Courses

Introduction to the general field of anthropology, including reviews of scientific theories as basis of the academic research, as well as social, cultural, ethnographic and methodological topics which refer to the discipline. The course includes a study of diversity and similarity of behavior patterns, values, traditions, economical systems and customs of people in different cultural contexts- present and past. The focus will be to enhance students understanding of human nature. This will be derived from the investigation of the variety and range of socially standardized responses to the circumstances of human living. Such insight transcends a culture- bound approach, which views things from the narrow perspective of one's native cultural background. In each aspect of human culture this introduction seeks to provide an appreciation of other cultures as well an understanding of our values attitudes within society, lastly it reflects the perspective of our Christian faith toward society.

This course introduces students to the concept of race and ethnicity and to the major theories that the discipline employs as a means of understanding race and ethnic relations. 

This course is designed as an introduction to the religion of Islam and the Muslim cultures. It's a basic overview/ survey of the most influential denominations of Islamic faith, like Sunna, Shia, Ismailia, Druze, Alawites and Ahmadiyya. In the course we will examine the history of Islamic religion and the different theological and juristic schools like the Hanafits, Shafiites, Malekites and Hanibalites, as well the practice and pillars of Islam with particular attention to the classic texts of Qu'ran and Hadith. The course will also analyze the role of Jesus in the Qu'ran as well compare stories written in the Bible. Students are invited into using the disciplines of anthropology/sociology as possibility of inquiry, evaluation and interpretation. Through analyzing concepts of religious belief systems students experience the social world around them, by interacting with norms, beliefs and values of global and local cultures.

This course gives students the opportunity to examine and interpret how the socio-cultural context affects the way people speak in that setting. Topics in focus include regional and social dialects, multilingualism, language attitudes and their impact on national and personal identity, linguistic politeness, the maintenance, shift, loss, and spread of languages, and the impact of modern technology. Applications to gender and education are explored in depth.

This course is about the nature of cross-cultural interaction. Cultural concepts and contexts are explored through taxonomies, theories, and comparative analysis. Through in-class and out-of-class activities, students become self-aware and other-aware. Students also experiment with cultural behaviours and cultural change, aiming to increase both explanatory and predictive cultural knowledge, and enhance behavioural competencies.

This course examines the evolution of the city, from its earliest pre-industrial roots to cities of the New Economy, and provides a sociological analysis of selected urban social issues. The course explores the urban effect on society and the various efforts, past and present, to make cities more livable.

This course will introduce students to various traditions of qualitative social inquiry and their associated methodological features. Emphasis will be placed on the practical application of these traditions of inquiry as their associated methods of data collection and analysis are applied in a range of research settings.

An examination of selected topics and theories within the field of anthropology.

This course is an introduction to the culture, languages, history and enduring presence of First Nation people in Canada. It will explore a range of indigenous social and cultural formations. Attention will be given to the cultural, economic, political, and religious aspects of First Nation societies, as well as the changes that have occurred since the arrival of the Europeans.