Web Exercises

 
The Pew Research Center has identified eight specific political typologies, sorting voters into cohesive groups based on their attitudes and values.  Of the eight groups, three are strongly ideological, two on the right and one on the left, while the other typology groups are less partisan and less predictable.
  • Select Take the Typology Quiz to find out which Political Typology group is your best match compared with a national survey of over 10,000 U.S. adults.  Was it hard to answer some of the questions?  How did you decide which response to choose?
  • Do you think this quiz provided an accurate reflection of your political typology?  Why or why not?
  • How can the knowledge of the various political typologies be helpful when advocating for policy change?
 
The National Association of Social Workers notes that “The original mission of social work had much to do with championing the rights of society’s most vulnerable members, from children to homeless people to the physically disabled. That mission remains the same over 100 years later.” 
  • This page describes an example of a situation in which the needs of individuals and policy overlap.  What would be another example?
  • Select one of the Toolkits.  How might you use this Toolkit in your advocacy work?
  • The page notes that “Social workers help educate the public by writing letters to the editor and op-ed pieces that clarify misinformation about social programs and point out social injustices that may otherwise escape public attention.”  Write a sample letter to the editor about a topic of importance to you.
 
The Dodd-Frank Act was implemented as a response to the United States financial crisis in the fall of 2008.  The law prevents banks from taking the kind of risks that led to the financial crisis.
  • How will this Act help protect families?
  • View the video What Wall Street Reform Means for You.  What were banks doing that led to the economic crisis?
  • Find the link to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  Select the Inside the CFPB tab, and select About Us.  What are some of the Core Functions of the CFPB?