Still on the lookout for an elective to complete your 2024/25 Winter session timetable?
Learn Swahili through fun games and catchy songs, dive into Latin American culture with music and film, or explore the climate challenges shaping our world. Whether you’re interested in discussing modern celebrity culture or delving into Japanese popular culture, there’s a course here to spark your interest and enhance your degree. The best part? No pre-requisites — all Arts students are welcome!
TERM 1
Beginners’ Swahili (SWAH_V 101)
You already know words like Simba, Kijiji, Safari and Rafiki—now imagine speaking Swahili yourself! Learn the language and culture through fun games and songs.
Taught by Joash Gambarage
Introduction to Latin American Studies (LAST_V 100)
Discover the stories and politics of Latin America, from Argentina to Mexico, in this interdisciplinary course. Through music, novels, and film, you’ll also consider Vancouver’s connection to the Americas.
Taught by Max Furrier
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (ANTH_V 100-A_003)
Dive into anthropology by exploring culture, race, and social systems through a variety of cultural examples. You’ll also study religion, symbolism, art, and more.
Taught by Charles Menzies
Graphics for Theatre and Film Design (THTR_V 205-A)
Discover the art of visual storytelling in live performance, TV, film, and social media. Unlock your creativity and make your ideas shine.
Taught by Patrick Rizzotti
Drama: Forms and Ideas I (THTR_V 210)
Explore dramatic literature from the fifth century BCE to the eighteenth century CE. This course teaches you to read plays in their historical context and as performance texts, with lectures and discussions to guide you.
Taught by Hallie Marshall
Celebrity Studies (THFL_V 226)
Analyze the impact of global celebrity and stardom in this course, which combines film, media studies, and cultural theory to dissect modern celebrity through key readings and films.
Taught by Mila Zuo
Introduction to African Studies (AFST_V 250-A_101)
Study the evolution and resistance within Sub-Saharan African cultures since the Berlin Conference, complemented by a comprehensive look at Africa’s geography. Also available in Winter Term 2.
Taught by Justice Gbolonyo
Introduction to the Study of Religion (RGST_V 200)
Study the common features of religious practices across cultures in this course, emphasizing how spirituality integrates into daily life and promoting critical reflection on religious diversity.
Taught by Philip Yoo
Introduction to Medieval Studies (MDVL_V 210)
Explore medieval Britain and Northern Europe with a focus on Anglo-Saxons, Viking influence, and the twelfth-century Norman kingdom, using historical, literary, and visual materials to understand continuity and change.
Taught by Stephen Partridge
Archaeology in Popular Culture (ANTH_V 202-F)
Delve into the world of archaeology’s portrayal in fiction and media, examining how myths and hoaxes can mislead the public. Gain critical tools to evaluate these representations and understand the responsibilities of archaeologists in communicating the past.
Taught by Samantha Walker
Japanese Popular Culture (ANTH_V 215)
Explore Japanese popular culture through TV shows, movies, manga, anime, and more. This course covers everything from advertising and fashion to music and sports.
Taught by Millie Creighton
Contemporary Indigenous Issues in British Columbia (ANTH 220-001)
Centering on Indigenous sovereignty and world-making, this course examines resistance and resurgence against British colonialism and Canadian assimilation in British Columbia. Explore Indigenous rights through language, governance, and self-representation in art and media.
Taught by Jennifer Kramer
Climate Emergency (GEOG_V 202)
Channel climate anxiety into action by studying the diverse aspects of climate challenges. Discover mitigation strategies and understand how policy can lead to socially just outcomes.
Taught by Alec Blair and Naomi Klein
The Canadian Creative: Exploring and Questioning the Lyricality of the Nation-State (CDST_V 350)
Rethink the ties between art, culture, and the nation-state through discussions with creatives like Jesse Wente, Ed Henderson, and Don Gillmor, who will share their unique perspectives.
Taught by Minelle Mahtani
Theories of Drama, Theatre, and Performance (THTR_V 310)
Explore the history and debates of intercultural performance in this course, covering early European encounters with Asian theatre, 1980s – 1990s intercultural productions, Asian Shakespeare, and modern performances in North America.
Taught by Marios Kallos
Sociotechnical Perspectives for Information Systems Design (INFO_V 302)
Develop the skills to evaluate the effects of information systems design on historical, social, and political contexts, while considering its impact on diverse groups and communities.
Taught by Richard Arias Hernandez
The Arctic (GEOG_V 497)
Study the Arctic’s rapid warming and its global implications, focusing on how climate change affects ecosystems and human communities, particularly in the Canadian North.
Taught by McKenzie Kuhn
TERM 2
Geography, Environment and Globalization (GEOG_V 121-202)
Ever wondered how history shapes the places we live? Dive into human geography and discover how our environments influence our lives.
Taught by Siobhán Wittig McPhee
Issues of Development in Modern Latin America (LAST_V 205)
Engage with complex topics such as extractivism, workers’ rights, and the drug trade, using a multidisciplinary approach that draws from economics, history, anthropology, literature, and political science.
Taught by Ana Vivaldi
Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Structures in Modern Asia (GRSJ_V 235)
Discover how Asia fits into the global landscape and investigate the dynamic relationships between gender, social structures, and social change.
Taught by Yao Xiao
The Anthropology of Insurrections and Revolution (ANTH_V 205)
Analysis of insurrections and revolutions from a comparative perspective.
Taught by Gastón Gordillo
Culture and Communication (ANTH_V 217)
This course examines the relationship between communication and culture, emphasizing verbal and non-verbal communication, cross-cultural dynamics, and media use across different cultures.
Taught by Patrick Moore
History of Theatre I (THTR_V 320)
Explore the history of theatre from 5th century BCE Athens to Jacobean England, focusing on the interplay between religious rituals, civic life, and performance tradition.
Taught by Hallie Marshall
Theory and Method in the Study of Religion (RGST_V 300)
Critically explore influential “classical” theories of religion, marginalized perspectives, and contemporary approaches to religion, gaining insights into theory and method in Religious Studies.
Taught by Anders Kraal
Indigenous Latin America (LAST_V 303)
Explore the historical and contemporary cultures, struggles, and experiences of Indigenous peoples in Latin America, with a focus on specific cultural areas or regions.
Taught by Carmen Miranda-Barrios
The Middle East: Critical Questions and Debates (MES_V 300)
Explore the Middle East in this introductory, interdisciplinary course, perfect for students with no previous background knowledge of the region.
Taught by Pheroze Unwalla
Issues in Comparative Politics: 2SLGBTQIA+ Politics and Policy (POLI_V 333)
Using political science methods, this class explores the rise of global 2SLGBTQIA+ movements, successful national policies, and the effects of these policies on our communities.
Taught by Calla Hummel
Introduction to Critical Studies in Sexuality (CSIS_V 300)
Explore sexuality from a multidisciplinary perspective, with a focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, heterosexual, and transgender issues in this introductory course.
Taught by Isabel Machado
Critical Racial Theories (GRSJ_V 315)
This course delves into critical theories of racial and cultural difference. Initial formulations of theses against scientific racism and their later transformation by historical, social, and global-historical accounts of racial subjugation.
Taught by Caroline Locher-Lo
Ethnography of Korea (ANTH_V 307)
Explore the rich cultural landscape of Korea through a study of ethnographic practices and theoretical approaches.
Taught by Millie Creighton
Topics in Critical Studies in Sexuality: Performing Gender and Sexuality (CSIS_V 450-B)
Examine how drag performance across the globe defies gender norms and both resists and reflects mainstream cultural ideas. This course looks at how these performances engage with race, class, and identity issues.
Taught by Isabel Machado
Urban Political-Economic Geographies (GEOG_V 461)
Investigate the links between social differences and capitalism, and how geography plays a role, through engaging readings and discussions in this seminar.
Taught by Chris Meulbroek and Rachel Phillips
