1.1 Overview
Completion requirements
Individual Identity and the Nation
Centre Block
Canadian Federal Parliament Building in Ottawa, Ontario
Canadian Federal Parliament Building in Ottawa, Ontario
© Wikimedia
Key Issue: To what extent should we embrace nationalism?
As an individual, you have your own identity. But, did you think about how your individual identity is tied to your nation?
| Key Issue
|
Related Issue
|
In Social Studies 20-2, we focus on the following Key Issue."To what extent should we embrace nationalism?As part of this course, you will explore and define what it means to be a nation and how it relates to individual identity and nationalism. You’ll also explore the factors that shape our identities as individuals, as members of communities and cultural groups, as Canadians, and as global citizens. |
As you go through the course, the Key Issue is further
broken into the following Related Issues:.
|
The Key Issue and Related Issues are important and complex questions. Throughout the course, you will discover they rarely have right or wrong answers. Instead, you will encounter these issues in a Canadian context, and then you will consider your own position or perspective. Do you agree completely, somewhat, to a certain degree, or not at all with each issue?
For Unit 1, we will begin with Related Issue 1.
Should nation be the foundation of identity?
Should nation be the foundation of identity?
Living in Canada, you may most likely encountered the Canadian flag. Besides being a piece of material with a red maple leaf at its centre, what does the flag represent to you? How does it make you feel?
While you may not have given the Canadian flag a second thought, the Honourable Maurice Bourget (Speaker of the Senate) definitely did. During the raising of the maple leaf flag on February 15, 1965, he said
While you may not have given the Canadian flag a second thought, the Honourable Maurice Bourget (Speaker of the Senate) definitely did. During the raising of the maple leaf flag on February 15, 1965, he said
"The flag is the symbol of the nation's unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief, or opinion."
But, does that mean every citizen of Canada identifies with being part of the Canadian nation? That's a complex question. Groups of Canadians may have their own perspectives about what it means to be Canadian. For instance,
- a
Québécois may feel that his or her heritage, culture, and language were destroyed by Canadian nationalism,
- a Canadian soldier and member of the Canadian Armed Forces may see the shared values of the Canadian nation as a positive force they’re willing to fight for, and
- other Canadians may believe nationalism has a very limited effect on who they are, and thus give it little thought.
Reflect
| Tip Throughout the course, you will be asked to reflect on certain questions or issues. While the Reflect sections are not part of your course mark, they can help you consider your own perspectives and ideas prior to going through the unit. When you encounter the Reflect sections, brainstorm your own perspectives and ideas, and record your thoughts in your notes. Review the tutorial How to Take Notes to help you develop note-taking methods for Social Studies 20-2. Respond to the Reflect questions below. |
| Just as a person is closely connected to where they live and to their groups, identity and nation are closely connected. In your perspective, is being Canadian tied only to a red maple leaf, the symbol of the Canadian nation? Or, is there more to being Canadian? How does your individual identity get tied into the identity of your country? |
|
|
At the top of every unit's Overview page, there is a Checklist that specifies the assignments, quizzes, and forums that students must complete. Download the Unit 1 Checklist to keep track of your progress before moving onto the next page. |