economic systems, e.g.,
capitalism, socialism, mixed-economies. 9.
Introduce students to alternative labour practices. This can be facilitated by showing documentaries like the
The Take,
as well as short and accessible descriptions of Parecon as theorized by Michael Albert and Robin Handel.
After this, ask students to think about which political-economic system most reflects these labour practices.
10. Break students into different small groups and get them to think about
what type of workplace they would like to work in. As the teacher, you should not push one way or the other, but rather have students debate and
discuss amongst themselves, and write down a comprehensive work-lay out including types of management structures, pay, and division of labour,
and their rationale for this set-up. Next have the group discuss the merits of each others’ work lay outs.
249 11.
Break up students into different small groups, and have them discuss which political-economic system they would prefer to implement and live
under and why. Have them debate the merits of their preferred systems with the other groups, and think about what the possible impediments to
implementing them might be. The teacher should ensure a respectful and tolerant exchange of ideas and opinions, while at the same time ensuring
that all students get an equal chance to voice their views. 12.
Have in depth discussions, supported by empirical studies, on the various conceptions and dimensions of human nature.
13. Break up students into different small groups, and have them once again,
in light of the discussion on human nature, discuss what form of political- economic system they would like, and believe is feasible.
14. Finally, break up students into different small groups. Next, play random
songs from the Billboard top 40, and get students to dissect them for their ideological content. Get students to answer the following questions:
a. What are the messages of these songs?
b. Whose interests are these songs promoting?
c. What political-economic ideology do these songs reflect?
Please note that it is the teachers’ job as a facilitator of knowledge to present factual and empirically validated information in an objective a mode as possible,
while helping students to question their deep-seated beliefs, emotions, attitudes, and practices. The teacher should at all points avoid displaying or otherwise
expressing an open political preference, and allow for each student to make up their own mind on political positions. However, the teacher should also emphasize
and point out to students the many local and international organizations that are working on issues of poverty, labour rights, human rights, environmentalism etc.
8.6 End Thoughts:
