Our Fall 2020 Elective Suggestions

Hi everyone! We wanted to take this chance to share with you some of our top picks for electives to take if you are a POL student this semester. Of course, you can take any electives that interest you, but these will either go towards your degree, or directly relate to politics and international studies in some way.We hope you enjoy! 

1. HIS299- Special Topics: Race, Gender, Sexuality and the 2020 US Presidential Election.

Course description: A course that addresses the historical background of current headlines or special topics of contemporary interest for both History majors and other interested students. Topics vary from year to year and explore different regions, time periods, and methods.

M/W from 20:00-21:30. Offered both online and in person. Taught by Dr. Gordon Barker.

2. PHI104- The Hopes and Conflicts of Social and Political Life

Course description: We live in a time of great social and political turmoil. On the one hand, there is widespread consensus that democracy is the only form of governance adequate to the dignity of human freedom. Yet on the other hand, we are plagued by worries that enormous gaps of wealth and power make authentic democratic participation next to impossible. Or we worry that the state or large corporations are robbing citizens of their genuine liberty. Is our society dominated by the "1%", or are current inequalities of wealth and power actually mutual benefit to everyone? This course will focus on concrete social and political conflicts and struggles in our own time, and trace the way that these raise fundamental philosophical and political problems about freedom, rights, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, economic justice and other important themes.

Online- not scheduled. Taught by Dr. Jonathan Martineau.

3. SOC315 Political Sociology in the Digital Era

Course description: This course examines the "state" from a sociological perspective and the sociological foundations of policy making in Canada and discussions of the state, market and society in Canadian and global contexts. Marxist, feminist and traditional theories are examined.

M/TH 10:30-12:00. Online. Taught by Dr. Alex Milstov.

4. ECO109- Economic Policy

Course description: Economics is studied for its policy implications. This course will examine problems, policies, institutions, and controversies in public policy regarding the economy in Canada from both an analytical and a historical perspective.

Tuesday 18:30-20:00. Offered in person and online. Taught by Dr. David Dupuis.

5. CLA201- Ancient Slavery and It’s Legacy

Course description: Slavery was ubiquitous in ancient Greece and Rome due largely to frequent warfare. This course will examine the ways that the institution of slavery influenced societal and class structures, the economies, and the moral attitudes of ancient Greek and Roman societies. We will also examine how ancient slavery influenced modern attitudes around slavery, and the differences between ancient and modern slavery. Open to first-year students.

TU/F 13:30-15:00. Online. Taught by Dr. Catherine Tracy.

6. FRE100- French I

Course description:  Introduction to the basic structures of the French language. Emphasis is put on pronunciation, exchange of personal information, expressions using the present tense and the near future, knowledge and description of surroundings, and the various question forms. Designed for students who have no or almost no previous knowledge of French.

M/TH 10:30-12:00. Online. Taught by Dr. Malé Fofana.

7. REL100- Western Religions

Course description: An introduction to Western religious traditions (Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam). In addition to addressing the historical evolution, religious practices, writings, fundamental concepts, beliefs and cultural expressions of each of these traditions, the course will also consider methodological issues pertaining to the study of religion as an academic discipline.

W/SA 8:30-10:00. Online. Taught by Dr. Ildiko Glaser-Hille.

8. REL112- Traditions of Ancient Israel

Course description: An exploration of the world of the ancient Israelites, the forerunners of the Jewish people. Material from selected books of the Hebrew Bible (also called the Old Testament) will be combined with archaeological data and evidence from inscriptions to situate Israelite civilization within the socio-cultural context of the wider ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean worlds.

M/TH 15:30-17:00. Online. Taught by Dr. Ildiko Glaser-Hille.