Page 530 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies

Grade 12, University Preparation
Overall Expectations and Related Concepts of Political Thinking
Big Ideas*
Framing Questions*
B. Political Foundations
B1. Political Thought: demonstrate an understanding of various political ideologies, theories, and concepts, and analyse their relevance to Canadian and international politics (FOCUS ON: Political Significance; Political Perspective)
Political thinking reflects social, economic, and technological changes and affects political policy .
What criteria would you use to assess political thinkers? Whose voices
are represented, and whose voices are not, in traditional political theory?
Under what circumstances can diplomacy work?
How does decolonization continue to affect politics and international relations today?
How do political/cultural values and identity affect relations within and between countries?
B2. The Evolution of Modern Politics and International Relations: analyse the role of ideology, diplomacy, and conflict, including conflict related to decolonization, in the evolution of politics in and relations between various countries around the world in the past century (FOCUS ON: Political Significance; Stability and Change)
The past century has been marked by extensive political conflict but also by cooperation and diplomacy .
B3. Influences on Canadian and International Politics: analyse how social, economic, and geographic factors influence contemporary politics in and relations between various countries around the world (FOCUS ON: Objectives and Results; Political Perspective)
Relations between countries are affected by various economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors .
C. Governments and Canadian and International Politics
C1.The International Influence of Governments: analyse how strategies/practices used by a state or states can affect the policies and status of other states (FOCUS ON: Political Significance; Objectives and Results)
Individual nations use various means to influence the policies and/or status of other nations .
What are the benefits
and disadvantages to Canada of being a member of international and intergovernmental organizations?
How and why does Canada exert political pressure on other nations?
Is Canada an important world player?
Are Canadian values about democratic and human rights reflected in our foreign policy?
C2. Intergovernmental Cooperation: demonstrate an understanding of the role of intergovernmental cooperation in international politics (FOCUS ON: Objectives and Results; Stability and Change)
Canada’s participation in international organizations has changed over time .
Technological advances create new reasons for intergovernmental cooperation .
C3. Canadian Government Policies and International Relations: analyse Canada’s foreign policy objectives and factors that affect them (FOCUS ON: Objectives and Results; Political Perspective)
Canada’s foreign policy objectives and actions are influenced by political, economic, and cultural considerations .
Overview (continued)
Throughout this course, when planning instruction, teachers should weave the expectations from strand A in with the expectations from strands B–E.
Strands B–E
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies
* See page 17 for a discussion of the purpose of big ideas and framing questions.
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