Issues of topics done in JC1 (2005) Youth and Children - Many subgroups of youth in the country and the

e world - Differences in characteristics and traits - Differences in challenges - Reasons for these traits and for their differences - Concern over their growth and future - Criticisms of them - mental, moral, spiritual, cultural, social - Youth and their achievements as balance examples - Solutions and recommendations to develop the potential of youth and children The Aged - Their population growth and impact on society in political, economic and social ways - The situation across the world including Singapore - Their contribution to society - The dependency of old age and health/social/econ. problems - How to deal with the problems of old age (Specific solutions and limitations) - Examples of famous octogenarians Family - Functions of the family - Changes in the family structure and functions in the modern society - Reasons for the changes - Is the family in decline? Why and why not? - Should we be concerned? - Alternatives to the family Gender role - Changes in the gender roles and reasons - Improvements in the conditions of women across the world including Singapore - Examples of achievements and famous women in the various sectors of the world (Singapore and the world at large) - Problem areas which have seen little improvement - political/econ/social - Recommendations and solutions to improve the lot of women - The condition of men - metrosexuals, sensitive new age men and househusbands - Do men need to be liberated? - The relationship of men and women - a battle or a truce? Marriage as an institution - Changes and reasons - Divorce and the decline of marriage?
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- Alternatives? - The situation across the world including Singapore Beauty - Appearance versus reality-which is more important? - Our ideas of beauty and the role of the media/advertisements - Recommendations and solutions to promote a healthier self image Mass media & its role - Its forms and roles - books, movies, television, radio, Internet - The different types of media and how they work to appeal to us - Media organisations and their objectives vs government control - Freedom of expression and information and its role in promoting democracy, human rights, economic growth and scientific knowledge - Government censorship and its motives - nation-building, moral guardianship, social order or propaganda - Ways to censor and effects - The Internet and the new wave of cybercrimes - solutions and limitations - The way the Singapore society handles the media - The situation across the world - examples - Examples of flagrant abuses of the media Ethics and responsibility - The moral and philosophical basis of ethics - Religious basis - Euthanasia - Abortion Moral/religious Arguments - Animal rights vs pragmatism - Suicide Human rts vs social norms - Embryonic Stem Cell Research Examples reported Globalisation - Historical perspective - Technological/Economic and Social forces which have accelerated/changed it - Effects across the world - econ/social/racial/religious/cultural/political - Arguments For versus Against - The backlash across the world - NGOs and protests/governmental resistance - Important treaties & conferences Crime & Punishment - Types of crimes - Causes - nature or nurture? - The purpose of punishment - rehabilitate, to deter, to restore order and balance, to mete out justice? - The effectiveness of our measures to control crime
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Imprisonment or Capital Punishment - reasons for and against Countries which have abolished c.p. and their experience Solutions to counter crimes and limitations Singapore and our experience

Education 1. The purpose of education Do we really need to go to school? Are we learning what we need to learn: the flaws & merits of Singapores education system Tests & Exams: do we need them? Streaming & ability differentiated education The role(s) & responsibilities of the teacher, student & parents Home vs. School Education Local (Singapore) vs. Overseas Education Compulsory Education Education in the 21st C: what do we need to know? Lifelong independent learning 2. Critical & creative thinking Critical & creative thinking: what are these, what are they for & why are they needed? Encouraging & infusing critical & creative thinking Assessing creativity: can it be done? The case for/against rote-learning: no more memorising formulae? Man & Environment Environmentalism Biodiversity Pollution Extinction Resource depletion Energy sources Global warming & greenhouse effect Population & Poverty Optimum, over- & under-population Population explosion

Population decline Ageing population Migration Brain drain vs. import of foreign talents Macro-poverty Micro-poverty Vicious poverty circle & related problems Women, children & poverty Developed vs. developing countries Science & Technology Science vs. technology (the difference & inter-dependence) Artificial intelligence Biotechnology Cloning Genetics research Human Genome Project, genetic engineering, testing & therapy Xenotransplantation & molecular medicine Technology for entertainment, commerce, communications, etc. War & Terrorism War Terrorism Conventional vs. non-conventional weapons Learning from the past Politics & Government Political systems Economic systems

Governance Leadership Power

Singapore Based Questions Topics

Examples Shaping Singapores destiny: anticipate, harness and execute change for individual and national survival How might the type of youth culture we adopt/imbibe affect our society? Social cohesion: promotion of family life in Singapore The implications of changing family structures The role of women in our armed forces The role of education in developing a meritocracy and ensuring Singapores continued success The implications of the local trend of a more educated and demanding population Singapore as best home towards a crime-free nation The role of the media in promoting and maintaining racial harmony in Singapore Examples Implications of the one man, one vote system Singapores fundamentals of governance The parliamentary system in Singapore Comparison with other democracies Preventing corruption in Singapore Civic responsibility Willingness to serve as leaders in our community Responsibility in leadership Singapores policies to encourage water conservation and selfsufficiency in its water resource Preserving our national heritage and land use in Singapore

Youth Culture

Family & Gender Issues Education & Learning Crime & Punishment Mass Communication & the Media Topics

Government & Politics

Man & the Environment

 Population & Poverty War & Terrorism

Prejudice & Discrimination

Science & Technology

Implications of Singapores demographics and racial composition Socio-economic implications of Singapores ageing population Singapores human resource: attraction of foreign talent, extension of retirement age, migration of Singaporeans Vulnerability and limitations of a small nation/population Threat to social cohesion: greater social stratification due to increasing income equality Singapore attaining developed country status and the implications Multi-racialism in Singapore Racial and religious riots in Singapore Threat to social cohesion: ethnocentrism, ethic polarisation and communal politics HDBs racial integration policy Racial and Religious Harmony Bill Rationale behind the Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) Singapores advancements in Information Technology (IT) Acquisition of sophisticated weaponry: equipping our army with technologically advanced systems Our highly developed home-grown arms industry Increase in emphasis on research and development (R&D) in life sciences Singapore in WW2 and the Indonesian Confrontation (1962-65): the impact on our security and stability Singapores military self-reliance and our defence capabilities Deterrence and active diplomacy Singapores policy of no permanent friends, only permanent interests Terrorism in Singapore

*** For the above topics, look for examples, worldwide & local!! *** Some stats would be good if you come across them Now you know why I told you last year to read and to form research groups.One fast way of getting the information is to read comprehension passages from A level and Other colleges. If 2008 is not enough, then go to 2007 and then 2006..Read for info without the need to do the questions but if you have time, do some of the papers, if not most. Papers are available in the library. Can we get the class to break up the work : one person to read up on politics and copy for the class if she or he finds one or 2 articles that comprehensively covers the topic? Then another can deal with another topic.

How?..