In this course students examine a wide range of cultural representations (such as images, ads, short films) and encounter various modes of cultural analysis, thereby developing their ability to reflect on, and understand, the ways in which we form cultural identities in the world today. Students discuss topics such as nation and culture; cultural appropriation; difference and race; stereotypes; Orientalism; gender and identity. Special attention is paid to the Canadian context.
Selected topics on the construction of cultural identities and their representation through language, discourse, literature, film, and other means of expression, explored from diverse disciplinary perspectives.
This course introduces students to transculturality, an approach that challenges the notion of cultures as separate and static entities, emphasizing instead the interconnectedness and fluidity of cultural identities. Films and readings are used to examine concepts and debates informed by transcultural thinking (e.g., multiculturalism, cultural appropriation, cultural memory, subaltern knowledge, postmonolingualism, and decolonization).
Modern societies have had to confront terrible histories of human rights abuses, where one group has sought to oppress and/or eliminate another because of ethnic, religious, or political differences. Truth and reconciliation commissions or similar mechanisms rely on story to express and make sense of the horrors of large-scale human rights abuses. In this course, we will examine and discuss the role of fictional narratives in contributing to the truth and reconciliation discourses of countries from around the world.
Selected topics on the construction of cultural identities and their representation through language, discourse, literature, film, and other means of expression, explored from diverse disciplinary perspectives.
CI 267Exploring Cultural Identities Through Experiential Learning0.50 units
Through field trips and study abroad opportunities this course allows students to critically examine the construction of cultural identities to gain valuable experience and apply concepts from cultural identity courses beyond the classroom.
Students will deepen their ability to conduct critical inquiry into the formation and articulation of cultural identities by examining the work of selected relevant thinkers both modern and historical. Through critical analysis and practical application students will trace the reach and limitations of these thinkers' contributions to the intellectual framework for the study of culture and cultural expression.
In this seminar students work on an interdisciplinary term-long knowledge mobilization project under the direction of a faculty member. The seminar aims to help students to integrate their knowledge of cultural identities with personal and/or professional interests.