Exploring+social+reform

Perhaps one of the biggest topics in the news today is the grass-roots uprising of the oppressed citizens of Arab countries. The people seem to be crying out for stronger and more responsive leadership, with the people's voice represented in government. In any case, the people have risen up and are demanding the right to define their own countries. We would like to take some time to explore the involvement of citizens in crafting the future of their communities or countries.

Google and Twitter helped protesters in Egypt have a voice. Follow the link below to read an article about the use of social networking tools in the uprising in Egypt:

Google, Twitter Offer Egyptians Option to Tweet By Voicemail

Watch this Interview with the Google employee who sparked the uprising.

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The protesters in Iran also used cell phone and Twitter technology. Julius Assange has been using wikileaks as a tool to make government policy transparent and available to the public. In that way, power and understanding is put back into the hands of the people to make informed policy decisions. In the 1960's, mass political rallies with vast media coverage affected government policy, leading to social reforms such as the 1964 Voting Rights Act, which protected the black community's right to and helped usher in an era of greater racial tolerance. In the 1970's, Natan Sharansky and other Refuseniks gained their freedom through hunger strikes and clever use of the media.

Literature is another powerful medium that can effect social change. In the eighteenth century, Voltaire satirized war, religion, class and philosophy in his book **//Voltaire//** in order to show the many injustices of European life, and in the nineteenth century, Thomas Hardy used **//Tess of the d'Urbervilles//** and George Bernard Shaw used **//Pygmalion//** to help break down England's outdated class system. Chris Cleave uses **//Little Bee//** to explore the quandary of illegal immigration, imperialist attitudes towards Africa and the role gender plays in creating social norms.

In fact, gender was in the news during the course of the Egyptian uprising, as a female CBS reporter announced that she had been beaten and sexually assaulted in Tahrir Square. Follow the link below to an article about Lara Logan, the reporter who was assaulted in Egypt. Consider that Portia in //**The Merchant of Venice**// does not let her gender deter her and asserts herself in a male arena, the courtroom.

Why We Need Women in War Zones



What do you think is important in effecting social change?

Use the discussion tab above to discuss some of the following topics. You do not have to enter all discussions. Choose the ones you feel most connected to. Check back regularly to see where the discussion is going.

What do you view as the most appropriate and effective tool for citizens to use to effect social change?

What power does the 16-year-old citizen wield?

What choices do we make that have a ripple effect in the world around us?

What would you like to change in your society or other ones?

What have you done that may have impacted your environment in a positive way?

Some issues you may want to consider as you answer these questions are listed below:


 * struggling to build a fair government
 * preserving the environment
 * caring for the physically or mentally challenged
 * ensuring rights for the young or underprivileged
 * building policy to cope with illegal immigration
 * ensuring the safety and rights of citizens
 * helping those in need, especially those who live in impoverished and/or less educated communities