About the Citizenship in Society Merit Badge
By working on the requirements for the Citizenship in Society merit badge, Scouts learn that we all benefit when everyone is included and has a voice. Scouts learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion. They also explore ethical leadership and how being an upstander helps others feel respected and valued.
There is no merit badge pamphlet for this badge. Scouts will need to research and formulate answers on their own.
Is the Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Eagle required?
This merit badge is required for the rank of Eagle Scout starting in July 2022.
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What Are the Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirements?
You will need to learn about leadership, ethical decision making, treating others according to the Scout Oath and Law, diversity, welcoming, and rejecting stereotyping.
Answers and Helps
Requirement 3: Ethical Decisions
Requirement 7: Promoting Diversity
Requirement 8: Event in Society
Requirement 9: Leadership Outside of Scouting
Requirement 11: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Additional Resources
Where Can I Find the Answers for the Citizenship in Society Merit Badge?
Find specific helps for the Citizenship in Society Merit Badge merit badge requirements listed on this page. Some of these resources will just give example answers. Others will provide background information to help you understand the questions.
Ask Scouter Mom a question or share your ideas with others
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 1: Terms
Requirement 1 Helps and Answers
What Are Identities?
Our identity is how we define ourselves. This includes values, beliefs, personality, the roles we play, physical characteristics, ethnicity, and more.
What Is Diversity?
Diversity means having a range of people with various racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds and various lifestyles, experience, and interests. Diversity is a group of people who are different in the same place.
What is Equity?
Equity is the quality of being fair and impartial.
What is Equality?
Equality is the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.
What Is the Difference between Equity and Equality?
Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.
What Is Inclusion?
Inclusion is the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or mental disabilities and members of other minority groups.
What Is Discrimination?
Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
What Is Ethical Leadership?
Ethical leadership means that individuals behave according to a set of principles and values that are recognized by the majority as a sound basis for the common good. Leaders that are ethical will respect everyone, from their superiors to their employees, equally.
What Is an Upstander?
An upstander is a person who speaks or acts in support of an individual or cause, particularly someone who intervenes on behalf of a person being attacked or bullied.
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 2: Leadership
Requirement 2 Helps and Answers
Leadership and Ethics
- Treat others how you want to be treated.
- Find common ground with those you are working with.
- Encourage communication and feedback.
- Be aware of any bias you might have.
- Lead by example.
- Learn from your role models.
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 3: Ethical Decisions
Requirement 3 Helps and Answers
Steps for Ethical Decision Making
- Define the problem.
- Seek guidance and resources from people and reliable sources.
- Identify possible solutions.
- Evaluate the solutions, considering the positive and negative impact they may have. Consider the common good.
- Make a decision.
- Implement the decision.
- Evaluate the decision to determine if it solved the problem.
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 4: Scenarios
Requirement 4 Helps and Answers
How to Respond when a Friend Says Something Insensitive
How to Respond when a Friend Says Something Insensitive
- Repeat back what he or she said (unless the words themselves are just too offensive). Sometimes just hearing the words will make the person realize they were wrong.
- Ask them why they said what they did. “Why did you say that? Why do you assume that?”
- Silently walk away. Hold up your hand in a “stop” gesture while doing so if you really want to make a point. This can also send the message that the comment was offensive.
Cyberbullying and Impersonation
- Reach out to an adult you trust for help.
- Report the account
- Tell the person being bullied that it is not their fault. Be a friend to him or her.
- Block the social media accounts of the people involved.
How to Be an Upstander
Learn how to stand up to a bully.
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 5: Welcoming
What Is a Welcoming Environment?
It is a place where everyone has a sense of belonging and connectedness. Nobody feels like they are left out. Everyone is valued for their unique characteristics.
Choosing to Be Nice
Read about what some high school students did to make everyone feel welcome.
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 6: Differences
Requirement 6 Helps and Answers
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 7: Promoting Diversity
Requirement 7 Helps and Answers
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 8: Event in Society
Requirement 8 Helps and Answers
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 9: Leadership Outside of Scouting
Requirement 9 Helps and Answers
Some Ways to Be More Welcoming and Inclusive
- Don’t always sit with the same people.
- Make connections through things you have in common.
- Look for people who seem uncomfortable or left out and start up a conversation.
- Give someone a real compliment.
- Ask the other person about their interests and try not to talk about yourself too much.
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 10: Stereotyping
Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Requirement 11: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Requirement 11 Helps and Answers
Why Are Diversity and Inclusion Important?
- A wider range of skills and knowledge is available.
- We learn from each other’s experiences.
- Society is more balanced and fair.
- Problem solving is more creative.
Additional Resources
Be prepared for this merit badge with these related ideas and achievements:
Threads and Flags Scoutmaster Minute
This inspirational thought reminds us that we are stronger when we work together.
Related Achievements
More About this New Merit Badge
Read the press announcement about this new Eagle required merit badge. Learn why it was added and more. Read on.
I hope that no reasonable Scouter will pass on the information contained in this site about specific answers for the Citizenship in Society Merit Badge. How are Scouts to learn if they don’t have to do the work, but can copy it off of Scouter Mom?
I do not see this as being specific answers. I see this as what it is intended to be, a helpful guide. The first law of the Scout Law is that a Scout is Trustworthy. Scouts will not just copy this information word for word. They will use this information as a guide to help them create their own thoughts and ideas. As they should.
I see it more as a guide for the Counselors to help guide the boys into their own words and It also helps with those questions we may not be sure how to answer… This is all new learning experience for all of us. I appreciate all the help I can find out.