Courses

150th Anniversary of Ross Bay Cemetery

John Adams, the author of the Historic Guide to Ross Bay Cemetery, will share memories of the cemetery and discuss gathered research. You will learn about cemetery design, monument styles, famous and not-so-famous people buried at Ross Bay.

A Buddhist Guide to a Compassionate Life

Universal compassion is the heart of Mahayan Buddhism. In this course, you will explore how to live a meaningful life through following the path of a Bodhisattva.

A History of Ross Bay Cemetery

Ross Bay Cemetery is a designated heritage site and one of British Columbia’s most iconic Victorian era cemeteries. John Adams, author of A Historic Guide to Ross Bay Cemetery and long-time member of the Old Cemeteries Society, will trace the origins of the cemetery from 1872 to the present day.

A History of the James Bay Neighbourhood

Learn about the history of James Bay, Victoria’s oldest residential district, from the 1840s to today.

A New Look at James Bay History

In this richly illustrated look at the history of James Bay, instructor John Adams brings an updated focus to the past looking at Indigenous origins and current involvement, Hudson’s Bay Company farms, gold-rush-era land speculation, locating the colonial and provincial government buildings, industrialization, zoning for high-rise apartments in the 1950s and 1960s and the eventual backlash against them. 

A Short History of Vampires

UVic’s Dr. Peter Gölz will present an overview of the history of vampires in legends and films, showing how vampires became the most successful myth of the 20th century.

Accepting Loss and Change in Our Life

Experiencing and dealing with unwanted changes is often a very painful part of life. Instead of allowing adversities to make us unhappy and discouraged, we can use them to enhance our spiritual growth and thereby maintain a pure and peaceful mind all the time.

Aging Successfully

How can you age successfully? Current scientific research is surveyed in Daniel Levitin's Successful Aging (2020), and these ideas are brought into relation with Cicero’s essay On Old Age (45 BCE), which we will read aloud and discuss.

An Introduction to Humanities

An introduction to the various ways in which scholars from different disciplines in the Humanities interpret, analyze and evaluate texts.

An Introduction to Neuroscience

Advances in neuroscience have provided insight into all aspects of our lives. In this course, you will learn the basics of neuroscience: neurons, sensory perception, vision, motor control, attention and memory.

Ancient Persia

This session explores the vast Persian empires of the Teispid and Achaemenid dynasties, their influence on history, communication, and the Hebrew Bible's development.

Ancient Siege

Ancient sieges were brutal and complex, involving fierce battles and tough choices. This session explores the Assyrian siege of Lachish and Demetrius's attack on Rhodes.

Are Banned Books Good for Us?

From the vantage point of a liberal democratic value system, book banning is one of the hallmarks of authoritarian and totalitarian societies, a means by which tyrannical regimes demonstrate symbolic power, even as the practice is also commonly spearheaded by concerned citizens within liberal-democratic societies.

Are We What We Eat? Food, Religion and Culture

In this talk Dr. Rachel Brown will describe why, and how, food tells us everything we need to know about people, and specifically about religion/culture.

Arms and the Man

Canada’s biggest arms buyer is the Middle East, but state actors aren’t the only merchants involved in the lucrative arms bazaar.

Artificial Intelligence and You

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been called "the new electricity" because it is reshaping our lives. How will AI do that? Find out as we separate fact from hype.

Artificial Intelligence in Border Management

In this course you will be introduced to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) and learn about their practical applications in both trade facilitation and trade enforcement.

Bad Kings: The Madness of George III, 1760-1820

This talk revisits the nature and significance of the madness of King George.

Being Religious in the 21st Century: An Intro to the Sociology of Religion

The majority view in the sociological study of religion used to be that religion was on its way out in the Global North. While there were some notable holdouts, like the United States, other nations like Canada, Denmark, and France were becoming increasingly secular. Yet, today, while there has been a decline in some religious organizations, others are flourishing.

Beyond the Plate: Food, Culture and Social Impact

This course examines food's impact on culture, identity, and the environment, exploring traditions, sustainability, food justice, and the global systems connected to our choices.

Boosting or Maintaining Your Brain Power as You Get Older

This presentation looks at ways to maintain or boost brain power through lifestyle choices, especially the role of physical activity which is the number one way to preserve memory and other cognitive functions.

Bridging Knowledge Culture: Rebalancing Power

Introduction to the concept of knowledge cultures, the ways in which knowledge is created, validated, shared and acted upon in different settings. We will look at the differences found in the knowledge cultures of academia compared with diverse community contexts.

Buddhist Advice for Embracing Change

This course guides you to embrace life fearlessly, transform challenges into advantages, and uncover joy and purpose by tapping into your inner potential.

Buddhist Advice for Transforming Anger and Hurt

This series teaches strategies to transform anger from hurt and rejection into peaceful, clear-minded responses, fostering resolution, harmony, and overcoming negative emotions.

Carnivores vs. Herbivores: Rethinking Meat and Plant-Based Diets

This course examines health, ethical, and environmental aspects of meat-based and plant-based diets, helping you make informed food choices in today's complex world.

Cascadia Seaweed

Cascadia Seaweed grows local species of seaweed on low-impact ocean farms in partnership with coastal First Nations. They then harvest that seaweed and manufacture products for regenerative agriculture helping farmers increase their yields while reducing emissions.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Multiple Perspectives

China’s Belt and Road Initiative involves development projects in over 100 countries. In this course, we focus on Eurasia where it includes both overland and sea routes designed to kick start regional connectivity and economic growth.

Chinese New Year Customs

John Adams, author of Chinese Victoria, will explain how the date of the annual event is calculated, how the twelve Chinese zodiac animals were chosen and show many of the items popularly used in the celebrations.

Chinese Victoria: History of Victoria's Chinatown

Victoria's Chinatown is the oldest, permanent, urban Chinese community in Canada—dating back to the 1858 Gold Rush on the Fraser River.

Christmas in Old Victoria

Find out how Christmas was observed in Victoria during the 19th century, from the annual decoration of the churches to the competition between butcher shops for the fanciest store window displays.

Citizenship vs. Canada’s Wartime Constitution

This examines post-WWII Canada’s attempt to expel citizens of Japanese descent, raising issues of constitutional law, racism, citizenship, and leaving lasting legacies still debated today.

Community-Based Participatory Research

This course offers a brief introduction to the theories and practices of community-based participatory research as developed by Rajesh Tandon and Budd Hall, who have led in the development of these approaches since the 1970s.

Community-University Engagement and Partnership Development

The course outlines principles of community-university engagement, the challenges of integrating community-university engagement into research, teaching and service in higher education institutions, reviews institutional structures to support CUE and shares information on national policies supporting community-university engagement.

Conspiracies and Radicalization in the "Post-Truth" Era

To better understand the rapid spread of conspiratorial thinking and extremist ideologies.

Conspiracies, Extremism and Radicalization in the 21st Century

What does it mean to be a conspiracy theorist? What can lead someone from sharing memes about the Reptiloids or the Illuminati online, to storming the halls of the United States Capitol buildings?

Conspiratorial Thinking in the Age of COVID

Our social media networks have become filled with strange claims: that Bill Gates is micro-chipping us through our COVID vaccines, that COVID itself is a hoax, etc. How do some of us come to believe such wild claims?

Consumed: The Hidden Forces Shaping Your Food Choices

This course reveals how marketing, media, and store design influence food choices, exploring consumer-producer power dynamics through discussions that challenge everyday shopping decisions.

Cross Border Management in Comparative Perspective

In this course you will join experts from around the world to examine local and regional changes affecting the politics and policies of cross border regions and transboundary people.

Cultural Property

The related concepts of Cultural Property, Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Culture are considered nationally and internationally in contexts including Intellectual Property, Conflict of Laws, Constitutional Law and International Law as these areas pertain to cultural artifacts and intangible cultural expressions.

Current Issues for BC Seniors

BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt will provide valuable insight into a range of issues affecting older adults in BC and identify opportunities for change.

Death and Dying: A Buddhist Perspective

This course, led by Gen Zopa, explores Buddha’s teachings on death and dying, offering guidance to live meaningfully, face mortality, and die peacefully and without regrets.

Development of Centennial Square

Centennial Square was created in the early 1960s to mark Victoria’s 100th anniversary as a city with mayor and council. The history, development and evolution of the square will be the topics of John Adams’s illustrated talk.

Doing Philosophy is Learning to Die

In 1580 the French philosopher Michel de Montaigne wrote his essay Doing Philosophy is Learning to Die, recycling many passages and ideas from his favourite Latin philosophers, especially Lucretius and Seneca. We will explore the Latin sources and historical context of Montaigne’s essay as well as his ways of thinking and writing.

Dreamlike Illusory Nature of Reality: Exploring How Things Exist

Buddha’s teachings on wisdom explores the true nature of all things: how things exist, as opposed to how they appear. In this four-part series, we will explore how to reinterpret the way we perceive our experiences, gaining the freedom to decide how best to relate to them.

Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life

Ecclesiastes (Qohelet in Hebrew) is arguably the most enigmatic book of the Hebrew Bible. This course explores historical, literary and theological aspects of Ecclesiastes and its relevance in present times.

Ecological Border Management

In the era of the Anthropocene, as aquatic, grassland, forest, desert, and tundra biomes are being affected by important ecological changes, management issues are rising beyond state boundary lines.

Emily Carr's James Bay

Emily Carr was born in Victoria’s James Bay neighbourhood in 1871 and died there in 1945. Instructor John Adams will bring to life the places, people and events that featured in Emily’s world.

Empire and Desire: The Ottoman Palace in Western Imagination

Topkapı Palace served as the seat of Ottoman imperial power for 400 years.

Enrich Your Life with Buddhist Meditation

We all want to do more in this life than simply improve our skills, relationships, professional success or wealth. Ultimately, it is our inner experience that matters most.

Execution, Transportation and the Founding of Australia, 1775–89

This talk shows how transportation was an indispensable alternative to hanging large numbers of people and explores how the absence of that alternative during the 1780s led to executions on an almost unprecedented scale.

Fairfield History

Before 1843, what did the terrain of Fairfield look like, where were the village sites of the Indigenous inhabitants, and how were the streams and waterways used as a shortcut from Ross Bay to the Inner Harbour?

Film as Historical Research: Bringing Oral History to Life

This talk explores oral history and community-engaged documentary film research with South African farmers and refugees in West Asia, revealing how larger historical processes shape everyday

Finding Your Authentic Self

This workshop integrates teachings from contemporary Western psychology and Eastern wisdom traditions to help us investigate the many layers that constitute who and what we are.

Forensic Anthropology of the Human Skeleton

This six-part series will examine topics of forensic anthropology and concepts relating to the recovery and analysis of unidentified human remains in a medico-legal context.

Freedom from Anger and Resentment

Anger, from minor annoyance to complete meltdown, afflicts our minds almost daily. Resentment is even worse because it holds on to this anger, becoming a destructive force of unhappiness.

Friends, Enemies and a Changing World

The international security environment is facing more numerous, diverse, and complex challenges today than at any point since the end of WWII.

From Catastrophe to Community

Sean Holman discusses how climate change disasters shape seasons and storytelling, highlighting the Climate Disaster Project's role in helping communities share experiences and drive change.

From Satanic Panic to Qanon

Remember when Victoria was the “Satanic capital of Canada?” Remember when the United States was caught in the grip of a panic alleging ritualistic abuse in daycares? What about the fears that children were being trafficked across Canada in furniture boxes by the online retailer Wayfair? This course is offered through the Mary Windspear Centre.

From Satanic Panic to Qanon: Sociology and the Study of Moral Panics

This lecture series explores moral panics in North America, from the 1970s "Satanic Panic" to 21st-century fears like Qanon and bizarre conspiracy theories.

Future Ecosystems and Communities

Focuses on the interface between communities and the ecosystems that support them, developing skills and approaches for designing mitigation and adaptation strategies that support mutual flourishing, including adaptive management, ecological restoration, and nature-based solutions.

Ghosts and Legends of Victoria

As October draws to a close, people begin to think of Halloween. Historian John Adams has been collecting ghost stories from Victoria for 25 years and will share some of the classics and some of the most intriguing during this presentation.

Global Policies in Knowledge Democracy and Higher Education

This course will introduce the Knowledge Democracy and Higher Education Series and the instructors and facilitators involved in the series. The content in this course will focus on recent reports and policy documents associated with UNESCO and the 2022 World Conference on Higher Education.

Hands-On AI: From Self-Driving Cars to ChatGPT

Artificial Intelligence (AI), once a concept confined to science fiction, is now an integral part of our daily lives.

Haunted Victoria

Analyze haunting stories with John Adams, well-known ghost storyteller.

History of Oak Bay

How Marine Conservation Works: Biodiversity and People

This lecture will explain how marine conservation tools such as marine protected areas work to protect species and ecosystems.

How the Boer War Foreshadowed 20th Century Warfare

Though rarely remembered today, the South African War of 1899–1902, more commonly referred to as the Boer War, was one of the first times that late 19th century technological and societal developments were tested on the modern battlefield.

How to Enjoy a Life of Altruism

In this course we will learn practical ways to apply the Six Perfections and follow a way of life characterized by greater empathy and compassion for others.

How to Give a Great Presentation

Dr. Krigolson will provide tips on how to give an outstanding presentation including how to engage your audience, how to speak and how to design good slides.

Human Evolution

Bringing together the evidence from the fossil record, recent genetic advances, and the archaeological data, we will examine the biological and cultural characteristics that define humans, as well as the major theories for how such characteristics evolved.

Impacts of Vessel Noise on Ocean Soundscapes and Chinook Salmon

The increase in human-generated sound over the last 60 years has led to concerns regarding the impacts of shipping noise on marine species.

Indigenous Intellectual Property

The premise of this course is that the articulation, restatement, and development of indigenous intellectual property law must derive from indigenous legal orders as an integral part of the societal governance.

Indigenous Internationalisms and Border Crossings

Expressions of Indigenous internationalism are practiced in several different ways by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across Turtle Island and globally.

Indigenous-Led Resurgence and Resilience

This talk explores how Indigenous nations assert self-determining authority, Indigenous internationalism, and sustainable governance in response to colonization and climate threats to lands, cultures, and communities.

Integrating SDGs in Higher Education

This course explores the critical features of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their global significance.

Intellectual Property

A study of the concepts, principles, and policies of intellectual property law, the relationship and boundary issues between types of intellectual property as well as broader dimensions of cultural creativity.

Intercultural Communication in the Workplace

As a global citizen, an understanding of cultural difference and ability to communicate effectively with diverse communities is critical for work in both local and international settings.

Introduction to Canadian Contemporary Issues

An introduction to contemporary issues in Canadian society including: politics, economic and social structures, cultural and arts policy, science and technology, multiculturalism, bilingualism, Indigenous issues and gender issues.

Introduction to Canadian Culture

An introduction to the multidisciplinary study of cultural structures and expression in Canada, including such forms as literature, fine arts, mass media and communications.

Introduction to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

This course supports learners in cultivating an equity lens and developing practical strategies and tools to challenge systemic and organizational barriers to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Through case studies, analysis and self-reflection, learners explore core concepts, frameworks and contestations of EDI, including intersectionality, accessibility, accountability, impacts of oppression, power dynamics, resistance, and reconciliation.

Introduction to Food Studies

Explore food's cultural, historical, and social impact through discussions, tastings, and insights in this community-focused course.

Introduction to Intercultural Studies

An interdisciplinary exploration of theory and practice in the field of intercultural studies. Focuses on understanding the application of intercultural concepts and theories to effect social change.

Introduction to the Human Dimensions of Climate Change

This course examines a range of understandings of and approaches to addressing climate change. It explores what kind of problems climate change poses; what toolkits are needed to develop and engage it effectively; how to collaborate across diverse priorities in relation to it; and what scales and kinds of actions should be prioritized.

Issues and Ideas in Canadian Environmentalism

This course offers an opportunity to explore how the physical environment of this country shapes the Canadian people.

Karma and the Power to Change

Often when things go wrong we look for someone to blame or we conclude that life is unfair. This may lead to feelings of resentment, guilt or shame. In this course, you will examine the perspective of the Buddhist concept of karma, which holds that our intentions are the causes and our experiences are the effects.

Know Your Mind, Heal Your Life

In this four-part course, we will explore the extraordinary nature of the mind, and the way in which it is open, light and infinitely flexible.

Managing Borders and Bodies in the 21st Century

In this course you will learn about the various ways that international actors and states manage the flow of people across international borders.

Managing Intellectual Property

Explores strategies, processes, and frameworks for obtaining, retaining, assigning, and licensing selected Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) including entertainment related IPRs in music and film.

Meditation for a Peaceful Heart

The key to a happy life is learning to reside in a peaceful heart. This is something we can all learn to do.

Migrants Caught in a Bind: Bangladeshi Migrants in Italy

Bangladeshi migrants in Italy face hardship and difficulty integrating in their new host country. In this lecture, we explore the health and well-being of this group relative to others.

Modern Border Security Management

Border security management is a complex multiplayer effort grounded in vertical/horizontal, domestic/international, and public/private partnerships.

Morsels of Montaigne

A curated sample of the shortest essays by the French humanist philosopher Michel de Montaigne in Book I of his Essays (1580, 1588 and 1595).

Nerdology: The Sociology of Video Games and Digital Media

This course will discuss video games as the revolutionary creative and commercial products they are. 

Networks and Borderlands: Bordering Processes in the 21st Century

In this first lecture, we'll establish the framework for our future discussions. What do borders look like in the 21st Century? Does it make sense to talk about borders in digital spaces, and if so, what do they look like? How do online social movements and ideologies engage in bordering processes?

Networks of Rage: Far-Right Extremism Online

In this lecture, we will assess how far-right activism in North America has used digital landscapes to effectively transcend national borders. We will examine some of the ways that far-right ideologies emerge, how they use the internet and social media first to organize, and then to spread internationally.

Not Just a Little Bit of Olde England

For years Victoria had the reputation for being so very English. Local historian John Adams will sort fact from fiction and show that there was a lot more diversity in the city than tourism promoters, beginning in the 1920s, wanted us to believe.

Not Just Dreams: Positive Actions Getting Results

Our world is faced with many major problems: climate change, migrations, disease, poverty, trafficking, plastics pollution, etc. Find an action or initiative that is currently addressing a global problem and that has already made a difference somewhere.

Organizational Diversity and Inclusion

Learn to identify the barriers to diversity and inclusion in organizations, and develop the knowledge and skills to build respectful, equitable, and innovative workplaces.

Organizing for Transformative Change

This course teaches concepts and skills for organizing transformational change, including intersectional analysis, power mapping, alliance-building, and effective communication through student-led projects and direct learning from Canadian organizers.

Patent Law

A study of the principles and practical implications of patent protection in Canada. Discussions include the fundamental concepts of patentability, validity, infringement, and commercial exploitation of patentable technology, including pharmaceutical and biotechnological product and process protection.

Politics, Policies and Planning for Climate Action

This course uses British Columbia as a case study to introduce the policy and political contexts that shape climate action across scales from local to global, including relevant institutional and governance innovations.

Punjabis in and of Canada: Histories, Politics and Migrations

Punjabi migrants from South Asia, of diverse regional origins, religions, and political affiliations, have entered, lived and worked in many regions of Canada, especially BC, for over a century.

Radical Contentment: How to Live Life Fully in the Moment

This course explores creating your ideal life now, using Buddha’s teachings on karma, impermanence, and mind transformation.

Responsibilities to Coastal Indigenous Peoples and Lands

This introductory survey course centers local lands and Coast Salish protocols to highlight relationships of land, water and people, including what it means to be a good guest here.

Roads, Trails and Pathways

Roads, trails and pathways, real or metaphorical, hold a significant place in history, literature and culture. Some facilitated exchanges, such as the Silk Road, while for others, including the Camino de San Jacques or the Oregon Trail, the destination was important.

Rockland History and Architecture

The Rockland neighbourhood and its homes and families.

Saving Shakespeare’s Digital Dust

As an information technology, the book is more robust than a website. While the first folio of Shakespeare’s plays is still available in 230 copies, more than 400 years after its 1623 publication, many digital versions of Shakespeare’s work have vanished without even a pixelated trace.

Silencing the Inner Critic

Many of us have a tendency to be excessively self-critical, self doubting, and lacking in confidence. In this course, we will learn how to use Buddhist insights and wisdom to free ourselves from self critical thoughts and attitudes and recognize our potential for limitless inner peace and mental freedom.

Sir James Douglas: A New Look at a Key Figure in British Columbia

John Adams' presentation explores Sir James Douglas, the "Father of British Columbia," examining his complex legacy, including his mixed-race origins and interactions with Indigenous Peoples.

Skepticism and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century

In light of growing anti-intellectualism, we are faced with a daunting prospect - a world where facts matter less than popularity, and where certainty threatens to replace truth. We are entering what some scholars refer to as a post-truth age and it is happening at a perilous time.

Skepticism and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century

In light of growing anti-intellectualism, we are faced with a daunting prospect: a world where facts matter less than popularity, and where certainty threatens to replace truth.

Social Networks: How Conspiracy Theories Move in Digital Spaces

Today, conspiracy theorists from around the world can come together, share their beliefs, and develop new ones to then be spread through our social media networks. How does this happen? Why do they spread so quickly, and what can be done about it?

Special Topics in Canadian Studies

This online course explores the history, achievements and possibilities inherent in grassroots organizations in Canada, using examples from across the country but with a focus on British Columbia movements.

Stories in Stone: Rock Art Around the World

For thousands of years, paint and stone have been used all over the world to make art. From painting on rock surfaces, to meticulous grinding of pigments and stone, rock art in the form of pictographs and petroglyphs is one of the most intriguing cultural expressions.

Teaching the Holocaust

Teaching the Holocaust: Exploring Additional Perspectives

Open to all educators, this workshop can be taken as a standalone learning opportunity or as part of the Micro-certificate in Teaching the Holocaust. The full-day, in-person event offers a unique opportunity to learn from leading Holocaust educators, network with peers and deepen your understanding of Holocaust education. While the sessions enhance the learning experience for those enrolled in the micro-certificate program, they are equally valuable as an independent professional development opportunity.

The 2024 US Presidential Election

The upcoming US presidential election is perceived by many as exceptionally controversial and consequential. This assessment begins with the presumptive candidates themselves and the controversies surrounding their personal and political affairs.

The 2024 US Presidential Election: Assessing the Outcomes

Following the US presidential election on November 5, we will zero in on the outcomes that have emerged by mid-November, to assess broader implications for the US, Canada and the world.

The Changing Face of Victoria's Chinatown in the 21st Century

In 1995 Victoria’s Chinatown was designated a national historic site of Canada because it is the oldest surviving Chinatown in Canada, it was the largest urban centre of Chinese population in Canada until the first decade of the twentieth centu

The Chinese in Canada and Political Change in China, 1898–1918

Learn how Chinese migrants broke through racist barriers to identify themselves with Canadian constitutional monarchism and American republicanism in the reformist and revolutionary fights for a modern China.

The Epicurean Way of Life

Death is nothing to be feared, there are no intimidating gods in the world, and what's good to have is easy to get, once you learn how to distinguish real good from illusory goods.

The History of Aviation in Victoria and the Hawaii Mars

Steve Nichol, president of the BC Aviation Museum, will discuss the history of aviation in Victoria. He will also explain the military and firefighting history of the Hawaii Mars and the story of its complex move from Sproat Lake to the BC Aviation Museum.

The Impact of Loneliness on Mind, Body and Brain

Recent research has equated psychological loneliness with exerting a more deleterious influence on one’s health than smoking 15 cigarettes per day or being absolutely sedentary.

The Israel-Hamas War, One Year On

One year on from Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent invasion of the Gaza Strip, this talk will facilitate a discussion of the ongoing conflict, the humanitarian crisis, the regional and global reverberations, and of what might come next.

The Law of Borders in the 21st Century

In this course you will learn about the complex object of the border through the prism of law.

The Modern Detective Novel and the Medieval Sagas

This talk will discuss the rise of the detective novel in Iceland in this century, focusing on the work of Arnaldur Indriðason.

The Myths That Plato Told – Part 1

In this discussion seminar we select two of these stories, connecting Plato's treatment with other ancient sources and interpreting the myths in terms of Plato's own philosophy.

The Myths That Plato Told – Part 3

Why is sexual desire a good thing? This was the topic chosen by Agathon and his guests at the famous Symposium of Plato. In this seminar, focusing on myths of love, you will read and discuss the main speeches in this influential work, including the Origin of Love delivered by Aristophanes and the Ladder of Love delivered by Socrates.

The Myths That Plato Told – Part 2

After people die, where do their souls go? And what happens to them? Plato explored this question in three different works and three different ways, each time by creating a new myth out of elements of traditional Greek mythology.

The Neuroscience of Aging

In this session Dr. Krigolson will discuss how the brain grows from conception to birth and then how it ages throughout the lifespan.

The Neuroscience of Human Decision-Making

This session explores neuroscience behind decision-making, covering brain processes, the role of emotion, and the difference between intuitive and logical choices.

The Neuroscience of Human Learning

In this session, Dr. Krigolson will take you through the neuroscience of human learning.

The Neuroscience of Sleep

Sleep is the single biggest factor that influences brain health and the impact of sleep on brain health becomes increasingly more important as we age. In this talk, Dr. Krigolson will outline the physiological mechanisms behind sleep and how sleep works.

The Newly-Discovered X̱E,OL,X̱ELE₭ - Elk Lake Fault

The X̱E,OL,X̱ELE₭ - Elk Lake fault represents a previously unrecognized earthquake hazard for southern Vancouver Island.

The Overdose Crisis in BC

We are now in the eighth year of the toxic drug overdose crisis in BC. What is happening now and how are people responding?

The Prime Minister’s Office in Canada and the Centralization of Power

This talk examines the unexpected origins of the Prime Minister’s office in the 1920s and 1930s, its restructuring in the 1960s, and its eventual emergence as a centre of decision-making filled with unelected advisors.

The Rise of the Extreme Right in European Parliament Elections

There seems to be a right-wing wind blowing through Europe. In the recent European Parliament (EP) elections the extreme right was forecast to win considerably.

The Social Construction of Borders

Borders help to define citizenship and to exclude the unwelcome and Other. But what of culture? Does cultural identity stop (or start) at the border?

The Storm Rises: Qanon as Conspiracy and Quasi-religious Movement

Of all the conspiratorial claims to have emerged in the past five years, perhaps the most bizarre—and dangerous—is Qanon, a paranoid, conspiratorial movement that has in recent years taken on an almost religious dynamic. What is this movement? What do its followers believe? Why do some of its more lurid elements feel so familiar? 

The Tales of Hoffmann

Join a pre-broadcast discussion of Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann, exploring its fantasy-reality blend, music, staging, and singers.

The Wisdom of Proverbs

Proverbs offers a much richer understanding of the meaning of wisdom throughout the Bible and in our own lives. This course uses a combined lecture and seminar format with plenty of time for discussion and questions. 

Thinking About Religion Today

The study of religion is currently characterized by provocative developments calling into question the conceptual basis for this field of study.

Tosca

Prepare for Puccini's Tosca with our pre-broadcast discussion, where we will delve into the opera's themes of love, jealousy and political intrigue.

Trade and Customs Borders in the 21st Century

In this course you will learn about the regulatory environment of trading networks and how they functionally redesign borders and influence customs policies and practices.

Transformative Change

This course introduces skills needed to support planning and decision-making about climate action under conditions of uncertainty, with particular attention to assessing sites for and implications of specific interventions.

Troy Revisited

Troy is a well-known legendary city and an archeological site in the northwest corner of Turkey. Homer’s Illiad defines a walled-city in front of which the Acheans and the Trojans launched a fierce battle for Helene’s sake.

Turkish Stonehenge Gobeklitepe: Starting Point of Civilization

Gobeklitepe, discovered in Turkey, features engraved pillars challenging ancient history, revealing that hunter-gatherers could think abstractly, cooperate, and hold rituals in monumental structures.

Understanding China’s Foreign Relations Going Forward

Explore China's role in the emerging multipolar world, focusing on its global influence, Belt and Road Initiative, economic strategies, and geopolitical impact.

University 101

A desire to learn is all you need for University 101. This non-credit course in the humanities is for you if your economic and social circumstances normally pose obstacles to university education (e.g., low income, mental health challenges, single parenthood, homelessness).

University 102

A desire to learn is all you need for University 102. This non-credit course in the social sciences is offered to people whose personal, economic and social circumstances might pose obstacles to university education (e.g., low income, physical or mental health challenges, work and family responsibilities or lack of opportunity).

University 201

University 201 is a course for people who have completed at least one of the University 101 or 102 courses. The course runs in all three academic terms and covers a wide range of different topics on a monthly basis.

Using Artificial Intelligence for Your Life and Work

Unlock AI's potential with this course covering ChatGPT and DALL·E 3. Learn to use AI for emails, reports, artwork, tutoring, and daily tasks.

UVic’s Transformative Climate Action Program: What can it do for you?

Are you looking to develop the skills and knowledge to develop, lead and support effective climate action across diverse sectors? Join us for one of our free 30-minute Zoom information sessions where we will introduce you to the Transformative Climate Action Certificate and micro-credential options.

Victoria 100 Years Ago: A Look at 1923

Join local historian John Adams for a trip to the Victoria of 1923. You’ll learn about the Chinese Students Strike, a proposed curfew for children, plans for the CPR’s Steamship Terminal... and more!

Victoria During the American Civil War

John Adams' illustrated talk highlights Victoria's role in the American Civil War, exploring how American settlers' loyalties impacted the city during the conflict.

Victoria in the 1960s

The decade of the 1960s was a pivotal time in Victoria. High rise apartments were sprouting up in James Bay. The first malls were being built in suburban areas. Heritage preservation projects started with Centennial Square and Bastion Square. In this presentation, you will hear from historian John Adams for an illustrated talk about the fascinating 1960s in Victoria.

Victoria's Colonial Homes and Families

Historian John Adams explores the stories of colonial families in Victoria, their Indigenous and European roots, and their historic homes.

Victoria's Industrial History

In this illustrated talk, John Adams will explain the origins and operation of the most important industries, and reasons for their demise.

Victorian Cities of the Dead

Some of BC’s most impressive 19th century cemeteries are located in Victoria, and instructor John Adams knows them intimately.

Water Futures: Collaborative Responses to Climate Impacts

Explores how governance is evolving to address the impacts of climate change on freshwater regimes, including cycles of drought, fire, and floods, with a particular emphasis on collaborative governance.

What Does Buddhism Know about Happiness?

We are creatures of habit. What are the habits that create happiness? Our thoughts and attitudes create all our experiences.

What’s New in Education? (Spring Term)

Children’s Health: Powered by Community

Why Philosophy? Aristotle's Lost Dialogue Protrepticus

Aristotle's masterful introduction to philosophy inspired many later authors from Epicurus to Cicero and Iamblichus. Recent scholarship has authenticated large citations from this work, which can now be reconstructed as a witty dialogue. In this seminar, you will read and discuss this reconstructed dialogue.

With or Without the SDGs: Gendered Struggles for Food Sovereignty

This session explores how SDGs 2 (ending hunger) and 5 (gender equality) impact local actions, focusing on a women's cooperative farm in rural South Africa and development policy outcomes.

Managing Border Disputes

Explore border disputes: types, origins, and resolution options. Learn to minimize friction between communities while seeking lasting settlements.