GROUP PROJECT

January 23rd: As stated in the syllabus, for the class on Jan. 29th, your group is required to submit Part 1 of the group project report.  Firstly, the submission should include the group members' reasons for having chosen the topic/group - each individual member of the group is NOT to provide a separate individual rationale, rather describe it as follows: "The members of the group have chosen the issue of ... for the following reasons ...." .  Secondly, the group is to provide the historical context of the issue.  Much of this information would be available online.  You must provide a Canadian historical context.  For some groups this will mean going back many decades, others only a decade or so.  Essentially you are to explore why the issue has become one in which groups organize and seek social changes, i.e. describe what is the problem.  Identify who are the players in this issue. Consider the W5 - what, when, where, why, and who but in terms of the past bringing us to today. You may wish to include an international context as well if relevant, that is if you want to explore the issue subsequently on an international level. APPROX:  length 3-5 pages, 500-1000 words - this is simply an approximation - don't worry about the length.  This submission will not be graded persay but will be returned with comments for your group to then revise it and to submit it as a final revised version as part of the final group project report.  

January 16th:  Addendum to group project written component:  In part 4, you must also provide commentary discussing ways the organizations/social movements seeking social change can minimize being criminalized for their views/actions, suggestions for the group themselves but also how does society need to change so that the dissent is not criminalized.

The following is the description of the groups as choices for the project as discussed in class.  

SMAC - Saint Mary's Activist Coalition - see Saint Mary's University Student Association (SMUSA) website for more info on this student club.  As discussed in class, SMAC has various working groups.  Students will choose from amongst these groups and other groups on campus or in Halifax as described below, as the group to work with for the student project group.  

The following are the working groups of SMAC:

1)  FANTASM (Food and Non-corporate Treats at Saint Mary's):  This group prepares and serves free vegetarian food to students and raises awareness concerning Aramark's monopoly on campus, the destructive practices of the food industries, and healthy living/eating. In the past, Aramark has flexed their muscles and had FANTASM kicked out of buildings and has even threatened SMUSA with lawsuits for supporting SMAC and FANTASM.  Look up Food Politics on the net for more info on issues of relevance.

2)  Students Against Sweatshops (SAS):  part of a larger student movement seeking to change corporations' practices of unethical production processes:  includes issues of labour rights, human rights, poverty, exploitation of workers, and similar.  Search using keyword of sweatshops on the net for more information

3)  Tuition and Debt:  Currently,  planning for the large February tuition reduction demos (National Day of Action - Wednesday Feb. 4th)  in conjunction with the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS).  Look up CFS on the net for info on their campaign to reduce/freeze tuition fees.  

4)  Subversive Entertainment Committee (SEC):  This working group organizes counter-hegemonic-culture events at SMU, i.e. non-mainstream cultural events, having clear messages that challenge the mainstream student body about various social issues.  

FANTASM, Tuition & Debt and SEC working groups will be working towards the Nat'l Day of Action initially, Feb. 4th, but the associated project groups will identify and conduct research on larger societal issues of concern to the working group.

2 groups have been formed:  Many of you indicated interest in animal rights issues and environmental rights issues.  These areas will feed into the FANTASM group - with 2 student project groups being formed during the class on January 15th.  This group is part of an international food politics and food security movement, linked to the environment movement, linked to the anti-poverty movement and similar, that is this issue cuts across various international social movements.  

2 groups have been formed:  Many of you indicated interest in women's issues.  The newly created Saint Mary's Women's Centre (SMWC) will be the group where 2 student project groups will be formed.  SMWC is currently working on presenting the Vagina Monologues this semester as well as organizing around V-DAY (Vagina Day), an alternative to Valentine's Day.  There is part-time staff person at this centre, the newly hired coordinator.  There is also a SMAC contact person.  

2 groups have been formed:  For those of you interested in anti-war issues, the Halifax Peace Coalition (HPC) will be the assigned group for the student project group to work with.  One project group will be assigned for this issue.  This group is part of the international peace movement which has become very active as a result of the US gov't administration actions in Iraq.  Check out:  http://hfxpeace.chebucto.org/  The following event may be of interest to this group:  "Resisting Empire - Building for Peace From Iraq to Star Wars" Thursday, January 15, 7:00 pm Weldon Law Building, Room 105 Dalhousie University, 6061 University Ave. This two part event consists of a free public discussion with Steven Staples, Director of the Corporate-Securtity State Project of the Polaris Institute, and author of "Breaking Rank: A Citizen's Review of Canada's Military Spending" and a screening of acclaimed documentary "Star Wars Dreams." Organized by the Halifax Peace Coalition, for more info: please email Tamara Lorincz at tlorincz@dal.ca.  

3 groups have been formed:  For those of you interested in tuition issues, 2 groups will be formed to work with SMAC's Tuition and Debt working group.

2 groups have been formed:  For those of you who are musicians or involved in any other artistic expression, 1 group will be formed to work with the Subversive Entertainment Committee, creating media material and other material for the day of action.

1 group has been formed:  For those of you interested in labour and poverty issues, Oxfam's No Sweat, will be the group for the project.  Oxfam is located on Gottingen street.  A No Sweat meeting is taking place on January 20th at  p.m. at the Oxfam offices.  This group is part of an international movement against Sweatshops, advocating for workers' rights and human rights.  

WWW.bethechange.ca website has information on Halifax social issue organizations.  

Revised: January 23, 2004 .