Social Studies 30: Illiberalism

In this excellent video created by an Alberta teacher for Social Studies 30, students will learn how liberal societies can become illiberal.

When is it acceptable for a liberal democracy to act against the principles of liberalism? Why?

Learn why Canada chose to suspend Habeas Corpus as part of the War Measures Act

Apartheid was made up of a collection of strict laws targeting visible minorities

Excellent article on the need for reparations for Black Americans.

An excellent overview of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

An article that examines the rise of illiberal democracies in recent times.

Edward Snowden discusses the NSA, and the balance between privacy and security.

An excellent article that document Apartheid in South Africa.

A policy passed at the Liberal National Convention to target disinformation, but it could cause more problems.

A great guide to the issues of online hate in Canada.

A website of educational activities relating to Apartheid in South Africa.

Explore how Dutch and British colonization of South Africa led to Apartheid. Related Lesson

A detailed article about the limits of free speech in Canada.

In 1953, the American Library Association issued their Freedom to Read statement. Why?

A videos that examines the impact of McCarthyism on the entertainment industry in the US.

Without oversight, Senator MacCarthy conducted a crusade against enemies of the state.

In the 1950s, thousands of people were aggressively investigated and questioned by their own government. Related Lesson

While slavery is abolished in the US, an new industry of imprisoning black men has replaced it.

Four siblings meet for the first time after being taken away during the Sixties Scoop.

First Contact takes six Canadians on a journey intended to challenge attitudes about Indigenous peoples

Learn about the interrogations and firings of thousands of Canadian civil servants and soldiers.

A playlist of the CBC series, Love Hate & Propaganda.

This lesson plan addresses Canada’s War Measures Act, Japanese Internment in Canada and the activism of Arthur Miki.

A site for elementary and junior high teachers that has lessons and resources for teaching about Japanese internment

This lesson plan is designed with privacy in mind so that students can reflect on their personal experiences without feeling pressure to share when they’re not comfortable. Grades 11-12

Three sequential lessons to help students learn about racism through a combination of experiential activities, history, and via their own lived experiences

Lesson plans that focused on defending human rights. Some lessons can be used with upper elementary students while others are designed for junior and high school students.