10 Courses that Educate You on Different Cultures This Fall
UAlberta Arts Courses for Fall 2020 — Post 1 of many to come
Re-thinking your Fall course schedule?
Are you interested in different cultures? Do you want a career working internationally? Want to better understand people? From learning about Fascism to crime fiction to Buddhism, check out the list of 10 courses to find the right class for you!
And… This is only the first post of many more to come where we will be highlighting courses from across the entire Faculty of Arts for Fall 2020, so be sure to come back to the blog leading up to the start of classes in September.
edited July 9, 2020 to add: *Please note that course content, delivery method and instructors are subject to change. Refer to the course syllabus for full and final details.
1. English 360 (ENGL 360): American Literature and Culture: Race and Belonging in American Writing
Number of Sections Offered: 1
Professor/Instructor: Teresa Zackodnik
Delivery Method: A combination of “anytime learning” (asynchronous delivery) AND “real-time” (synchronous delivery)
Course Times: T/R from 11 AM— 12:20 PM MDT
Pre-requisite: 6* credits junior-level English
Course Description: Race in America. Develop an understanding of Black American culture that will illuminate the current protests around the George Floyd murder.
Study literature and other cultural texts with a view to considering how race becomes central to narratives of American belonging. Such a focus seems particularly apt in a sustained period of open racism within so-called political discourse, the rise of fascism, the tendency to call white nationalism “the Right ‘’ politically, and the continued exercise of extrajudicial police violence and white-person-weaponization. In addition to reading critical race theory, we will study literature by white, African-, Asian-, and Native-Americans from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Why Take This Course: This course better prepares you for a career working with marginalized groups and working in government. It also involves writing to prepare you for a career in Communications (advertising, marketing, journalism, as a writer/editor, etc.).
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Education and Science
2. History 427 (HIST 427): Alchemical Tradition in South Asia (Topics in Indian History )
Number of Sections Offered: 1
Professor/Instructor: Dagmar Wujastyk
Delivery Method: All sections of this course will have a combination of “anytime learning” (asynchronous delivery) AND “real-time” (synchronous delivery)
Course Time: W from 2 — 4:50 PM MDT (Note: Course will require some participation in synchronous components, these requirements are TBD. Synchronous components, when scheduled, will take place during the normal course day/time)
Pre-requisite: Any 300-level History course
Course Description: Explore the history of alchemy in South Asia, from the writings of medieval alchemists to its role in public health care today.
Alchemists in India and Nepal crafted magical elixirs for making gold and attaining immortality. They developed medicines for curing incurable diseases. They invented metallurgical processes and created cosmetics and hair dye. And they contributed to emerging religious practices.
Learn about South Asian alchemical traditions and their connections to religious groups, medical practices, and artisanal traditions.
Why Take This Course: This course prepares you for a career working internationally or prepares you for a career in Medicine and Health professions (Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Rehab Med, Public Health, etc.).
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Pre-med (you can be pre-med in Arts!), Science and Nursing
3. Norwegian 111 (NORW 111) — Beginners’ Norwegian
Number of Sections Offered: 1
Professor/Instructor: Dr. John Eason
Delivery Method: All sections of this course will have a combination of “anytime learning” (asynchronous delivery) AND “real-time” (synchronous delivery)
Course Times: M/W/F from 10-10:50 AM MDT — Synchronous (Zoom days)- AND - T/R— Asynchronous (non-Zoom days)
Pre-requisite: None (Note: However, the course is not to be taken by students with native or near-native proficiency.)
Course Description: Develop ability in reading and writing Norwegian with a strong emphasis on the development of comprehension and oral and written communication. Activities consisting of individual, paired and small group work are designed to give you ample opportunity to actively practice your speaking ability and to develop your language skills for real-life situations. Moreover, the inclusion of music and film will offer a unique approach to enhance your awareness of Norwegian culture while aiding in the practice of communication skills.
At the end of this course, you should be able to communicate in Norwegian about everyday life, studies, jobs, leisure activities, interests, family, friends, food, and more. In addition, you should be able to use spoken Norwegian in a variety of situations. You should be able to write complete sentences and short paragraphs, be comfortable with spoken Norwegian used in the classroom, and be able to read short texts emphasizing various aspects of Norwegian culture.
Why Take This Course: It prepares you for a career working internationally or in Communications (advertising, marketing, journalism, as a writer/editor, etc.). It is not only a great course for students in the Faculty of Arts but crosses paths with Business and Education students.
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Business and Education
4. Italian 299 (ITAL 299 ) — Introduction to Fascism (Special Topics — Taught in English)
Number of Sections Offered: 1
Professor/Instructor: Dr. William Anselmi
Delivery Method: All sections of this course are being offered in “real-time learning” (synchronous delivery)
Course Time: T/R from 2 –3:20 PM MDT
Pre-requisite: None
Course Description: The word “fascist” has been used publicly since the 1960s to designate and insult figures of authority like policemen alongside with “pigs”. But how well do we know its origin? What do we actually know about Fascism, its origins, history, and contemporary extreme right-wing nuances?
To paraphrase Wittgenstein in the Tractatus, the limits of my language are the limits of my world. So, it is very important to know what the words I use about my presence in the world mean. In order to do this, the course Ital 299, taught in English, proposes to address the history of Fascism as well as its contemporary political relevance and nuances if any (populism, alt-right) and its cultural representations (films like Salo or The Conformist, songs like Goldenfrapp’s “Fascist baby”). We will be using two books in the course and the authors have agreed to participate in class.
Why Take This Course: It prepares you for a career working in either Law, Business, or Government.
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Pre-Law, Business and Education
5. East Asian Studies 239 (EASIA 239 )— Daoism and Chinese Civilization
Number of Sections Offered: 3
Professor/Instructor: Daniel Fried
Delivery Method: All sections of this course are being offered in “anytime learning” (asynchronous delivery)
Pre-requisite: None
Course Description: This course explains what “Daoism” is, how it began in ancient China and influenced Chinese civilization, and how it is relevant to life in the 21st century by covering cultural, religious, and philosophical aspects.
Why Take This Course: This course better prepares you for a career with working internationally and it also involves writing to prepare you for a career in Communications (advertising, marketing, journalism, as a writer/editor, etc.).
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Education and ALES
6. Scandinavian 328 (SCAND 328) — Scandinavian Crime Fiction (Taught in English)
Number of Sections Offered: 1
Professor/Instructor: Dr. John Eason
Delivery Method: All sections of this course are being offered in “real-time learning” (synchronous delivery)
Course Time: T/R from 2-3:20 PM MDT — Synchronous (Zoom)
Pre-requisite: None
Course Description: No other genre of literature over the past decade has captured the imagination of readers all over the world like contemporary Scandinavian Crime Fiction. In this course, students will read and analyze recent crime novels from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland. These works will be framed in a literary-historical context, and major trends and authors in the field of Scandinavian crime fiction from the time of the ground-breaking Swedish duo Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö to current writers such as Henning Mankell, Karin Fossum, and Arnaldur Indriðason will be discussed.
Using crime fiction as a cultural mirror, students will employ this genre to explore the Scandinavian Welfare State and the role of and attitudes towards multiculturalism, gender, children, and the environment in contemporary Scandinavia. We will also screen several film adaptations of Scandinavian crime fiction works. This course is taught in English.
Why Take This Course: It prepares you for a career working internationally, or in Communications (advertising, marketing, journalism, as a writer/editor, etc.).
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Native Studies and Education
7. Swedish 111 (Swed 111) — Beginners’ Swedish
Number of Sections Offered: 1
Professor/Instructor: Dr. John Eason
Delivery Method: All sections of this course will have a combination of “anytime learning” (asynchronous delivery) AND “real-time” (synchronous delivery)
Course Times: M/W/F from 1-1:50 PM MDT — Synchronous (Zoom days); T/R — Asynchronous (non-zoom days)
Pre-requisite: None (Note: However, the course is not to be taken by students with native or near-native proficiency.)
Course Description: Beginners’ Swedish is designed to develop ability in reading and writing Swedish with a strong emphasis on the development of comprehension and oral and written communication. Activities consisting of individual, paired and small group work are designed to give you ample opportunity to actively practice your speaking ability and to develop your language skills for real-life situations. Moreover, the inclusion of music and film will offer a unique approach to enhance your awareness of Swedish culture while aiding in the practice of communication skills.
At the end of this course, you should be able to communicate in Swedish about everyday life, studies, jobs, leisure activities, interests, family, friends, food, and more. In addition, you should be able to use spoken Swedish in a variety of situations. You should be able to write complete sentences and short paragraphs, be comfortable with spoken Swedish used in the classroom, and be able to read short texts emphasizing various aspects of Swedish culture.
Why Take This Course: It prepares you for a career working internationally or in Communications (advertising, marketing, journalism, as a writer/editor, etc.).
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Business and Educations
8. History 289 (HIST 289): Introduction to Classical India
Number of Sections Offered: 1
Professor/Instructor: Dominik Wujastyk
Delivery Method: All sections of this course will have a combination of “anytime learning” (asynchronous delivery) AND “real-time” (synchronous delivery)
Course Time: T/R 2— 3:20 PM MDT (Note: Course will require some participation in synchronous components, these requirements are TBD. Synchronous components, when scheduled, will take place during the normal course day/time)
Pre-requisite: None
Course Description: Classical India was not just maharajas riding jewel-encrusted elephants to listen to the Buddha preach, or swooning princesses longing for their princes to sweep them up in their arms.
It was all that. But it was also a vibrant social and intellectual scene with lawyers, doctors, mathematicians, and astronomers, all arguing about the nature of reality and the meaning of life.
Explore the wonder that was India and gain a historian’s view of one of the greatest civilizations that the ancient world produced. Develop an understanding of the historical timespan of classical Indian culture, as well as a knowledge of selected areas of Indian intellectual achievement.
Why Take This Course: This course better prepares you for a career in working internationally, working in government and it also involves writing to prepare you for a career in Communications (advertising, marketing, journalism, as a writer/editor, etc.).
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Education and ALES
Note: If you are interested in pursuing the theme of the history and culture of India, Nepal and the rest of South Asia may also be interested in taking HIST 387 “History of Indian Yoga and Meditation”; HIST 427/627 “Topics in Indian History”; SANSK 201 “Introduction to Sanskrit” and SANSK 202 “Intro. to Sanskrit, part 2” or any of the courses listed at http://sas.ualberta.ca that are being offered this session.
9. East Asian Studies 323 (EASIA 323): Topics in East Asian Religions Buddhist Arts and Visual Culture (Taught in English)
Number of Sections Offered: 1
Professor/Instructor: Walter Davis
Delivery Method: A combination of “anytime learning” (asynchronous delivery) AND “real-time” (synchronous delivery)
Course Time: T/R 2 — 3:20 PM MDT
Pre-requisite: None (Note: The normal prerequisite is EASIA 223 or RELIG 240, but it will be waived for this section)
Course Description: This course considers how Buddhists across Asia have addressed the human condition through art and design. After familiarizing you with Buddhism’s basic ideas, practices, and historical development, the course will introduce you to how Buddhist architecture, sculpture, painting, and ritual objects have articulated such concerns as suffering, wisdom, compassion, and salvation. Examining works from various parts of Asia from antiquity to the modern era, you will learn the fundamentals of Buddhist iconography, visual narration, patronage, and ritual use of art. You will develop the ability to perform your own analysis of Buddhist art and architecture and to describe different ways in which believers from diverse Asian cultures have used visual and material expression to improve their lives, support their faith, and seek salvation. You will also learn to associate formal aspects of Buddhist works with the artistic traditions of the various societies that produced them. In addition, by tracing how Buddhism and its visual culture spread across Asia and were adapted to different contexts, you will become sensitive to religious art and architecture’s social and political dimensions and their mediation of relationships between different societies and systems of thought.
By the course’s end, you will thus be able to explain how, for example, Tantric Buddhist art’s graphic sexual imagery represents the abstract notion of non-duality and helps believers free themselves from desire; how the pagodas of China, Korea, and Japan use East Asian architectural forms to represent the cosmic symbolism and soteriological approaches of South Asian stupas, and how that fat “laughing Buddha” that keeps showing up in Chinese restaurants is, in fact, a different figure altogether in East Asian Buddhism and popular religion.
Why Take This Course: This course prepares you for a career working internationally, in teaching or Communications (advertising, marketing, journalism, as a writer/editor, etc.).
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Education
10. Drama (DR 101) — Introduction to Theatre Arts — Drama
Number of Sections Offered: 1
Professor/Instructor: Dr. Selena Couture
Delivery Method: A combination of “anytime learning” (asynchronous delivery) AND “real-time” (synchronous delivery)
Course Time: T /R from 9:30 - 10:50 AM
Pre-requisite: None
Course Description: Drama 101 is an introduction to various artistic practices involved in creating theatre, e.g. playwriting, directing, acting, and designing. We will consider the development of theatre arts through a historical global perspective with an emphasis on the significance of the space of performance and audience relations. This course attends actively to our time and place — post TRC Canadian society in Edmonton, Treaty 6 / Métis territory — and thus aims to support respectful relations with Indigenous peoples.
By the end of the course, students will be able to describe in detail the professional disciplines involved in theatrical practice and their relations to each other, discuss and argue for an interpretation of an online performance using terms learned in class (online focus new this year), identify significant developments in theatre from three historical time periods as well as contemporary practices, and engage in critical thinking and writing while supporting peers in achieving course goals through collaborative learning activities
Why Take This Course: This course prepares you for a career working in Teaching or Government. It also focuses on Communications (advertising, marketing, journalism, as a writer/editor, etc.).
Note: Given that in-person live performances have been suspended during the pandemic, this course is an opportunity to gain understanding and appreciation of the complexity of theatre and the important dynamic of an audience gathered in space.
Other faculties/programs that would take this as an option course: Education and Native Studies
