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Activities

• Watch the first six minutes of the following video, then answer the questions below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYkMo4eOwi4&feature=share&list=UUu_u-P3cBFO7D-sAjxd_I-w

  In the video, the experts point out negative aspects of power.  However, Warren and Fassett’s explanation of power suggests that it can be positive. The authors state, “Power, we argue, is a productive tension resulting from our different locations within culture.  By productive tension, we mean that our heightened awareness of power in our relationships with one another can be instructive – it can teach us about ourselves, each other, and communication,” (p. 8).  What, if anything, could the power exhibited by a person bullying someone teach us about communication and/or the society we live in?

• Warren and Fassett state, “One of the most common complaints about young people is their lack of participation in our democracy. Repeated in the media and in the halls of our businesses, educational institutions, and political circles, youth (in the last 30 to 40 years) have taken a bad rap for a lack of engagement in the political process,” (p. 9). For this activity, ask your friends (or classmates) in what ways have they have engaged in our political process.  Feel free to use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to get a large number of responses.  Once you’re comfortable with the number of responses you’ve received, ask yourself the following questions: 1) Why do you think today’s youth are perceived as not engaging in our political process? 2) Do you believe it is a fair evaluation of youth today? 3) What, if anything, makes the youth of 50 (or more) years ago different than youth today?