Challenge: Assuming Responsibility for Past Injustices

Section 2—Responses (___/15)

Assuming Responsibility for Past Injustices

Examine the degrees to which legacies should and have been redressed.

Step 1: Develop a position. Develop your own position on historical imperialism by considering the degree to which contemporary governments have an ethical responsibility to redress past injustices.

Step 2: Analyze the legacies. Which legacies passed on to the Seventh Generation have passed or continue to linger? Work with your partner to complete this challenge.

Step 3: List pro and con arguments. Based on your exploration in this section, what, if anything, should be done to address the lingering consequences of historical globalization and imperialism? List arguments for or against the position that we should respond to past injustices with some degree of ethical responsibility. Use the following criteria:

• warranted – Do the effects require or deserve a response?
• feasible – Is it reasonable to expect a response after many years?
• fair – Is it fair to all parties to require redress?

Refer to specific instances of historical imperialism to support your position.

Step 4: Take a position on the level of responsibility and the kind of response necessary (for example, significant redistribution of land, modest financial compensation, an apology).

Step 5: Survey all positions on this question. How do you think this issue should be addresses?  Use communication tools to survey other students and assign their positions on a continum (in paper or digital format).

Step 6: Place all positions on a continuum. As a class or by polling students, align all positions along a continuum ranging from the position that contemporary society has an enormous responsibility to respond to historical imperialism to the belief that there is virtually no responsibility at the other end.  See the example below.

No responsibility                                                                                        Enormous responibility

me                             Jack                               Fred                       Sally                       Alish

Step 7: Prepare a position statement on the level of ethical responsibility needed to respond today to the legacies of historical globalization. Support your views.

Step 8: Use your position statement to write a letter to your MP

Chris Warkentin, Member of Parliament
#201, 10625 West Side Drive
Grande Prairie, Alberta
T8V 8E6

Write a letter explaining what course of action the government should take to assume responsibility for the past injustice you have choosen. Include your position statement as rationale for the action you are suggesting. Working together, we can eradicate the legacies of historical globalization!

Scoring Criteria: Assuming Responsibility for Past Injustices

(15 marks)