The Individual, Family and Society
THE INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY
Map showing Atlantic slave trade
Colonization
The Commonwealth Caribbean Islands have a
distinctive history. Permanently influenced by the experiences of colonialism
and slavery, the Caribbean has produced a collection of societies that are
markedly different in population composition from those in any other region of
the world.
Lying on the sparsely settled periphery of an
irregularly populated continent, the region was "discovered" by
Christopher Columbus in 1492. Thereafter, it became the springboard for the
European invasion and domination of the Americas, a transformation that
historian D. W. Meinig has aptly described as the "radical reshaping of
America." Beginning with the Spanish and Portuguese and continuing with
the arrival more than a century later of other Europeans, the indigenous
peoples of the Americas experienced a series of upheavals. The European
intrusion abruptly interrupted the pattern of their historical development and
linked them inextricably with the world beyond the Atlantic Ocean. It also
severely altered their physical environment, introducing both new foods and new
epidemic diseases. As a result, the native Indian populations rapidly declined
and virtually disappeared from the Caribbean, although they bequeathed to the
region a distinct cultural heritage that is still seen and felt.
Read more:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/colonialism
The
importance of Brain to the individual
A diagram of the brain
The human brain is the most complex organ in the body.
Composed of 50 to 100 billion neurons, the human brain remains one of the
world's greatest unsolved mysteries. Here we will take a closer look at the
four lobes of the brain to discover more about the location and function of
each lobe.
The brain is divided into four sections, known as lobes (as
shown in the image above). The frontal lobe, occipital lobe, parietal lobe, and
temporal lobe have different locations and functions that support the responses
and actions of the human body. Let's start by identifying where each lobe is
positioned in the brain.
Position of the Lobes
The frontal lobe is the
emotional control center of the brain responsible for forming our personality
and influencing out decisions. The frontal lobe is located at the front of the
central sulcus where it receives information signals from other lobes of the
brain.
The parietal lobe processes
sensory information for cognitive purposes and helps coordinate spatial
relations so we can make sense of the world around us. The parietal lobe
resides in the middle section of the brain behind the central sulcus, above the
occipital lobe.
The temporal lobe is located
on the bottom of the brain below the lateral fissure. This lobe is also the
location of the primary auditory cortex, which is important for interpreting
the sounds and the language we hear.
The occipital lobe is
located at the back portion of the brain behind the parietal and temporal
lobes. The occipital lobe is primarily responsible for processing auditory
information.
Functions of the Lobes
The frontal lobe has many
functions most of which center on regulating social behavior. Here are some of
the important functions of the frontal lobe:
- Cognition, problem solving and reasoning
- Motor skill development
- Parts of speech
- Impulse control
- Spontaneity
- Regulating emotions
- Regulating sexual urges
- Planning
It is more common to injure the frontal lobe than the other
lobes of the brain because the lobe is located at the front of the skull. The
effects of damage to the frontal lobe often result in personality changes,
difficulty controlling sexual urges, and other impulsive and risk-taking
behaviors.
The parietal lobe has
several functions including sensation, perception, and spatial reasoning. This
lobe is responsible for processing sensory information from various parts of
the body. Here are some of the functions of the parietal lobe:
- Sensing pain, pressure, and touch
- Regulating and processing the body's five senses
- Movement and visual orientation
- Speech
- Visual perception and recognition
- Cognition and information processing
Damage to the parietal lobe can result in problems with
spatial reasoning, reading, writing, understanding symbols and language.
Right-sided damage to the parietal area can affect a person's ability to dress
or groom his or herself. While left-sided damage can result in language
disorders and disorders with perception.
The temporal lobe. There are
two temporal lobes located on both sides of the brain that are in close
proximity to the ears. The primary function of the temporal lobes is to
processing auditory sounds. Other functions of the temporal lobe include:
- Since the hippocampus, or part of the brain responsible for transferring short-term memories into long-term memories, is located in the temporal lobe, the temporal lobe helps to form long-term memories and process new information.
- The formation of visual and verbal memories.
- The interpretation of smells and sounds.
The type of impairment that results from damage to the temporal lobe depends on where the damage occurred in the lobe. Temporal lobe damage can lead to difficulty processing auditory sensations and visual perceptions, problems concentrating on visual and/or auditory stimuli, long-term memory problems, changes in personality, and changes in sexual behavior.
The occipital lobe, the smallest of the four lobes, is located near the posterior region of the cerebral cortex, near the back of the skull. The occipital lobe is the primary visual processing center of the brain. Here are some other functions of the occipital lobe:
- Visual-spatial processing
- Movement and color recognition
Since the skull protects the occipital lobe, injury is less
likely to occur. However, severe damage to the occipital lobe can result in a
variety of visual problems including the loss of color recognition, visual
hallucinations or illusions, problems recognizing objects, and difficulty
understanding language.
How Culture Contributes to Human Development
Festival in Guadeloupe
Festival in Martinique
Festival in Jamaica
Culture contributes to human development as it helps to shape the individual and provides something with which he or she can readily identify it is influenced by the past civilizations that are part of our ancestry who we are now. Through culture individuals become patriotic, productive, tolerant, law-abiding, inquiring, wealth oriented, problem solving and conscious. Culture resides in the institutions of family, politics, economics, religion and education
Article Source: Social Studies Essentials for CSEC
Human development occurs over what are described as stages of physical and social growth. Developmental stages are marked by age, and assume a cumulative progression of physical and cognitive abilities, as well as social achievements. However, psychologists and social scientists point out that developmental stages often do not account for the role of culture in human growth. At each stage of human development, culture affects learning, identity, social behavior, and standards for personal achievement.
Read more http://www.ehow.com/info_8355446_cultures-effects-stages-human-development.html
Knowing the history of the Caribbean region goes a long way toward understanding its people. Each island has a unique cultural identity shaped by the European colonialists, the African heritage of slaves, and the enduring legacies of the native Indian tribes. This rich history and its lasting influence is set against a backdrop of crystal clear waters and perpetual sunshine.
The culture of the Caribbean
people as practiced and experienced among islands of the Caribbean Sea,
that stretch from the Bahamas in the north to the mainland shores of the
Guianas in the south, comprises a complex amalgam of influences gathered
together over a period of some five hundred years.
Goods at a craft market often reflects the culture of society.
Caribbean dance moves have been heavily influenced by our ancestor.
Values
A
value is a belief, a mission, or a philosophy that is meaningful. Whether we
are consciously aware of them or not, every individual has a core set of
personal values. Values can range from the commonplace, such as the belief in
hard work and punctuality, to the more psychological, such as
self-reliance, concern for others, and harmony of purpose.
Ethics, Morals, and Values
One of the most important characteristics of moral judgments is that they express our values. Not all expressions of values are also moral judgments, but all moral judgments do express something about what we value. Thus, understanding morality requires investigating what people value and why.
Readmore:http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/phil/blfaq_phileth_values.htm
The Human Life Cycle
The human life cycle begins at
fertilization, when an egg cell inside a woman and a sperm cell from a man fuse
to form a one-celled zygote . Over the next few days, the single, large
cell divides many times to form a hollow ball of smaller cells. On the sixth
day after fertilization, this hollow ball burrows into the wall of the mother's
uterus, or womb. The cells then form three layers that fold and bend into the
more complex shape of an early embryo. Gradually, the cells begin to become
different from one another, forming, for example, the nervous system and the
circulatory system.
Caribbean Family Diversity Part 1
Introduction
The family, in many ways, is the birthplace of society. It is our most basic economic, political, and social unit. It is within the Caribbean family that individuals first learn the value of work and the worth of their possessions. It is within the Caribbean family that individuals first experience authority, co-operation, and governance.
What is a family?
Functions of a Family
Although families differ in form according to the society, they nevertheless are responsible for carrying out similar functions. The primary function of the family is to reproduce society, either biologically, socially, or both
Reference
- Barrow, C., (1998). Family in the Caribbean: Themes and Perspectives. Jamaica, Ian Randle Publishers, 1998. p. 1 – 46
- Barrow, C., Reddock, R., (2001). Caribbean Sociology: Introductory Readings. Jamaica, Ian Randle Publishers, 2001. p. 418-425.
- Booth, R., (2003). Jamaica’s family structure is creating huge societal problems’ – Friday July 4, 2003. Jamaica Gleaner Online. Retrieved on March 5, 2005 from http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20030704/business/business10.html
Caribbean Family Diversity part 2
Family Forms
Just as there are different functions of a Caribbean family unit so too is there various forms of the family, expanding across all countries, nations, cultures and ethnic groups. There are seven basic types of families in the world
Caribbean Family Forms
The family, in all its variety of forms, is the pivotal institution in any society. As the Family Code of the Caribbean asserts, “the family … is the elementary cell of society, and as such, contributes to its development and plays an important role in the upbringing of the new generations” . In the Caribbean there are variations to the family forms found in other societies.
Caribbean Family Diversity part 3
Family Diversity Factors
All these forms of Caribbean family grew out of varying factors. Factors that have shaped equipped and empowered each type of family unit. The family is pivotal for the good or ill of the society because it shapes the individuals who in turn shape the society. The family is also impacted on by constraints in the macro economic, social, and cultural environment (http://www.sdnp.org.gy/nds/chapter26.html). However it is in the historical factors that the family pattern has been greatly affected.
Slavery
Frazier (1966) claimed that the Negro’s enslavement tended to destroy so completely his African Culture that only insignificant, soon to be forgotten memories remained. At every stage on the slaves’ journey to the ‘new world’ they were systematically stripped of their culture.
Common-Law or Faithful Concubine
Formerly slaves had little or no knowledge or opportunity of legal marriages. (Later the missionaries informed them). The slave owners did not encourage the institution of marriage. It was felt that the strength and power of the marriage union would offer a threat to the Plantation System.
African Heritage
The majority of slaves come from West Africa where polygamy was practiced, i.e. one man having many wives. They all shared the same compound with their husband who was the father of their children.
Sexual Exploitation of Slave Women
Many slave women wanted their freedom and the freedom of their children. They wanted also to do housework and be free from the toils of field labour as well as to escape the economic hardship of slavery
New Farmers
Stewart (2005) made mention of the emancipation period in explaining the diversity of the Types of family tree in the Caribbean. He stated that after emancipation many of the ex-slaves deserted the estates to improve their living conditions, and to acquire a sense of independence from their former bosses
Emigration
The growing number of single-parent female-headed households is today especially vulnerable because widespread migration from and movement around the Caribbean have dispersed extended family support networks, while alternative support systems are either absent or underdeveloped
The growing number of single-parent female-headed households is today especially vulnerable because widespread migration from and movement around the Caribbean have dispersed extended family support networks, while alternative support systems are either absent or underdeveloped
Conclusion
The family is the birthplace of society. Every culture has its own type and function of the family unit and the Caribbean is no exception. It is apparent that in speaking of the Caribbean family we are dealing with a number of varying types. Whether it be nuclear, matrifocal, common law, extended or even the visiting unions. The matrifocal family also largely dominates this region where the female is the head of the family.
Read More:
Caribbean Family Systems and Structure Found in the Caribbean
The role of family members is different in Caribbean families.
The father's principal role is economic provider and protector of the family. They are also involved in the discipline of the children, especially the males, and often have a distant relationship with their daughters. In general, they are not actively involved in day-to-day childcare, especially for young infants. This should not be construed as not caring for their children; they tend to feel that women are better with children at this stage
The Family and Society
It has been said that the family is the bedrock of society and can be proven by the fact that all over the world every society is structured by the same pattern. A man and woman marry and form a family. This process is repeated multiple times making multiple families which form villages, regions, and eventually countries. When several countries come together they form a continent and all of the continents make up the world. The foundation of this entire process is the family.
The Caribbean Family
The family structure that currently exists
in the Caribbean today has been influenced by several historical and social
factors such as slavery, industrialization and poverty for example. E. Franklyn
Frazier and Michael G. Smith propose in their writings that Caribbean families
are simply the product of the plantation. This paper seeks to examine these
arguments; comparing and contrasting these views with those of other social
scientists and in the end come to a conclusion.
Read
more:
Kinds
of Marriage Relationships
The type, functions, and characteristics of
marriage vary from culture to culture, and can change over time. In general
there are two types: civil marriage and religious marriage, and typically
marriages employ a combination of both (religious marriages must often be
licensed and recognized by the state, and conversely civil marriages, while not
sanctioned under religious law, are nevertheless respected). Marriages between
people of differing religions are called interfaith marriages, while marital
conversion, a more controversial concept than interfaith marriage, refers to
the religious conversion of one partner to the other's religion for sake of
satisfying a religious requirement.
Polygamy is a word that comes from Greece and if we translate it, the meaning will be often married”. The polygamy has an interesting meaning where the marriage is done with more than just two partners as it happens at most societies.
Polygynyis a term that comes from the Greek "poly" which means many and "gyny" which means woman or wife. This term is connected to a type of marriage where a man is going to have more than two wives at the same time. There are currently many countries out there where this practice is illegal and the man that is doing it, is referred to as a bigamist, when he has two wives or as a polygamist.
Polyandry - is the exact same thing as
polygyny, except for the fact that it refers to women. So this means that a woman
is going to have multiple husbands and marriages at the same time.
Choice of Partners in Marriage
How families are formed
Courtship is
the period in a couple's relationship which precedes their engagement
and marriage,
or establishment of an agreed relationship of a more enduring kind. During
courtship, a couple get to know each other and decide if there will be an
engagement or other such agreement. A courtship may be an informal and private
matter between two people or may be a public affair, or a formal arrangement
with family approval. Traditionally, in the case of a formal engagement, it has
been perceived that it is the role of a male to actively "court" or
"woo" a female, thus encouraging her to understand him and her
receptiveness to a proposal of marriage.
Dating is a form of courtship consisting of social activities done by two people with the aim of each assessing the others suitability as a partner in an intimate relationship or as a spouse. While the term has several meanings, it usually refers to the act of meeting and engaging in some mutually agreed upon social activity in public, together, as a couple
Engagement or betrothal is a promise to wed, and also the period of time between a marriage proposal and a marriage—which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be betrothed, affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged. Future brides and grooms may be called the betrothed, a wife-to-be or husband-to-be, fiancée or fiancé, respectively (from the French word fiancer). The duration of the courtship varies vastly.
Marriage is the process by which two people who love each other make their relationship public, official, and permanent. It is the joining of two people in a bond that putatively lasts until death.
Contract marriages polygamy is not for Hindus. It is banned by the law of the land. Interestingly, when it was found that an increasing number of Hindu men have been showing a propensity to convert to Islam whenever they wanted a second wife, the Indian Supreme Court plugged this legal loophole for all potential Hindu bigamists. In a historic ruling, on May 5, 2000, the apex court said that if it is found that a newly converted Muslim has embraced the faith only to embrace another wife or two, he should be prosecuted under the Hindu Marriage Act and the Indian Penal Code. Thus, bigamy for all Hindus, was ultimately outlawed.
Same Sex Unions Same-sex marriage (also known as gay marriage) is marriage between two people of the same biological sex and/or gender identity. Legal recognition of same-sex marriage or the possibility to perform a same-sex marriage is sometimes referred to as marriage equality or equal marriage, particularly by supporters. The legalization of same-sex marriage is characterized as "redefining marriage" by many opponents.
Nuclear Family
Nuclear Family is a household consisting of two married, heterosexual parents and their legal children (Wikipedia, 2005). Also according to Mehrotra (2005), the nuclear family is the most conventional form of family in the western hemisphere.
Matrifocal family
Matrifocal family is also referred to as a single parent family. It consists of a mother and her children(Wikipedia, 2005). An average of 35% of all households in the Caribbean are headed by women
Common Law Family
It is well known that in the Caribbean non-legal unions are common, though it is often suggested that these unions are quite different from legal marriage in terms of the relationships they generate (Smith, 1973). This Caribbean family form is so called because this occurred in Britain. It was a common practise hence the name common law (Chevannes, 2005).
Extended/Consanguineal
Extended family is a term with several distinct meanings; it is used synonymously with consanguinal family. A consanguineal family consists of a mother and her children, and other people
Visiting Union
Men and women engage in love affairs while they are still in their parents’ homes (Smith, 1973). If children result they may develop into visiting union were the two individuals live in separate residence, while the child stays with its mother. According to Stewart (2002), at the 4th Caribbean Early Childhood Development Conference in Guyana visiting unions make up about 25% of mating relationships in the Caribbean,
Family tree
Genealogy (from Greek: γενεά genea, "generation"; and λόγος logos, "knowledge"), also known as family history, is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members. The results are often displayed in charts or written as narratives.
The pursuit of family history and origins tends to be shaped by several motivations, including the desire to carve out a place for one's family in the larger historical picture, a sense of responsibility to preserve the past for future generations, and a sense of self-satisfaction in accurate storytelling.
Contemporary Social Issues in Caribbean Society
Teen Pregnancy
Despite increased awareness of contraception, adolescent
pregnancy continues to be a major health problem in Jamaica with 35 percent of
Jamaican women having their first pregnancy by age 19. Most of these
pregnancies are not planned.
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/06/05/jamaica-high-teen-pregnancy-and-sexual-violence-rates/
This URL will lead you to :CXC CSEC Social Studies video tutorials on Teen pregnancy and support programs to help teens:
This URL will lead you to :CXC CSEC Social Studies video tutorials on Teen pregnancy and support programs to help teens:
Children Living with HIV/AIDS
A major social issue in the Caribbean today is the availability of social services for children and adults living with HIV/AIDS. Here is a clip from a UN Works documentary called "What's going on?" which talks about this issue.
This URL will lead you to CXC CSEC Social Studies: Video tutorial on Children living with HIV/AIDS
Job Loss
This URL will lead you to: A video clip presented by
Jamaica All Media Services discusses the contemporary social
issue of job loss
The Electoral Process
Introduction to Politics
Politics is the process by which groups of people make
decisions. It is the authoritative allocation of values. Although the term is
generally applied to behaviour within governments, politics is observed in all
human group interactions, including corporate, academic, and religious
institutions.
In its most basic form, politics consists
of “social relations involving authority or power”. In practice, the term
refers to the regulation and government of a nation-state or other political
unit, and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply government
policy.
In a broader sense, any situation involving power, or any manoeuvring in order to enhance one’s power or status within a group, may be described as politics (e.g. office politics). This form of politics “is most associated with a struggle for ascendancy among groups having different priorities and power relations.”
In a broader sense, any situation involving power, or any manoeuvring in order to enhance one’s power or status within a group, may be described as politics (e.g. office politics). This form of politics “is most associated with a struggle for ascendancy among groups having different priorities and power relations.”
Political science (also political
studies) is the study of political behaviour and examines the acquisition and
application of power. Related areas of study include political philosophy,
which seeks a rationale for politics and an ethic of public behaviour, and
public administration, which examines the practices of governance.
Democracy, Citizenship, Political Science, and
Government are excellent foundations for careers in law, government, public
administration, management, media/journalism, education, psychology and other
areas; but the most fundamental justification is that it helps us to become
more effective participants in the civic life.
Democratic Electoral Systems
How do we start thinking about elections? At one level they are
deceptively simple: Politicians compete for public support. Voters
respond on election day by indicating who they prefer. The votes are
tallied and translated into seats in the Legislature. And the electoral
system organises shapes and governs the process.
What is an Electoral System?
An electoral or
voting system is how votes are translated into seats. It determines how many
votes and what kinds of votes are necessary to award seats to candidates and
parties in an election. Different electoral systems produce different kinds of
results, and give voters different kinds of choices.
The electoral
system determines the “exchange rate” between votes and seats - that is, how
votes are translated into seats. How many and what kind of votes are
needed to get a seat varies from system to system. As a result, different
electoral systems give politicians incentives to organize and campaign in
different ways. Some electoral systems may even create barriers for
certain types of candidates. Different electoral systems give voters different
kinds of choices, which can then affect the decisions voters make.
Features and Characteristics of Electoral Systems
A democratic
electoral system can be said to be one where:
- elections are regular and fair
- votes are of equal value
- the will of the majority is achieved
- the interests of minorities are taken into
consideration
- there is a high level of participation by the electorate
- there is the maximum possible franchise
- voting is accessible
- Read More:http://www.caribexams.org/node/1670
How Government Functions
Through
free elections, citizens of a democracy confer powers upon their leaders that
are defined by law. In a constitutional democracy, power is divided so that the
legislature makes the laws, the executive authority enforces and carries them
out, and the judiciary operates independently. No one branch can control all
power in a democratic system. This is referred to as the Separation of Powers.
Seperation of Powers
The
Constitution sets out the way that a country is governed. It usually recognises
three different bodies that perform different roles.
The
Legislature makes the laws. It is made up of one
(unicameral) or two (bicameral) Houses.
The
Executive administers the laws. It is made up
of public servants organised into departments and run by ministers.
The
Judiciary interprets the laws. It is made up
of judges and the law courts.
Executive
Branch
The executive arm of
government is headed by the Prime Minister, Chief Minister or Premier, the
leader of the elected party with the majority of seats in the House of
Parliament. The Head of Government chairs Cabinet, which is comprised of
ministers responsible for various departments.
The Executive branch makes all
decisions about government policy and set priorities for programs and services.
Decisions about policies and programs take into account many factors, the
wishes of the people and financial resources being the two most important ones.
In constitutional
democracies, executive authority is generally limited in three ways: by a
system of checks and balances separating the national government's executive,
legislative, and judicial powers; by federalism, which divides power between the
national government and the state/local governments; and by constitutional
guarantees of fundamental rights.
Legislative
Branch
The Legislature has three
roles: legislative, financial and inquiry. Its most common role is to debate
the principles of proposed legislation and to ensure that each Bill serves the
people.
While ideas for Bills can
originate from many sources - the minister responsible for a department,
Cabinet, or members of
the public - Cabinet must give permission for an idea to be developed into a
Bill.
Legislators may approve national budgets, conduct hearings
on pressing issues, and confirm executive appointees to courts and ministries.
In some democracies, legislative committees provide lawmakers a forum for these
public examinations of national issues. Legislators may support the government
in power or they may serve as a loyal political opposition that offers
alternative policies and programs.
Democracy
This module explains some of the fundamental principles that
contribute to making a government work effectively and the role citizens can
play in a democracy.
What is Democracy?
Democracy comes
from the Greek word, “demos,” meaning people. In democracies, it is the people
who hold sovereign power over legislator and government.
Although nuances
apply to the world's various democracies, certain principles and practices
distinguish democratic government from other forms of government.
- Democracy is government in which power and civic responsibility are
exercised by all citizens, directly or through their freely elected representatives.
- Democracy is a set of principles and practices that protect human
freedom; it is the institutionalization of freedom.
- Democracy rests upon the principles of majority rule, coupled with
individual and minority rights. All democracies, while respecting the will
of the majority, zealously protect the fundamental rights of individuals
and minority groups.
- Democracies guard against all-powerful central governments and
decentralize government to regional and local levels, understanding that
local government must be as accessible and responsive to the people as
possible.
- Democracies understand that one of their prime functions is to
protect such basic human rights as freedom of speech and religion; the
right to equal protection under law; and the opportunity to organize and
participate fully in the political, economic, and cultural life of
society.
- Democracies conduct regular free and fair elections open to all
citizens. Elections in a democracy cannot be facades that dictators or a
single party hide behind, but authentic competitions for the support of
the people.
- Democracy subjects governments to the rule of law and ensures that
all citizens receive equal protection under the law and that their rights
are protected by the legal system.
- Democracies are diverse, reflecting each nation's unique political,
social, and cultural life. Democracies rest upon fundamental principles,
not uniform practices.
- Citizens in a democracy not only have rights, they have the
responsibility to participate in the political system that, in turn,
protects their rights and freedoms.
- Democratic societies are committed to the values of tolerance, cooperation, and compromise. Democracies recognize that reaching consensus requires compromise and that it may not always be attainable. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.”
Read More:http://www.caribexams.org/node/1670
Caribbean Political Parties
A political party is a
political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very
special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating
in elections.
Role of Political Parties in a Democracy
To preserve and protect individual rights
and freedoms, a democratic people must work together to shape the government of
their choosing. And the principal way of doing that is through political
parties.
- Political parties are voluntary organizations that link the people
and their government. Parties recruit candidates and campaign to elect
them to public office, and they mobilize people to participate in
selecting government leaders.
- The majority party (or the party elected to control the offices of
government) seeks to enact into law a number of different policies and
programs. Parties of the opposition are free to criticize the majority
party's policy ideas and offer their own proposals.
- Political parties provide a way for citizens to hold elected party
officials accountable for their actions in government.
- Democratic political parties have faith in the principles of
democracy so that they recognize and respect the authority of the elected
government even when their party leaders are not in power.
- Like any democracy, members of various political parties reflect
the diversity of the cultures in which they arise. Some are small and
built around a set of political beliefs. Others are organized around
economic interests, or shared history. Still others are loose alliances of
different citizens who may only come together at election time.
- All democratic political parties, whether they are small movements
or large national coalitions, share the values of compromise and
tolerance. They know that only through broad alliances and cooperation
with other political parties and organizations can they provide the
leadership and common vision that will win the support of the people of
the nation.
- Democratic parties recognize that political views are fluid and
changeable, and that consensus can often arise out of the clash of ideas
and values in peaceful, free, and public debate.
- The concept of the loyal opposition is central to any democracy. It
means that all sides in political debate – however deep their differences
– share the fundamental democratic values of freedom of speech and faith,
and equal protection under law. Parties that lose elections step into the
role of opposition – confident that the political system will continue to
protect their right to organize and speak out. In time, their party will
have a chance to campaign again for its ideas, and the votes of the
people.
- In a democracy, the struggle between political parties is not a
fight for survival, but a competition to serve the people.
This URL will lead you to: A video clip by Jamaica All Media Services discusses budgeting for the family : http://www.caribexams.org/node/1672
Recommended Social Studies Books for reading
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- There are a large number of graphs, maps, diagrams, photographs and other illustrations which complement and extend the text
- Varied and innovative activities provide opportunities to develop important information skills such as interpreting tables and graphs or diagrams, carrying out surveys and doing research
- Debates and discussions are suggested to encourage students to think about the challenges faced by both individuals and communities/nations in the 21st century
- Each section concludes with a revision test along the lines of the papers set for the CSEC examinations, including both multiple choice and structured questions
Guidance
is given for the SBA, including a sample project
Written by an experienced team of
teachers and examiners, this title offers comprehensive and accessible new full
colour text that clearly addresses all of the concepts in the latest CSEC
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social studies concepts which are supported by a variety of stimuli such as
diagrams, pictures, texts of important documents, tables, statistics of the
region, cartoons and charts. The book features plenty of current Caribbean case studies and guidance on the SBA and
includes a CD-ROM with exam-practice questions and PowerPoint presentations.
All questions and activities throughout the book are based on the specific
objectives of the syllabus and modelled on those set in the examination.
| Carlong Social Studies Essentials for CSEC With SBA, Study Guide & Exercises And Interactive DVD is a new
edition of CXC Social Studies Essentials with SBA, Study Guide &
Exercises that provides more comprehensive coverage of the CSEC Social
Studies syllabus. The textbook is accompanied by an exciting interactive DVD that will help students to understand better the most challenging topics. The DVD features numerous videos, games, quizzes and statistical data to enhance the students? learning experience. The textbook and DVD help to prepare students to do well in the examination and expose them to real-life Caribbean and global examples to further concretize and clarify concepts. Organization of the text The textbook is organized into 3 parts. Part 1 provides useful information for the students and teachers, with special focus on the structure of the syllabus and the examination. Part 2 focuses on the 11 teaching topics:
Section 1 The Individual in Society
Section 2 The Family and Society
N.B.
A step-by-step task-based SBA Guide is presented over four sections
(4–7) to help the students complete their SBA in a timely manner.Section 3 Contemporary Issues among Individuals and Society Section 4 Social Groups Section 5 Institutions Section 6 Sustainable Development and the Use of Resources Section 7 Physical and Natural Resources Section 8 Regional Integration Section 9 Communication Section 10 Consumer Affairs Section 11 Tourism Part 3 consists of two full examination test papers that simulate the CSEC examination. These test papers provide useful practice for students as well as private candidates. |
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