History & Politics   

Censorship, or the act of restricting material deemed unsuitable for public consumption, has existed throughout history. This subject will examine the concept of censorship, its history and application in current issues. Students will be exposed to controversial materials and immersed in the discourse of censorship in order to gain an understanding of who controls knowledge, why and to what affect. Prerequisite: College English or equivalent. Textbook required. *NOTE: Students wanting to register for a General Education course as part of their certificate or diploma program should make sure to receive formal approval from their Program Coordinator. It should be noted that some general education courses are too close to the vocational specializations of specific programs and are therefore excluded as an option for students. It’s therefore important to receive formal approval before registration.

A critical understanding of contemporary Canadian issues is vital to being an active member in our democratic society. Students explore a variety of topics and analyze their ethical implications and relevance to Canadian life. Discussions, debates and other collaborative activities offer opportunities to consider recent controversies from different perspectives, and use of a variety of media (e.g. newspapers, articles, and other resources online) allows for in-depth reflection on the history and current state of a range of social and political topics. This course has mandatory chats and mandatory group work. No Textbook Required.

In this course, current social science paradigms and theories will be used as a framework for analysis of contemporary social issues relevant to vocations in police services.  Topics such as crime, violence, abuse, social stratification, ageism, and racism will be included. The course focus will be on how individual behaviours collectively create social issues. Prerequisite: Sociology Introduction. Textbook required.

This course provides an overview of the historic stages of the relationship between Indigenous peoples in Canada from contact to present day. It will explore the different world views at contact, the years of cooperation and negotiation through the fur trade and treaty making era and the impact of government colonial policy on Indigenous nations. The course will also explore the constitutional recognition of Aboriginal rights which provide an important context for understanding contemporary issues between Indigenous and Canadian societies including land claims, treaties and self-government. No textbook required.

This subject is an introductory study of the universal and enduring presence of myths and legends. Students explore creation myths, hero/heroine myths, dominant archetypes, "modern" myths, and other topics. This fabulous journey showcases how a distant past connects to our contemporary world. Prerequisite: College English or equivalent. Textbook required. *NOTE: Students wanting to register for a General Education course as part of their certificate or diploma program should make sure to receive formal approval from their Program Coordinator. It should be noted that some general education courses are too close to the vocational specializations of specific programs and are therefore excluded as an option for students. It’s therefore important to receive formal approval before registration.

Students survey the 4000-year-old history of chocolate: from its ancient Mesoamerican origins as a bitter drink of ritual and medicine, to the growth of a modern “chocolate culture” and its place as a mass-produced globalized product of the twentieth century. Students investigate how chocolate came to be imported into Europe by the Spanish during the sixteenth century and transformed into a sugary drink of the nobility, as well as its later importance to colonization, the slave trade and the Industrial Revolution. Students explore, through six module videos with integrated reading assignments, podcasts and other media, current academic research on the topic and encounter a wide range of primary sources including art, literature and the economic and administrative documents of daily life. Students also have the opportunity to analyse several primary sources (historical documents, paintings, photographs and maps) relevant to the study of chocolate’s cultural history. Textbook Required.

The course will provide students with an introduction to the impact that major cultural traditions of the Middle Ages have had on the modern world. The course will include myths, narratives, images, and other forms of representation from a variety of Western European national and religious traditions. Topics may include the study of kings, warriors, saints, knights, mystics, mythological heroes, and exotic beasts such as dragons. It will also include examinations of medieval-themed material in modern popular culture, including fictional writing, movies, video games, businesses and historic sites, both online and offline. No prior knowledge of medieval studies is required. No textbook required. NOTE: Students will be required to watch two movies: Helgeland, B. (Producer and Director). (2001). A Knight’s Tale [Motion picture]. United States: Columbia Pictures. Crowe, R. (Producer), Grazer. B. (Producer), Scott, R. (Producer and Director). (2010). Robin Hood [Motion picture]. United States: Universal Pictures. *NOTE: Students wanting to register for a General Education course as part of their certificate or diploma program should make sure to receive formal approval from their Program Coordinator. It should be noted that some general education courses are too close to the vocational specializations of specific programs and are therefore excluded as an option for students. It’s therefore important to receive formal approval before registration.

This course introduces the historical, sociological and political perspectives on the origins of the Ontario Metis people.  The course analyzes, in broad terms, the emergence of the Metis peoples and their relationship with the provincial government.  We will also explore trends and issues affecting the Ontario Metis in contemporary society. No Textbook Required.

This online course will allow students to explore North American history & issues, technological developments, and contemporary societal connections via the Western video game genre. Following an introduction to the history of the North American West and the Western genre, students will be grounded in a basic understanding of video games and then will study select Western games & related aspects. Themes to be examined include westward expansion, the growth of technology, race relations, historical figures, and the video game in popular culture. Assignments will allow students to creatively explore the contemporary connections to such themes. No textbook required.