SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
NEW UNDERGRADUATE COURSE PROPOSAL
Calendar Information:
Course Number: CMNS 424 Credit Hours: ___4__
Course Title: Colonialism, Culture and Identity
Course Description (for Calendar). Attach a course outline to this proposal.
Examines why identity is such an important issue for contemporary diasporic communities and former colonies. Introduces students to critiques of representations that construct “racialized” groups as inferior, primitive threats to civilization and their constitution of passive, disciplined subjects. Primarily focuses on innovative cultural strategies developed by Indigenous People, the Black diaspora, Asian/Canadian communities and survivors of the Jewish Holocaust to create ethical communities and critique the impact of colonial violence on contemporary societies.
Co-requisite(s) (if any): None.
Method of Instruction: Seminar.
Special Instructions (if any): None.
Course(s) to be dropped if this course is approved (if any): None.
Rationale for Introduction of this Course: Will this be a required or elective course in the curriculum? Probable enrolment when offered?
Enrollment will be kept to approximately 20 students (usually there was a waiting list in past offerings as a special topics course). A seminar course in which instructor works closely with each student, asking them to redraft at least two of their assignments and giving extensive input on the development of their research projects. The course builds from the cultural studies and media studies courses as well as the new courses being taught on “race” (Chow-White) and “memory and community” (Marontate).
McAllister has successfully taught this seminar course over the last four years – both as a fourth-year seminar and a graduate seminar. The reviews have been excellent and we have been impressed with the students’ accomplishments. Each time McAllister has taught the course, students have gone on to do Honour’s course work, or enrolled in graduate school.
It is one course in the School that explicitly focuses on colonialism and culture from the perspective of colonized subjects, especially Indigenous People in Canada, examining issues of representation, language, identity formation and community politics.
Scheduling and Registration Information. Indicate semester and year this course would be first offered and planned frequency of offering thereafter.
Fall 2008, and every 4-5 semesters thereafter.
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Which of your present CFL faculty have the expertise to offer this course? Will the course be taught by sessional or limited-term instructors?
K.McAllister, J.Marontate, A.Beale, C.Murray, Z.Druick, P.Chow-White.
Sessional or limited-term instructors would not normally teach it.
Are there any proposed student fees associated with this course other than tuition fees?
No.
Does this course duplicate the content of a previously approved course to such an extent that students should not receive credit for both courses? If so, please specify.
Special Topics course taken with same topic – CMNS 487 in Fall 2004 and Fall 2006.
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Resource Implications:
Note: Senate has approved (S.93-11) that no new course should be approved by Senate until funding has been committed for necessary library materials. Each new course proposal must be accompanied by a library report and, if appropriate, confirmation that funding arrangements have been addressed.
Provide details on how existing instructional resources will be redistributed to accommodate this new course. For instance, will another course be eliminated or will the frequency of offering of other courses be reduced; are there changes in pedagogical style or class sizes that allow for this additional course offering.
Course has been taught regularly for several years, so it will not affect
existing instructional resources.
Does this course require specialized space or equipment not readily available in the department or university, and if so, how will these resources be provided?
No.
Does this course require computing resources? (e.g. hardware, software, network wiring, use of computer laboratory space) and if so, describe how they will be provided.
No.
Approvals:
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Martin Laba, Director, Chair, Faculty of Applied Sciences Chair
School of Communication Graduate Curriculum Committee SCUS
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