Level 1 Social Studies

In this ever-changing world we are experiencing more and more conflict over important local, national, and international issues. We believe that it is important to be able to understand these problems from different perspectives to create long lasting solutions. In Social studies you will have the opportunity to develop the skills required to understand various viewpoints, fully explain your own, and play an active role in society. 

The focus at Level 1 is to develop a sense of global citizenship through the examination of current social issues and cultural change in the 21st Century. Through this subject students will develop their general knowledge, writing and critical thinking skills.

Possible topics are:

• NZ Aotearoa Youth crime
• Culture and identity: Introduction to philosophy and ethics
• Cultural change and positive masculinity/Men's mental health
• Social and environmental challenges in New Zealand today: Participating in a social action project
• Global focus on human rights: Sustainable Development Goals
• Black Lives Matter, Police Brutality, Racism, and Protest.
• Beauty Standards-  inquire into an issue associated with our current perceptions of beauty, including plastic surgery, different perceptions of beauty, child beauty pageants, size zero models, fur in fashion, body image and Instagram models, skin tanning and whitening and so on.
• Prisoners of conscience – the struggle for human rights and social justice (doing a social action).
• Cultural Change e.g. in gender roles. how we protest
• Current events and issues as they arise.

The standards and topics offered in this course may be altered at the discretion of the Head of Department.