UNIT 3: SOCIAL COHESION
Key unit competence: To use language learnt in the context of socialcohesion
Introductory activity
Picture observation and interpretationObserve and discuss activities taking place in the figures below
Study the pictures above and after, discuss the following questions:1. What is happening in the above pictures?2. What can make people gather as shown in those pictures?3. What do we call the harmony and good relationship among members ofcommunity?
3.1. Talking about personal values that enhance socialcohesion3.1. 1. Learning activities: Reading and analysis of text anddiagram
Pre-reading activityA case study:Suppose you are travelling home from school. On the way, an old woman getsinto the bus and finds all seats occupied. You are the only young person in thatbus. How would you react to this situation?
The diagram on social cohesionObserve the diagram below and discuss
After interpreting the above diagram, answer the following questions:1. Identify different values presented in the diagram.2. What are the values grouped under social relations?3. Which objective and subjective quality of life is mentioned in the diagram?4. Based on different values described in the diagram, identify somepersonal values that can enhance social cohesion.5. Why do you think personal values can help in the enhancement of socialcohesion?Text: Enhancing social cohesion
What balances individual rights against those of society and appreciates that
a good relationship enables people to respect each other’s values is known as
social cohesion. This works towards the well-being of all its members and
acts as a bond linking people together for better growth. For the society to
achieve it, individual values play a big impact as discussed in the followingsections.
Firstly, let’s talk about Empathy which involves the ability to emotionally
understand what another person is experiencing. Essentially, it is putting yourself
in someone else’s position and feeling what they must be feeling. When you see
another person suffering, you might be able to instantly envision yourself in theother person’s place and feel sympathy for what they are going through. While
people are generally pretty well-attuned to their own feelings and emotions,
getting into someone else’s head can be a bit more difficult. The ability to feel
empathy allows people to “walk a mile in another’s shoes,” so to speak. Itpermits people to understand the emotions that others are feeling.
For many, seeing another person in pain and responding with indifference or
even outright hostility seems utterly incomprehensible. But the fact that some
people do respond in such a way clearly demonstrates that empathy is notnecessarily a universal response to the suffering of others.
Secondly, there are just a few elemental forces that hold our world together.
The one that’s the glue of society is also called trust. Its presence cements
relationships by allowing people to live and work together, feel safe and belongto a group. Trust in a leader allows organizations and communities to flourish.
However, the absence of trust can cause fragmentation, conflict and even war.
That’s why we need to trust our leaders, our family members, our friends and our
co-workers, albeit in different ways. We may not show it outwardly, but we are
less likely to tell the formerly trusted person that we are upset, to share what is
important to us or to follow through on commitments. As a result, we pull back
from that person and no longer feel part of their world. This loss of trust can be
obvious or somewhat hidden especially if we pretend to be present but inwardly
disengage. And those who have done something to lose our trust may not evenknow it.
Lastly by no means of least, it is about the action or process of forgiving or being
forgiven. When you are forgiven, you feel free to relate with the person who
forgave you. When you do it, you release yourself from bitterness and therefore
you can embrace those who had wronged you. This fosters good relationship
among members of the society thereby fostering social cohesion.Adapted from (Cherry, 2020)Comprehension questions1. Based on the author’s views, what do you understand by social cohesion?2. Which Personal values can enhance social cohesion as described by theauthor?3. Using clear examples, explain some reasons as why the describedpersonal values may enhance social cohesion.4. What can happen in the absence of trust among people?5. Which moral lesson have you drawn after reading the above text?Application activity 3.1.2vocabulary and composition1. VocabularyWrite the meaning of the following words and expressions:a) Social cohesionb) Valuesc) Bondd) Empathye) Envisionf) Sympathyg) Attunedh) walk in another’s shoesi) outright hostilityj) the glue of societyk) cements relationshipsl) albeitm)upset2. Composition:
In not more than 300 words, write a composition with a title, “Community
Work in my village”3.2. Elaborating on Peace and Unity
3.2.1. Learning activities: Reading and text analysisTEXT: The role of peace education in rebuilding a peaceful Rwanda.
I work for Shalom Educating for Peace, a peace education organization
operating in Rwanda. Peace education plays a key role in building a just future
for Rwanda. In the run up to the commemorations in Rwanda we hosted the third
African Alliance for Peace Summit. The conference was held in Kigali from 16-
19 February. The dates were chosen deliberately to take place during the period
of 100 days before the 20th commemoration of the genocide. The conferencewas aligned with the commemoration’s preparatory events and operated with theobjective of bringing together people to discuss ways to avoid the reoccurrence
of an atrocity such as the genocide.The theme of the summit was “Promoting Peace Education in our Communities,”and brought together 62 participants from 11 countries including Rwanda,
Burundi, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda,Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
The purpose of the event was to examine how to prevent violence, wars,
genocide, and xenophobia by promoting peace education and sustaining
peace infrastructures, but it also enabled participants from different parts of
Africa and beyond to learn about what happened in Rwanda in 1994 and how
Rwandans have responded to the tremendously challenging post-genocide
context. The summit left its participants with the conviction that genocide can
be prevented with the development of an effective peace education system. As
a contribution to the prevention of violence on the continent, participants at the
summit formulated the ‘Kigali Declaration’ in order to call on all African countriesto invest in educating its people for peace.
The summit participants reflected on the necessity of building strong and
effective infrastructures for peace and promoting peace education within our
communities as a way to prevent the reoccurrence of the deplorable past
and to work proactively for a tangible “never again”.If we take a look at the 100 days leading up to the genocide, it is clear that
Rwanda suffered from the lack of education and other infrastructure for peace.
Youth were over-equipped with killing instruments traditional arms, machetes,
guns, etc. Violent meetings were organized around the country. The media
broadcasted violent messages, and hatred was spread around the country. There
were warning signs about a possible genocide, and youth were indoctrinated
in divisive and genocidal ideology. Unrest, disorder, prejudice, despair, and
instability were the common characteristics of our communities.The period of terror that ensued lasted just 100 days, from April to July. Duringthose 100 days, Rwanda became a bloody land and more than one million
Rwandans perished. Ashamed of what happened in the country, the worldcouldn’t repeat the “Never Again” slogan.
In the aftermath of the genocide, it was clear that Rwanda didn’t die. Instead,
Rwandans have demonstrated the power of human resilience. Firm recovery
efforts have been made to rebuild the country. Anti-genocide and pro-peacestrategies have been established and adopted by the people.
Adopted from: (OCHA, 2014)
Comprehension questions.
1. Explain the role of media in genocide against Tutsi as reported in the
above text.
2. What is the role of peace education in Rwanda?
3. What was the theme of the summit?
4. Participants from different parts of Africa and beyond were taught
about what happened in Rwanda in 1994 and how Rwandans have
responded to the tremendously challenging post-genocide context . Do
you think this was important? Why?
5. In the text above, what shows that Rwanda suffered from the lack of
education and other infrastructure for peace?Application activity 3.2.2Vocabulary and role-play
1.VocabularyUse the following words to make meaningful sentences.
a) violence
b) xenophobia
c) tremendously
d) infrastructures
e) reoccurrence
f) deplorable
g) prejudice
h) despair
i) slogan
j) aftermathk) resilience.
2. Role-play
Assume you are a village leader, present to the class the role of PeaceEducation in promoting harmony in society.
3.3. Language structure: Some forms of the verb
3.3.1. Active and passive voicePreparatory activities1. Using examples, justify the statement below
2. Study the following tables and answer the questions that follow
a) Identify the rules used to change active sentences into passive voices.
b) Why should we use the forms identified in the second column?Notes
1. “By” is used before the subject in the passive voice to introduce the doer
of the action.
Example: “Love addicted” was sung by Vamps.
2. The passive voice is used without by if the doer of the action is not known.Examples:
- The streets are cleaned every day.
- The policeman was murdered.
- A new departmental store is being built.
- The cloth is sold in yards.
Rules:
1. The places of the subject and object are interchanged i.e. the object
shifts to the place of the subject and the subject shifts to the place of the
object in the passive voice.
2. Active voice: I write a letter.
3. Passive voice: A letter is written by me.
4. Subject (I) of sentence shifted to the place of object (letter) and object
(letter) shifted to the place of subject (I) in passive voice.Exceptions:
5. Sometimes by is omitted in the passive voice when there is no subject in
the sentence used in passive voice because the doer of the action is notknown or when there is no need to know the doer of the action.
Example:
- The streets are cleaned every day.
- A policeman was murdered.
6. The word “by” is not always used before the subject in passive voice.Sometime words like with, to, etc.” may also be used before the subject inpassive voice.Examples:- Active voice: The water fills the tub.- Passive voice: The tub is filled with water.- Active voice: He knows me.- Passive voice: I am known to him.3.3.2. Imperative sentencesA. DefinitionA sentence that expresses either a command, a request, an advice, an entreatyor desire is called imperative sentence.B. Characteristics of Imperative Sentences1. The object “you” is generally missing in Imperative Sentences.The structure of such sentences in Passive Voice is: Let + object + be/ not be+ V3Example:- Imperative sentence: Finish the work by tomorrow- Passive voice: Let this work be done by tomorrow.2. In sentences which express request, advice and order, such phrases like,you are requested to/advised to /ordered to... are usedWords like kindly/please are dropped.Example:Imperative form: work harder please!Passive form: You are advised to work harder.(Charles, 2013)3.3.3 Modal verbs: must, shouldPreparatory activities1. Describe some modal verbs that may be used to express obligation orsomething that a person has to do and when providing pieces of advice.2. Fill in the blanks using should, must and shouldn’t.a) I feel sad and lonely. You … see a doctor.b) I have no money. You … work harder.c) All schools in Rwanda … create peace and unity clubs.d) We … do our homework because it’s important.e) Jason has missed the train He …be late next time.f) In England all children … wear uniforms at school.g) Parents or guardians … teach their children Rwandan values.
End of unit assessment 3.41. In about 250 words, write a speech you would give to fellow studentsof senior four about their responsibilities to build a cohesive society.2. Match the words in the table below with their meanings
3. Rewrite the following sentences as instructeda) I should be going home, but I still want to play. (Rewrite usingought to)b) By this time tomorrow we will have signed the deal. (Rewrite inpassive)c) She is not beaten by me. (Rewrite in active)d) You ought to have come earlier. (Rewrite using should)e) Kalisa wasn’t selling rotten eggs. (Rewrite in passive)f) You have to respect others. (Rewrite using must)g) You are not allowed to smoke in here. (Rewrite using must)