Whale Wars: Politics, Science and the World’s Largest Mammal or NO CHILD’S PLAY: CHILDREN IN IMMIGRATION DETENTION

choose one topic between two topics.

UNCC100 MODULE 4: Hot Topics Contents Introduction Contemporary challenges to the common good Links to hot topics The Final Assessment Task Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 1 Module 4: Hot Topics Activities and materials in this module will help you to meet: Learning Outcome 3: present a critical account of a topic or issue in social justice; Graduate Attribute 2: recognise your responsibility to the common good, the environment and society (which we will do through the content of the module); Graduate Attribute 4: think critically and reflectively (which you will do through the skills processes involved in completing the activities); Graduate Attribute 5: demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession (which we will do through the content of the module); and Graduate Attribute 9: demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media (which you will do through the skills processes involved in completing the activities). Warning Topics considered in UNCC LEO materials and in class discussions may be disturbing for some students. If you are affected, please contact your Campus Leader and/or the University Counselling Service. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are advised that this site may include voices or images of people who have passed away. It may also contain links to sites that may use images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now deceased. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 2 4.1 Contemporary challenges to the common good: hot topics There are two ‘hot topics’ provided in this module to help you apply the knowledge you have learned in the unit. While you will focus on one for your assessment, you will need to work through material in both at this stage for your class or exam preparation. As you read each hot topic, consider the following questions (This will assist you in your preparation for your classes or exams). 1. Why do you think social justice or the common good is a critical factor in this case? 2. What are the various perspectives in play, and who holds these perspectives? a. Who benefits from any course of action supported by this particular stakeholder? b. Who is impacted by any course of action supported by this particular stakeholder? 3. What principles promoting human flourishing should be considered in relation to this hot topic? 4. How can the needs of all involved best be met? Please note: Be sure to check your unit outline for all assessment requirements. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 3 Links to hot topics 4.1.1 Hot Topic Whale Wars: Politics, Science and the World’s Largest Mammal Image: ”Japan Factory Ship Nissin Maru Whaling Mother and Calf”, by Customs and Border Protection Service, Commonwealth of Australia, Feb 6, 2008. CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia commons View this hot topic online or download the PDF Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 4 4.1.2 Hot Topic No Child’s Play: Children in Immigration Detention Image of children in the Nauru detention centre. Provided by The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Used with permission. View this hot topic online or download a PDF Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 5 4.2 The Final Assessment Task THE GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES AND THE FINAL ASSESSMENT TASK: HOW DO THEY WORK TOGETHER? At a number of points in this unit, you have been referred to the Australian Catholic University Graduate Attributes, and have been encouraged to use the resources provided to enhance your skills in particular areas. Several of these skills will be utilised—and some explicitly tested—along with selected learning outcomes. Graduate Attribute 2: recognise your responsibility to the common good, the environment and society It would be hard to imagine that you have come this far in UNCC100 without being required to recognise your responsibility to the common good, the environment and society. Simon Koopmann derivative work: AIProf [CC-BY-SA-3.0] via Wikimedia Commons Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACompSustBookLogo_v1.jpg As to whether you can demonstrate this responsibility—you can show, in the way that you write and express yourself more generally, whether or not you are taking it into account. No amount of formal learning can guarantee that you will be a person who acts out of this responsibility, but rehearsing this attitude can help you to become someone who does. As the famous writer (and author of the Narnia stories for children), C.S. Lewis, observes: “very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as if you had it already.” 2 Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 6 Graduate Attribute 4: Think critically and reflectively In the Final Assessment Task, you will be using materials from a range of perspectives as the foundation of your response. How confident are you that you can read and analyse these materials critically (that is, with insight, not with antagonism!)? In the resources for Graduate Attribute 4, you were offered the following ideas: Practical Tips for developing a Critical Mind at University: Your critical response is not a summary or paraphrase of a text or the notes you may have taken from a lecture— or even just presenting your opinion. When you take notes or summarise, it is a good habit to include questions you may have about what has been said. Prepare questions before reading or viewing media so you are not only seeking to understand the author’s argument but reviewing as you go. You need particularly to review the evidence supporting the arguments and be explicitly aware of the writer’s perspective. Are you also able to question and challenge ideas presented? This process can only happen after you have analysed the argument, evidence, and sources for a text. How valid are the sources? Are you able to step back from a particularly persuasive text or film and consider alternative perspectives or arguments? Part of reading other sources is to find out the similar or opposing views that exist on a subject. Look closely at the rubric for the Final Assessment Task if you are required to submit a major project: highlight those criteria that require you to show evidence of your capacity to think critically. While Graduate Attribute 4 is also about thinking reflectively, we have rehearsed much of that type of thinking in the activities on personal and professional challenges. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 7 Graduate Attribute 9: demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media Hopefully, you have looked at the resources for Graduate Attribute 9 and analysed the effectiveness of your communication both oral and written. Consider again what aspects of your communication skills are barriers to your being able to convey what you know. When do you become frustrated in getting across the message? What feedback have you received from your listeners and readers, and how have you acted to address problems? What do you still need to do after this unit to ensure a successful completion of your studies, and to be a potent communicator in all spheres of your life? Go now to the resources for Graduate Attribute 9. In particular, check that your understanding of what constitutes effective communication in an academic context matches with the expectations and standards of the University… or any university. If you haven’t previously, look closely at the Critical Thinking resource and go through the model and how it is deconstructed at organisational and functional levels. Then look at the Developing Academic Literacy resource. Your critical thinking must communicate within the conventions of academic writing and key to this is finding out what others have written on the subject, reflecting on how your new knowledge and thinking fits into this body of knowledge, and most importantly, acknowledging the ideas of others through correct referencing. 2 C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Glasgow: Collins, 1942; Fount Paperbacks,1977), 158. References are to the Fount edition. Co
pyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 8

Criteria High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Fail Mark 1. Description and explanation of the issue as one which affects the common good. 10% Sophisticated and insightful description and explanation of the issue as one which affects the common good. Well developed description and explanation of the issue as one which affects the common good. Clear and coherent description and explanation of the issue as one which affects the common good. Adequate but limited description and explanation of the issue as one which affects the common good. Inadequate or insufficient description and explanation of the issue as one which affects the common good. 2. Description and explanation of three stakeholders’ perspectives in relation to the issue. 30% Sophisticated and insightful description and explanation of each of the stakeholders’ perspectives and preferred resolutions; engages in in-depth critical explanation. Well developed description and explanation of each of the stakeholders’ perspectives and preferred resolutions; engages in critical explanation. Clear and accurate description and explanation of the stakeholders’ perspectives and preferred resolutions; begins to engage in critical explanation. Adequate, but limited, description, with a basic explanation of the stakeholders’ perspectives and preferred resolutions. Inadequate or inaccurate description and explanation of the stakeholders’ perspectives, demonstrating an insufficient understanding of the stakeholders’ arguments and preferred resolutions. Learning Outcomes: 1: Explain the concept of the ‘common good’ and present examples of the common good in action; 3: present a critical account of a topic or issue in social justice; Graduate Attributes: GA2: recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society; GA4: think critically and reflectively; GA9: demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media. Task: 2000 words (or equivalent) The aim of this task is to define the common good in relation to this topic. The common good is what is best for all, as opposed to the particular goods that each stakeholder may pursue. Your response should analyse the various perspectives and critique these using relevant principles of human flourishing, in order to show how the common good might be achieved. Choose one of the two Hot Topics and three of the perspectives represented by the major stakeholders in the issue. Structure your essay according to the following framework (word count is given as a guide only):  Briefly describe the issue and explain how this is an issue which affects the common good. (200 words) (criterion 1) (INTRODUCTION)  Describe and explain the perspectives of three stakeholders. Include a discussion of the main arguments they put forward and the resolution/s they would opt for. (700 words) (criterion 2)  Choose three principles of human flourishing that are relevant to this issue. Use these principles to analyse each perspective you described above and discuss the ways in which the perspectives of these stakeholders support or hinder the common good. (800 words). (criterion 3)  How might the common good be achieved in relation to this issue? Suggest a specific course of action and explain how this would best serve the common good. Include a proposal for what each stakeholder could do and what society as a whole could do to promote the achievement of the common good in relation to this issue. (300 words) (criterion 4) (CONCLUSION) UNCC100: Final Task: 50% Student Name: Tutor Name: Class day/time: STUDENT SHEET 3. Critical analysis of the perspectives in relation to the principles of human flourishing and the achievement of common good. 30% Sophisticated and insightful critical analysis of the perspectives in relation to the principles of human flourishing and the achievement of the common good. Well developed and objective critical analysis of the perspectives in relation to the principles of human flourishing and the achievement of the common good. Clear analysis and assessment of the perspectives in relation to the principles of human flourishing and the achievement of the common good. Adequate, but limited, assessment of the perspectives in relation to the principles of human flourishing and the achievement of the common good. Inadequate or insufficient analysis of the perspectives in relation to the principles of human flourishing and the achievement of the common good. 4. Critical reflection on how the common good may best be served. 20% Sophisticated and insightful synthesis and critical analysis, with persuasive reasoning and a strong, concrete suggestion for how the common good may best be served. Well developed and effective synthesis, critical analysis and reasoning, with a concrete suggestion for how the common good may best be served. Clear synthesis, analysis and reasoning, with a concrete suggestion for how the common good may best be served. Basic critical reflection and reasoning, with a concrete suggestion for how the common good may best be served. Inadequate or insufficient critical reflection and/or no concrete suggestion for how the common good may best be served. 5. Written and/or oral English expression including spelling and grammar. 5% Exceptional skills in oral or written communication, with logical and clear scaffolding of arguments. No spelling or grammatical errors evident. Highly accomplished skills in oral or written communication, with clearly developed arguments. Minimal spelling or grammatical errors evident. Competent skills in oral or written communication, with a logical development of arguments. Few spelling and grammatical errors evident. Satisfactory skills in oral or written communication. Some spelling and grammatical errors evident but meaning is discernible. Limited or insufficient skills in oral or written communication. 6. Consistent and correct use of selected academic referencing style. 5% Exceptional and consistently correct use of academic referencing. Correct use of academic referencing throughout. Largely correct use of academic referencing. Adequate use of academic referencing with some inaccuracies of style. Significant errors of style or insufficient use of academic referencing to adequately identify sources. Comments: GRADE: DATE: SIGNATURE:

UNCC100 MODULE 2: The Common Good Contents Introduction The common good-what people say Exploring the idea of the common good An example: access to clean water The common good goes beyond the needs of any individual What the common good is not 2.1.2 Simulation Activity 2.1.3 Activity Advocacy for the poor and vulnerable What is advocacy? Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 1 Module 2: The Common Good Activities and materials in this module will help you to meet: Learning Outcome 1: explain the concept of the common good and present examples of the common good in action; Learning Outcome 2: explain the concepts of “social justice” and “advocacy for the most vulnerable” and their importance for the “common good” and present examples; Graduate Attribute 2: recognise your responsibility to the common good, the environment and society; (which we will do through the content of the module) and Graduate Attribute 5: demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession (which we will do through the content of the module). Warning Topics considered in UNCC LEO materials and in class discussions may be disturbing for some students. If you are affected, please contact your Campus Leader and/or the University Counselling Service. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are advised that this site may include voices or images of people who have passed away. It may also contain links to sites that may use images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now deceased. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 2 2.1 The Common Good In module 1, you were introduced to the idea of human flourishing, and to a series of principles designed to promote that flourishing. UNCC100 is designed to focus particularly on one of those themes—the common good. For that reason, we will spend time exploring that theme in more detail. WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THE COMMON GOOD? What is the common good? – We ask 16 people Many of the world’s great leaders have thought about their goals in terms of bringing about the common good. SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, gave a 2008 speech at the John F. Kennedy School of Government in which he said: Now more than ever we must be bold. In these times of crisis, when we are tempted to look inward, it is precisely the time when we must move pursuit of the common good to the top of the agenda. Global solidarity is necessary and in the interest of all. Pursuing the common good will require addressing a set of global challenges that hold the key to our common future. 1 Nelson Mandela, prisoner of conscience in South Africa for some 27 years, and the first democratically elected president of the nation post-apartheid, also speaks of the nature of the common good in his address during a joint sitting of Parliament to mark 10 years of democracy in South Africa. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 3 2.1 ACTIVITY The resource below will help you to gain a basic understanding of the concept of the common good. Before you read, go to these guides and use the questions to help you unpick the texts below as you read. Make key critical notes as you read the resource. After reading the resource, write a 100 word definition of the common good. Himes, Kenneth. “Common Good.” In Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching, 38-44. New York: Paulist Press, 2013. 1 Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, “Securing the Common Good in a Time of Global Crises” (speech, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA, October 21, 2008). Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 4 2.1.1 EXPLORING THE IDEA OF THE COMMON GOOD Further reflection on the common good What the common good means to Gemma Cruz. What the common good means to Christiaan Jacobs-Vandegeer. What the common good means to Margaret Fyfe. What the common good means to Nicole Dobrohtoff. The idea of the common good has several dimensions 1. It means that the needs of all people are met—not just a few, not just the wealthy or the powerful or the educated or the healthy—but all. 2. It includes the flourishing and fulfilment of all people in all the different dimensions of their humanity (for example, intellectual, physical, relational, spiritual, affective, and so on). 3. It refers to what is good that can only come about by being shared, “in common.” When we speak about seeking the common good, then, we are not simply referring to meeting everyone’s material needs, but also to meeting relational and other needs that are fundamental to human existence as unique individuals who live in community. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 5 The common good is the responsibility of each person as well as institutions Working towards the common good (that is, the good of all) is the responsibility of each citizen as well as all the institutions that are created to order a society. [The common good] implies that every individual, no matter how high or low, has a duty to share in promoting the welfare of the community as well as a right to benefit from that welfare. Common implies ‘all inclusive’: the common good cannot exclude or exempt any section of the population. If any section of the population is in fact excluded from participation in the life of the community, even at a minimal level, then that is a contradiction to the concept of the common good and calls for rectification.2 So, for example, if people are excluded by poverty from participation in society and full flourishing as human beings, then governments have a duty to act to alleviate that poverty so the common good can be met. More than this, each individual person and organisation or corporation also has a duty to act to alleviate that poverty. 2 Bishops of England and Wales, The Common Good and the Catholic Church’s Social Teaching (1996), n.70. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 6 An example: access to clean water High-speed photograph of a showerhead dispensing water Used under (CC BY 2.0) via Wikimedia commons. Let’s take a very simple example. Access to clean water is a ‘common good.’ All living things need water to survive: people, plants, animals. Governments are therefore charged with the duty to provide clean water to their citizens. They do this by building dams and reservoirs or through other means. At times these are then handed over to private companies who have a responsibility to maintain the infrastructure and ensure that the water is delivered to people’s homes. To pay for this maintenance a company charges the people who use the water. If the government did not provide an adequate water supply, they would not be meeting their obligation to the common good. If the company failed to maintain the infrastructure or failed to supply water to homes, they would be failing to meet their obligations to the common good. In recent times of extended drought, Australians have come to realise that water is a very precious commodity. When the amount of available water dwindled drastically, state governments were forced to introduce restrictions on the use of water in the interests of the common good. Individuals and businesses have had a duty to follow those restrictions; people who have ignored restrictions and continued to hose driveways or water lawns have failed in their duty to act for the common good. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 7 The common good goes beyond the needs of any individual Thomas Massaro, a prominent Catholic thinker on the common good, writes: To speak of the common good is to recognise that there are numerous proper goals in life beyond our own private benefits. Responsible people look for opportunities to contribute to worthy causes and to improve society however possible, even when the benefits of this progress will go primarily to others…. Everyone has an obligation to promote the common good by making whatever contributions are necessary to improve the lives of all. 3 He gives the example of an elderly or childless couple arguing that they should not have to pay the portion of their taxes that wo
uld go to support education, since they will not personally benefit from it. This is an argument purely based on selfinterest. If we consider this from the perspective of promoting the common good, we would say that all people contribute to a society simply because they are members of that society, and that all will ultimately benefit from a good education system. This article on Creating the Good Society explores the communal nature of the common good and the implications of this for the way we structure societies. The common good has a global dimension We can consider the common good at a global level: for example, one of the huge challenges to the common good of recent years has been environmental destruction. While some nations continue to pollute the atmosphere at a great rate, others, like small pacific islands, are severely impacted as water levels rise. In light of the common good, all nations have a responsibility to act for the good of all (and for future generations of humans, animals and plant species!) rather than in short term self-interest. We need to note, however, that the common good can most easily be achieved in conditions of peace and security or stability in the social order. Further, we need to consider the impact that globalisation has on the common good. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 8 ACTIVITY 2.1.1 Festín, M. Lorenz Moisés J. “Rediscovering the Sense and Role of Common Good in the Globalized Society.” Journal of Globalization for the Common Good (Spring 2008). As you read this article answer the following questions (you may find it helpful to also construct a glossary of terms as you read): 1. Give a one sentence outline of each of the three parts of this article. 2. What is the ‘teleological approach’ of Greek philosophy? In what way is this approach linked to the common good? 3. Describe the characteristics of the ‘polis’. 4. The author argues that Alexander the Great’s conquests created a ‘cosmopolis’. What is meant by this term? What two things does the author say resulted from this? Explain these briefly. 5. In the second section, the author argues that our present global reality is akin to Alexander the Great’s postconquest world. Dot point some examples he gives to support this argument in terms of greater ‘integration’. What does he see is the impact of this on the individual? Given this important state of affairs, what questions does he raise about the possibility of the common good? 6. The author rejects a Utilitarian understanding of the common good. Explain his reasons for this. 7. Outline Aquinas’ understanding of the common good. 8. Based on Aquinas’ thinking, should pursuit of the common good be motivated by personal gain? Explain your response carefully. 9. In the final section, what important questions are raised about globalisation and the common good? 10. How does the author resolve these questions? 3 Thomas Massaro, Living Justly: Catholic Social Teaching in Action (Plymouth, UK: Rowman & Littlefield, 2012), 85. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 9 What the common good is not The common good does not mean “the greatest good for the greatest number” (this is part of what philosophers sometimes refer to as utilitarianism. Watch (or read the transcript) the first 3.15 minutes of this video which explains utilitarianism. A utilitarian system can be blind to the well-being of individuals or minority groups. To summarise Working for the common good implies that we work to create the social and political conditions for many different people to thrive within a common space. That may mean working for clean water and affordable health care; it may mean resisting unjust laws that create economic disadvantages for certain groups within society; it may also mean helping other groups to preserve their culture and identity—for example, respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ claims as the traditional owners of this land. The common good concerns the life of all: it is common because it applies to everyone by virtue of what we share in common—our humanity. It presupposes respect for all persons and for each person. It concerns the flourishing of human life in all its dimensions. The flourishing of individuals is linked closely to the well-being of society (and the world) as a whole—the quality of a communal life together. Building strong, stable and cohesive societies aids in achieving the common good. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 10 2.1.2 SIMULATION ACTIVITY You will be undertaking a Simulation Activity with your tutorial group on the issue of Horse Racing, where you will be asked to present the perspective of your given stakeholder and discuss with your group how the common good might best be served in relation to the issue. In the final assessment task for this unit, you will be asked to present the perspectives of a number of stakeholders and to critique these perspectives in terms of whether or not they serve the common good. As a practical version of the final task, the Simulation Activity will provide you with a valuable opportunity to practise the skills necessary to do well in your final paper. The following briefing paper is designed to prepare you for this activity: Briefing Paper – The Horse Racing Industry During the Simulation Activity, you will be put into groups to discuss the issue. Each group member will be given one of the following identities: A government minister A racehorse trainer or horse owner A fashion industry representative A member of gambler’s anonymous An animal rights advocate Instructions: You will need to do some preparation so you are able to adequately present the perspective of your identity Read the briefing paper above. Then, click on the identity that you have been allocated (from the list above). Read the perspective of your allocated identity and the background material provided below it (including the links). Spend some time thinking about the perspective you have been given. You will need to draw on common sense, and you will need to do some critical thinking. Try to step into the shoes of someone in this situation. What is the perspective and how might the person have arrived at this? You will need to present this perspective to your group in the Simulation Activity. Print the page relating to the identity you have been given and bring it with you to the Simulation Activity. Key questions for consideration as you prepare for the activity How might the positive cultural and social value of horse racing be weighed against the costs to human and animal life as a result of the industry? What might governments do in order to decrease tax reliance upon gambling for funding their budgets? In what ways could the horse racing industry improve their treatment of horses? What responsibility might the fashion industry have towards the treatment of racehorses? How might the fashion industry act to improve the safety and treatment of race horses? How can we reconcile the opposing viewpoints of animal activists and proponents of the industry regarding their treatment of horses? In what ways does an event like the Melbourne Cup serve to promote casual gambling? How might the promotion of casual gambling lead to problem gambling? What negative effects might this have? How might these be overcome? How might the positive social benefits of events like the Melbourne Cup be achieved without placing people at risk of gambling addiction? If we follow the singular perspective of each stakeholder in turn, who loses? Consider the scenario posed at the beginning of the briefing paper: You are at a meeting of the minds, discussing whether or not the sport should continue and, if so, how it could be modified or further regulated to take into account the concerns raised by its opponents… Your role as a group is to discuss a course of action which might best serve the common good. In doing so, consider: a. Which perspectives promote the common good? b. Which perspectives pose a threat to the common good? c. What might need to change (both in the short term and in the
long term) in order to serve the common good? Do particular stakeholders need to make sacrifices? If so, how? d. Which principles of human flourishing are relevant to this debate? e. How might these principles assist us to analyse the perspectives and move towards a course of action which best serves the common good? Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 11 2.1.3 ACTIVITY The resources below will help you to explore further the concept of the common good. Velasquez, Manuel, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer. ‘The Common Good.’ Markkula Centre for Applied Ethics.Santa Clara University. Previously published in Issues in Ethics 5, no.1 (1992). Herr, Theodore. “Who is Responsible for the Common Good?” In Catholic Social Teaching: A Textbook of Christian Insights, 78-81. London: New City, 1991. Task: 1. Describe the four obstacles that Velasquez, Andre and Shanks raise in relation to the achievement of the common good. 2. With reference to Herr, explain the difficulties involved in governments seeking to achieve it. 3. Now, consider the debate in the United States between the right to bear arms and the need for gun control. Using insights from the two readings, why is it so difficult for the common good to be achieved in this situation? 2.1.4 RESOURCES TO PURSUE IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST Listen to this ABC Radio podcast on The Common Good and religion in Australian society. Read Dornan, Geoffrey J. “The necessity of and priority for the common good in contemporary Australia: A response to the Federal Leader of the Opposition’s 16 November 2006 address to the Centre for Independent Studies.” Paper delivered at Christians for an Ethical Society, Canberra, January 4, 2007. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 12 2.2 Advocacy for the poor and vulnerable Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist Church minister as well as a civil rights activist who campaigned effectively for social change in the United States in the 1960s. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize. In his speech, “The Other America,” delivered at Grosse Pointe High School in 1968 (not long before he was assassinated), he observed: Image: Martin Luther King Jr. By Dick DeMarsico, World Telegram staff photographer Library of Congress https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Martin_Luther_King_Jr_NYWTS.jpg … On some positions cowardice asks the question is it safe? Expediency asks the question is it politic? Vanity asks the question is it popular? The conscience asks the question is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular but he must do it because conscience tells him it is right. Unfortunately, in our world we can identify many areas where we still have a great deal of work to do to achieve the common good for all. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 13 2.2.1 What is advocacy? Advocacy plays an important part in changing things for the better. The word “advocacy” comes from a Latin word advocare which means “to be called to stand beside.” People engaged in advocacy work on behalf of those who may not be powerful enough to speak for themselves or support them in a cause for greater recognition or to achieve justice. Advocates often work as mentors, linking people with resources, speaking on their behalf when necessary and empowering them to gain and retain control of issues which are of concern to them. 2.2.1 Activity Completion of this activity is important for your assessment preparation. Use the following resources to write a 100-word definition of advocacy. “What is Advocacy?”–Advocare Incorporated “What is Advocacy?”–Wallace Foundation (or read the transcript) Watch these three videos of asylum seekers speaking in their own words about the conditions that forced them to flee their home countries and seek asylum in Australia. Hussain’s story (or read the transcript) Najeeba’s story (or read the transcript) Qasim Yahya Ali (or read the transcript) Many of those who speak about the common good call for the restructuring of systems, organizations and governments to better cater for the vulnerable in society. As they currently stand, social, economic and political structures often serve the needs of the wealthy and powerful, at the expense of the poor and vulnerable. In the resources above, you have seen that current structures and social attitudes have a negative impact on the plight of refugees and asylum seekers. Task: 1. Think about the forces which cause people to take refuge in other countries. What social structures and circumstances can you identify that force people to seek refuge elsewhere? 2. Now think about the way in which Asylum Seekers are treated in Australia, both at the social and political level. Identify the social structures and attitudes that reinforce the frequent rejection of asylum-seekers in the Australian community, the way in which they are presented in the media, and the attitudes that underpin policy making. What would need to change for the situation of asylum-seekers to be improved? 3. How can an understanding of the global common good be brought to bear on this issue (consider the social structures and circumstances both in the countries of origin and in the destination countries of refuges and asylum seekers)? How can an understanding of the common good influence the way we should respond to this issue? Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 14 2.2.2 Activity TO DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING Advocating for Refugees: Choose 2 of these organisations and identify what actions they undertake to advocate for asylum seekers and refugees in Australia and around the world: The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (Australia’s biggest refugee advocacy and support organisation) Chilout (an organisation that works to defend the rights of children in Australian immigration detention centres) Amnesty International (a global organisation which works to defend the rights of those denied justice around the world) Rise (a refugee and asylum seeker organisation in Australia run and governed by refugees, asylum seekers and ex-detainees) Advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have long struggled for equal rights and recognition in Australia. Below is a list of 5 Australian organisations that advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Choose 2 organisations from this list and identify what actions they undertake in terms of advocacy: The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium (NATSIHEC) Aboriginal Corporation (AC) First Peoples Disability Network (Australia) – FPDN 2.2.3 Resource TO DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING Listen to this example of a successful advocacy campaign, featured in Natalie Warne: Being Young and Making an Impact, (transcript available) where an inspiring young woman speaks of what motivated her and of her ultimate success. As you can see in this video, and from the resources provided in Activity 2.2.2, advocacy involves far more than simply donating to charity and continuing to live our day-to-day lives. Advocacy requires a change in plan, a stepping forward, an acceptance of an, often public, role to bring about change. It involves putting aside our personal interests and working to radically improve situations of injustice in the world. 2.2.4 SOMETHING TO PURSUE IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST If you would like to find out more about the Refugee and Asylum Seeker issue in Australia this fact file will help. You could also refer to the Refugee Council of Australia website. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 15

UNCC100 MODULE 3: Living the mission: Personal and professional challenges Contents Introduction The vision How ACU lives its mission 3.2.2 Activity Making a difference The principles at work Core values—me and my profession Where have we come from and where are we going? Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 1 Module 3: Living the mission: Personal and professional challenges Activities and materials in this module will help you to meet: Learning Outcome 4: analyse and assess how the common good and social justice may be part of your personal and professional practice now and in the future; Graduate Attribute 2: recognise your responsibility to the common good, the environment and society; Graduate Attribute 4: think critically and reflectively; Graduate Attribute 5: demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession. Graduate Attributes? Go to a new version of the reflective tool on the home page of your LEO unit in Module 3: Graduate Attributes: Where are you now? to assess your progress during this unit. This unit will have given you the chance to start attaining well-developed skills in the targeted graduate attributes. As you progress through your studies at ACU, you will need to continue developing these and other graduate attributes so as to maximise your study outcomes and professional capacities. Warning Topics considered in UNCC LEO materials and in class discussions may be disturbing for some students. If you are affected, please contact your Campus Leader and/or the University Counselling Service. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are advised that this site may include voices or images of people who have passed away. It may also contain links to sites that may use images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now deceased. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 2 3.1 The Vision Robert Francis (Bobby) Kennedy, younger brother of “JFK”—US President John F. Kennedy—served both as Attorney General in the Kennedy administration in the 1960s and as a United States Senator, prior to his assassination. He was a strong defender of human rights. In his Day of Affirmation Address at Cape Town University in 1966—“A Tiny Ripple of Hope”—he observes: It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. In this final module we return to the ACU Mission Statement to see how the University puts its mission and vision into action. We will look at how some other institutions and individuals have taken up the challenge of living the principles that we have studied, and made a difference in the world. We aim to assist you in identifying your own values and those underpinning the profession you may be preparing or hoping to enter. We also hope to help you identify the challenges to living the mission of ACU that you may experience in your future life and career path. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 3 3.2 How ACU lives its mission At the beginning of this unit, we highlighted the Mission and Profile of ACU and its expectation of its graduates. Here we identify some of the ways in which ACU staff and students live that mission and foster the principles which promote human flourishing. Australian Catholic University expresses its commitment to the common good and a number of other principles we have been studying, in its Mission and Profile statement. A key difference between ACU and some of the other organizations, however, is that the mission and profile of ACU is closely related to its identity as Catholic. Its values come from a distinctly Christian understanding of the common good, and they explicitly give direction to all its work. 3.2.1 ACTIVITY Task 1: Reread the Mission and Profile of ACU. Identify the core values that underpin the University’s understanding of its call to engage with others in the community and to promote justice, the common good and human dignity. The University carries out this task in numerous ways. The Mission and Profile of ACU requires the University “contributes to its local, national and international communities.” Let’s look at an example of how this work is actually carried out by the students, staff, alumni or programs of the University. The following resources detail the work done by ACU with the people of the refugee camps on the ThaiBurma border. Review this report by Duncan MacLaren: “Tertiary Education in Pursuit of the Common Good: the Thai-Burma border experience.” In Learning, Teaching and Social Justice in Higher Education, edited by N. Riseman, S. Rechter and E. Warne, 111-121. Melbourne: eScholarship Research Centre, 2010. OR the video on the Thai-Burma border program. Task 2: 1. Analyse the connections between the principles of human flourishing and this particular ACU program. 2. Assess the potential impact of this program in terms of ACU’s commitment to national and global communities. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 4 3.2.2 ACTIVITY Graduate Attribute 2 at ACU requires that our students “recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society.” Look at the following links to programs run by ACU students and staff. Choose two that appeal to you. Identify how these programs serve the common good and which principles are being fostered by these programs. Action on Climate Change Giving to Cricket in Bangladesh Hearts in harmony Homeless but not Forgotten Homework Study Program Fitzroy Immersion in an Ancient Land Nursing Students Make a Difference in Vanuatu Building Capacity: Empowering Women Global School Partners Program 3.2.3 SOMETHING CHALLENGING TO PURSUE IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST Interested in how ACU understands its mission? Review the following resources. Read the inaugural address, “The Idea of an Australian Catholic University,” given by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Greg Craven, on his appointment as Vice-Chancellor of ACU. Take particular note of what he sees as the ten components or characteristics of an ‘authentically Australian Catholic university.’ What is the essential difference between a Catholic university and other universities? Compare and contrast the Craven article with the short reflection from David Hollenbach: “The Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Social Justice, and the University.” What do the two writers have in common? Are there any points on which they differ, or where they have a different emphasis? What do you think might be some of the cultural differences between Australia and the United States, which might impact on their understandings? Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 5 3.3 Making a difference “It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world, but you are not free to desist from it either.” Rabbi Tarfon, Pirke Avot 2:21 Of course, ACU is not alone in its work to foster justice and the common good. When we consider all the injustices and big issues of the world, we can feel powerless to do anything about them. Yet we should never give into the temptation to feel this way and so to do nothing. One person can make a difference. Here is one example of how something great can grow from something small and have a real impact on improving the lives of the most vulnerable. 3.3 ACTIVITY Consider the story of the young Australian woman, Nikki Lovell. She has worked extensively in Uganda and has established a foundation called One Village. She was only the same age as our students at ACU when she began. You can listen to her being interviewed OR explore the One Village website to gain an understanding of how the common good is served in this project. Task: As you review this resource, consider the power of one person to make a difference. 1. What motivates people to try to change t
he way things are? 2. How are the principles of human flourishing evident (or not evident) in this example? 3. How effective are attempts to change the world? How would we measure effectiveness in different instances? Might there be different types of effectiveness? (Think about different contributions that people might make: advocacy; financial aid; consciousness-raising; solidarity; practical assistance through the contribution of professional skills such as teaching, nursing, or building, and so on.) 4. There are many aid organisations and charities operative in the world. What sorts of activities best respect the dignity of the persons who are being assisted? What sorts of activities by such organisations and charities might undermine that dignity? If you support one of these bodies, how do you ensure that you are helping to bring about the common good and respecting human dignity? 5. ACU offers a number of volunteer opportunities for students. What difference will you make to better serve the common good? Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 6 3.4 The principles at work 3.4 ACTIVITY Many organisations and corporate bodies identify strongly with the principles we have been investigating. Look at three of the following websites to identify how they bring the principles to bear in their governance and work. What principles are specifically named by these companies? One well known example of a company that espouses these principles is The Body Shop. Look for the values they claim and the campaigns they endorse. The Cotton On clothing chain is another example of a global company – first established in Geelong, Australia – that takes good global citizenship very seriously. Look for their overseas development programs. The Westpac Foundation is a charitable trust that provides grants to not-for-profit organisations. They express a strong belief in sustainability and stewardship. KPMG Australia is part of a global network of companies providing accountancy, auditing, tax and financial services. Henry Davis York is a Law firm that does pro bono work, and engages in student mentoring programs and community partnerships such as with Open Family Australia on homelessness and young people at risk. A final example comes from Staples, an office supply company. As you can see, many different types of organisations espouse these principles. This is just a small sample. You can find more examples of organisations and corporate bodies that publically articulate a commitment to the principles promoting human flourishing. Of course, you always need to ask yourself about how well these principles are actually lived out in practice… Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 7 3.5 Core values—me and my profession As you complete your studies and move into a profession, you will come across many situations where you will need to consider your values and those of your profession before making a decision and moving forward. Most of the time your values and those of your profession might be similar, but there may also be times when these values are in conflict. At times you may be asked to compromise your own values, or put them aside for the benefit of the company or profession you work for. Consider, for example, the case presented here by New York Times Ethics Columnist, Jeffrey Seglin (read transcript). In this case, the owner of the company chose to compromise his values in order to maximise company profits and, ultimately, he was unhappy with his decision. Consider these questions in relation to the above example: Why do you think the company owner was ultimately unhappy with his decision? What role did the owner’s values play in his decision-making process? What role did the values of the profession play in the owner’s decision-making process? Do considerations of the common good come into play here? Was his decision the best course of action to bring about the common good? How might the common good have been realised in this situation? At the end of this section of the module, you will be asked to think about the role of the common good in your personal and professional life and to consider how making the common good a priority might form a particular personal or professional challenge for you. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 8 3.5 ACTIVITY The following exercise is designed to assist you to identify your own values and compare them with the profession to which you aspire, so that you can come to understand the important role that values play in decision-making for the common good. In this activity you will bring together the values and principles of ACU, your own personal values and those of the profession you aspire to join. You will need to map your values and those of your profession. This activity will consist of several parts, and is particularly relevant to the demonstration that you have acquired graduate attributes 2 and 5. Before you start, look again at the reflection guide to see how you process parallel values leading to the synthesis/evaluation of Parts 4 and 5 below. 1. The values of ACU You have already identified the core values embodied in ACU’s Mission and Profile and lived out in the programs it sponsors. Have this material in front of you as you complete the activities below. 2. Your personal values The Oxford Dictionary defines “values” as “principles or standards of behaviour; one’s judgement of what is important in life.”1 According to the Business Dictionary, values can be defined as: …important and lasting beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is good or bad and desirable or undesirable. Values have major influence on a person’s behavior and attitude and serve as broad guidelines in all situations. Some common business values are fairness, innovation and community involvement.2 Keeping these definitions in mind, complete this activity from MindTools to help you identify your own values. Make notes and keep them nearby for the rest of Activity 3.5. 3. The values of your profession Do a web search for the professional regulatory body for the career path you aspire to (eg. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership; The Institute of Chartered Accountants; Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency; Nursing and Midwifery Board, etc.). Locate the vision or values statement or ethical standards information on the website that best represents the field in which you will be seeking employment. Take careful notes on the values articulated and the principles that are outlined as ethical standards required. You will need these notes to complete the activity. 4. A synthesis You now have material on ACU’s values, your own values and the values of your profession. Print this Venn diagram. Use it to compare your own values (current and ideal) with those of your professional body and of ACU. Note the similarities and differences between the three areas and complete the diagram accordingly. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 9 5. Reflecting on core values The reflection which follows is the most important part of this activity. These questions will assist you to critically evaluate your completed Venn diagram and help you to prepare thoroughly for part of your assessment. Use the boxes around the Venn diagram to record your thoughts on the following questions: MISSING FROM PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS Do you think there are any values missing from a particular area? What might these be? Why do you think they were omitted? Do these values reflect the common good? Why/ why not? ESSENTIAL VALUES IN MY PROFESSION What values do you deem essential in your chosen field? Are these values explicit in the document from your professional body? What role does the common good play in the articulation of these professional values? Which values enhance the common good? Which values conflict with the common good? CHALLENGES What personal challenges can you see for yourself in light of the values of your professional body and ACU? What professional challenges can you see for yourself in light of the values of your professional body and
ACU? How might these challenges be overcome? Do any of your values conflict with those in your chosen field? How might this be overcome? MY PROFESSION AND ME How might your values enhance your professionalism in your chosen field? How might your values allow you to work towards and enhance the common good within your profession? ACU AND ME How might ACU assist you in the development of personal and professional values consistent with your chosen field? How might ACU assist you in the development of personal and professional values consistent with the common good? 1 “Values”, in Oxford Dictionary Online, accessed 24 March, 2015, http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/value 2 “Values”, in Businessdictionary.com, accessed 2 April, 2014, http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/values.html#ixzz2xhEjExBr Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 10 3.6 Where have we come from and where are we going? In this unit so far, you have explored the principles of human flourishing, the common good and the role advocacy for the vulnerable. You have identified the extent to which these concepts are made present in the values of the profession you hope to enter, and you have identified the ways in which your own values support or conflict with these concepts and the values of your profession. In module 4, you will be asked to explore particular issues, or “Hot Topics”, which present a challenge for the achievement of the common good. You will explore the various perspectives in play and discuss the ways in which the common good might best be served. As you work through these “Hot Topics” keep in mind the values of ACU, your values and those of your profession, and consider the role these values play in your analysis of the issue. Copyright (c) Australian Catholic University 2015 11

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