Civic Engagement: Positive Social Change

It was Margaret Mead, a notable anthropologist of the 20th century, who once said, "A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed it's the only thing that ever has."

Citizens of the U.S. have the responsibility as well as the privilege to take an active role in how the country is governed. You can choose to take a stand, vote, run for office, volunteer to make the world a better place, or do nothing at all! The choice is up to you. The fact that you have a choice is due to democracy!

Remember, in the United States of America, we each have a voice! For the final Discussion of the course, you will begin by sharing your Week 5 Reflection with the class, in order to spark a conversation about those principles and issues that matter most to you. You will then be asked to read, consider, and respond to the Reflections of your classmates. In your final response, you will analyze how social change might be initiated and promoted in current American society. You will also consider how to make choices that provide the best chance of making successful efforts at social change.

We might be surprised at how much more unites rather than divides us and what motivates us to get involved to make a true, positive difference.

To complete:

Briefly summarize (do not attach) your Week 5 Reflection Powerpoint Presentation in the Week 6 Discussion area.

Respond to at least one classmate's presentation with some thought-provoking connections between their Reflection and Walden's mission of positive social change. Respond to one or more of the following questions in your response:

What did you learn about American Government that you did not know previously?

How have you engaged politically, socially, and/or civically in your own community or with respect to a candidate or a cause?

How might you get involved within your community or even at the state and national levels to contribute to positive social change?

If you want to change public policy, you have to answer the same questions. You must understand the context in which you are acting and the obstacles that you need to overcome. What are the obstacles that might stand in the way of change?

What issues did you or might you have to consider, and what skills do you need to be successful?

How can you use what you have learned in this course to contribute more substantively?