Hello, Joana! I'm the philosophy teacher and I've been
asked to set you your most difficult test yet. You will
have to apply everything you have seen in Greece and
Rome in order to analyse our societies and their
political and social structures.
I'll be giving you clues and you have to find out
the information. You'll have to send a report to
the Observatory with your conclusions and
suggestions.
1st CLUE: COMPARE AND ASSESS.
ROLE-PLAY EXERCISE
CHOOSE ONE OF THESE CHARACTERS. (Where the gender is not specified, you can choose whether it is a
man or a woman)
THEN JUDGE FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW THREE TYPES OF CITIZENSHIP.
CHARACTERS FROM
THE CLASSICAL ERA
CHARACTERS FROM
MODERN TIMES
EMPEROR
MONARCH OR PRESIDENT
WOMAN (from any social class)
WORKER
PEASANT
EMPLOYEE
ARTISAN
EMIGRANT
FOREIGNER
SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESSMAN/WOMAN
HONESTIORE (RICH PERSON)
WOMAN
(you can choose your social class
and occupation)
CHOSEN
CHARACTER
ASSESSMENT
Highlight those aspects that touch on or call
into question your rights as a citizen.
ROMAN
CITIZENSHIP
GREEK
CITIZENSHIP
SPANISH
CITIZENSHIP
FRENCH
CITIZENSHIP
EUROPEAN
CITIZENSHIP
2nd CLUE: THINK AND RESPOND
COMPLETE EACH OF THESE STATEMENTS AND FIND EXCEPTIONS,
HITCHES AND PROBLEMS, ETC.
CITIZENS ENJOY A SERIES OF RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE POLITICAL LIFE OF THE COUNTRY, BUT...
CITIZENS CAN MAKE DECISIONS WITH THEIR VOTE, BUT...
AS EUROPEAN CITIZENS WE CONTROL (see page 13) THE DECISIONS OF THE
EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS (see page 47), BUT...
THOSE WHO ARE NOT CITIZENS DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE, BUT...
3rd CLUE: OBSERVE AND JUDGE
THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL ESTABLISHED A SERIES OF CONDITIONS WHICH MUST BE MET
BY ANY COUNTRY JOINING THE EU. THE SITUATION OF EACH CANDIDATE IS ANALYSED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THESE GUIDELINES.
YOU ARE GOING TO BECOME A COMMISSION EXPERT, ANALYSING THE ACCESSION
CRITERIA FOR BULGARIA AND ROMANIA (that have recently joined the UE). YOU MAY ALSO
CHOOSE ANOTHER CANDIDATE COUNTRY IF YOU WISH (CROATIA, TURKEY, MOLDAVIA),
ALTHOUGH ALL THE INFORMATION WILL BE IN ENGLISH.
YOU WILL HAVE TO COMPILE A REPORT FOR ONE OF THESE COUNTRIES, RECOMMENDING
THEIR INCLUSION OR REJECTION. (Analyse the accession criteria of Copenhagen, page 14).
BUT, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE SUBJECTED THOSE COUNTRIES THAT ALREADY FORM
PART OF THE UE TO THE SAME EXAMINATION? GIVE EXAMPLES OR PINPOINT SPECIFIC
CASES.
Right, now what? I suppose I'll have to send a report with my conclusions
to the International Citizenship Observatory - this time talking about one of
the most complex and delicate aspects of active citizenship: participation
and democracy in the EU.
CONCLUSIONS
DO CITIZENS PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IN THE EU AND ITS STATES?
DO THE PARTICIPATION MECHANISMS WE HAVE GUARANTEE THIS PARTICIPATION?
COULD OTHER, MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION SYSTEMS BE SET UP?
These websites may give you a few ideas:
http://otrademocraciaesposible.net/es/index.php
http://www.democraciaweb.org/demob.htm
European Citizens' Initiative - Home
http://www.cafebabel.com/es/evts/event.asp?T=T&Id=1100
http://www.democraticidiretti.org/
http://www.euskalnet.net/plazandreok/euskera/archivos/plataformapolitica/zerproposatzendegu.htm