| Activist: someone who does things to bring about political or social changes |
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| ANC: African National Congress, an African liberation movement which focused on the interests of Black and minority peoples in South Africa |
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| Aggressive: behave in a forceful or angry way which can make others feel threatened |
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| Apartheid: a political system in which people of different races are kept apart by Law |
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| Articulate: able to express yourself well and clearly |
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| Assassinate: to murder someone as a political act |
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| Brutalised: if someone is brutalised by an experience, it can make them cruel or violent |
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| Cabinet: group of the most senior ministers in a government |
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| Campaign: a set of activities planned to achieve something like social or political change |
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| Candidate: someone being considered for a job or post |
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| Categorise: to divide people into sets according to your view of them |
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| Cliché: an idea or phrase which has been over-used so it no longer has any effect |
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| Coalition: a group consisting of people from different political or social groups who are co-operating |
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| Commissioner: important official in the Commission or organisation |
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| Common touch: able to relate well to ordinary people |
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| Compromise: an agreement in which people agree to accept less than they originally wanted |
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| Consensus: general agreement amongst a group of people |
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| Constituency: an area for which someone is elected as a representative in parliament |
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| Delegation: group of people chosen to represent a larger group of people |
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| Destiny: the force which some people believe controls the things that happen to you |
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| Discrimination: the practice of treating one person/group of people less well or fairly than other people or groups |
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| Dynasty: series of rulers of a country who are all part of the same family |
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| Elite: group of the most powerful, rich or talented people in society |
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| Empowerment: to have the power or authority to do something |
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| Fumble: here: to try to find your way when you're inexperienced- if you fumble with something, you handle it clumsily |
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| Gender: characteristic of being male or female |
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| Glass ceiling: the invisible "roof" which prevents women from gaining higher or more powerful positions |
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| grassroots: the ordinary people, rather than the leaders |
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| House arrest: if someone is under house arrest, they are not allowed to leave their home - a kind of punishment |
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| Humanitarian: someone or something which tries to avoid making people suffer |
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| Legalise: if something is legalised, a law is passed that makes it legal |
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| Martial law: law administered by military forces in an emergency |
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| Mná na hÉireann: the women of Ireland (Gaelic) |
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| Networking: the practice of meeting other people involved in the same kind of work, to share information and support each other |
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| Outspoken: to give opinions openly, not concerned if those views shock people |
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| Pacesetters: people who set the pace - the first to achieve something |
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| Parameters: factors or limits which affect the way something is done or made |
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| Participate: take part in something, in an activity |
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| Patriarchal: society or system in which men have all or most of the power and importanc |
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| Queen Bee syndrome: women who try to keep all the power to themselves and don't help other |
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| Quotas: a fixed proportion of people from certain groups (ie women) who are permitted to do something (such as enter government) |
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| Resistance: the act of fighting for what you believe in |
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| Role Model: a person whose behaviour you admire and may copy or use as inspiration, who sets an example for others through their achievement |
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| Reshuffle: reorganisation of people and their roles especially in government |
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| Senate: the smaller and more important of two councils in the government of some countries |
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| solitary confinement: when you are held in prison separately from other prisoners |
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| Stereotype: if you stereotype someone you form a fixed idea of them and assume they will behave in that way |
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| Streetfighter: literally someone who fights on the streets, meaning someone who is not afraid to take their political battles "to the streets" |
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| Suffrage: the right to vote for a government or national leader |
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| throw your hat in the ring: indicate your willingness to take up a particular challenge |
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| Usurp: if you usurp someone's title or position, you take it from them when you have no right to do so |
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| Vindicate: when someone is vindicated, their ideas or actions are proved right or worthwhile |
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| wheeler dealing: a kind of networking associated with men trying to get what they want (for example meeting up in a bar after work to make deals) |
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