10.2 Political Spectrum Analysis

You may have heard the advice that there are three topics to avoid in polite conversation: money, religion, and politics. These can be emotional, personally important topics about which people may hold very different views. Bringing up these topics may create tension, especially if people do not know each other well and have not yet had time to build a relationship of respect.

Despite this advice, you are almost certain to hear people, including people whom you have just met, express their political views. You might even feel that they are trying to gauge your reaction and figure out what your views are.

Plan

In such situations, you usually have no obligation to react or to express your agreement or disagreement. However, as people communicate and hear diverse views through conversation and media, it is helpful to understand your own position on the political spectrum. Perhaps someone who believes they are very conservative is not as far to the right as they thought, or perhaps someone who identifies as moderate actually leans to one side.

In this assignment, you will analyze your own political ideology and consider what influences shape your views. You will answer the Essential Question:

What is my political ideology, and where do my views come from?

​

Congrats on finishing this graded assignment!

​

Finished!