The purpose of this assignment is to help students to develop an ability to identify opposing views, and the arguments supporting them, on a social issue of relevance to understanding the relationship between business and society.
Instructions
1. Select a topic from the ‘List of Topics' below and find the two articles dealing with the social issue related to this topic.
2. Clearly define the social issue addressed in the articles.
3. Outline the opposing views on this social issue. Pick one quote from each of the two articles that you think best captures their respective positions.
4. In a short paragraph, outline the argument behind the respective positions. Provide what you think are the reasons (the ‘premises') offered in each of the articles to support each of the opposing views.
5. Include proper bibliographical references (see Shea and Whitla, ch. 9).
List of Topics: All articles available through www.fraserinstitute.org and www.policyalternatives.ca
1. Labour Unions in Society
Clemens, Jason and Niels Veldhuis, ‘Should ‘Right-to-Work' Come to Canada?' Fraser Institute, Sept. 2013.
Hennessy, Trish, ‘Lowering our Standards' Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Sept. 2013.
2. Post-Secondary Education
Hepburn, Claudia, ‘Tuition Woes', Fraser Institute, Aug. 2003.
Shaker, Erika, ‘The High Cost of Learning' Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Oct. 2012.
3. Poverty and Inequality
Clemens, Jason and Niels Veldhuis, ‘Inequality is Fundamentally Misunderstood', Fraser Institute, Nov. 2012.
Mackenzie, Hugh, ‘Why the 99 per cent Still Matter', Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Jan. 2013.
4. Free Trade
Milke, Mark, ‘Think Global, Not Local' Fraser Institute, Aug. 2013.
Trew, Stewart and Scott Sinclair, ‘Why workers should unite against Canada's nextgeneration trade deals', Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, July, 2014.