Canadian Studies Courses

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
• First Nations
• gender

Learning objectives

Upon succesful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the historical development of social policy in Canada.
• Identify factors related to structural disadvantage in Canada, and their impact with respect to particular groups.
• Appreciate the complex history of federal policy in Canada with respect to social policy and immigration, and the contemporary challenges.
• Provide a reasoned assessment of the Canadian experiment with multiculturalism.
• Describe factors that significantly influence policy development in Canada such as the economy, the media, political structures and ideology.
• Assess your own theoretical and ideological standpoint with respect to contemporary social issues.
• Identify and discuss specific social (welfare) policies and programs as they impact the lives of people who live in poverty, including women and Indigenous peoples.
• Think critically about contemporary policy issues and develop and apply skills for analyzing social policies.
• Appreciate the historical complexities of Canadian social, economic and political problems, and discuss controversial topics relating to the same with tact and respect.

Prerequisites

Permission of Program Coordinator. Please call 250-721-7589 for more information.

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. This course is offered face to face September to December and online January to April.

Learning objectives

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Articulate a foundational understanding of the field of Canadian Studies.
• Think critically about the connections between Canada’s past and contemporary societies, and about the construction, negotiation and contesting of Canada’s national identities.
• Employ practical skills of research, critical analysis, argumentation and writing and be familiar with interdisciplinary research

Prerequisites

Permission of Program Coordinator. Please call 250-721-7589 for more information.

Issues and Ideas in Canadian Environmentalism

This course offers an opportunity to explore how the physical environment of this country shapes Canadians:

• What are the connections between the environment and our sense of identity?
• How has the environment had an impact on our culture and how did received notions of wilderness affect our environment?
• How has Canada’s environment been interpreted and protected, despoiled and worshipped, and what can we learn from this story?

Throughout the course we will explore the differences between European and non-Western approaches to environment and land use. We will examine theories as to how our environment has influenced Canada’s position in the global environmental movement. We will also look at environmental activism, and the meaning of sustainability and environmental justice, from a Canadian perspective. This course is offered online September to December.

Learning objectives

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Articulate the essential difference between European and non-Western approaches to wilderness.
• Articulate how your own worldview informs your appreciation of the environment.
• Appreciate the difference between Indigenous and European understandings of environment and land use.
• Describe the debates concerning environment as shaper of national consciousness.
• Describe the theories concerning the environment as determinant of our development.
• Evaulate the current issues in resource exploitation, urbanization and environmental activism.
• Describe how Canadians became global leaders in the postwar environmental movement, and how and where we remain active today.
• Understand the connection between your personal consumer choices and our collective political choices and the environment.
• Describe environmental solutions that promote stewardship and social justice.

Prerequisites

Permission of Program Coordinator. Please call 250-721-7589 for more information.

Special Topics in Canadian Studies

Special Topic - How to Change the World: Grassroots Organizations in Canada

Grassroots community organizations are at the heart of much social, environmental and economic change in Canada. They have historically been the "smalls groups of committed citizens" that "change the world" for the better. This 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.

Learning objectives: By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Situate and understand the factors motivating grassroots organizations within Canada
• Analyze the major achievements of selected social, economic, environmental and Indigenous grassroots movements in the 20th and 21st centuries
• Examine Indigenous resurgence and activism in the context of grassroots organizations
• Understand the basic workings of a grassroots organization local to your community and gain experience volunteering with that organization
• Document your own educational journey in a way that demonstrates understanding of and engagement with current grassroots organizations, including the values and goals that guide them.

Prerequisites: Permission of Program Coordinator. Please call 250-721-7589 for more information.

This course will be offered in an online asynchronous format from September 4 to December 4, 2024.