Special Topics in Canadian Studies - A Cultural Study of Poverty and Homelessness

Code: CS200
Apply this course towards: Canadian Studies

Course description

This course explores the homelessness crisis through the lens of Canadian social policy formulation focusing on connections between past policy decisions and current problems. Evaluates policy solutions and contextualizes the Canadian experience with that of other jurisdictions. Themes include mental illness and addiction; racial, gender and age determinants of poverty and homelessness past and present; Indigenous homelessness; neoliberalism; inequality and the politics of defining and measuring poverty.

Learning objectives

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

  • historicize Canadian homelessness and poverty
  • explain the debate over poverty in Canada, the discussion about addiction, and how this influences policy solutions
  • analyze the role of legal doctrines and decisions, and past policies to the problem and solution of homelessness
  • evaluate the promises of harm reduction as an ideology and its efficacy in practice
  • assess the potential of rehabilitation and recovery through current practices
  • assess the potential of rehabilitation and recovery through experiments elsewhere, such as the San Patrignano therapeutic community model
  • evaluate the debate over choice theory and its possible relevance to homelessness and addiction
  • assess the promises of legalization
  • interpret the role of marketing and malpractice by ‘big pharma’ and health care providers in addiction and homelessness
  • differentiate between temporary and sustainable solutions to poverty and homelessness
  • demonstrate a knowledge of the racial and gendered aspects of poverty, addiction and homelessness

Information for Credit Students

Please note that, if you wish to take this course for credit, you will need to register via UVic Online Tools. Additionally, if you are not currently a UVic student and you would like to take this course for credit, you will need to apply to the University of Victoria for admission. Non-credit students can disregard this information and register directly via this page. 

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Info you should know:

Continuing Studies statement on use of educational technology

This course will require the use of Zoom and may use other education technology such as internet-based applications, cloud services, or social media. In order to complete this course you will be required to either consent to the disclosure of your personal information outside of Canada to enable use of these technologies, or work with the Division of Continuing Studies to explore other privacy protective options (such as using an alias or nickname).