Please note:
To view the current Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar.html.
International Studies Honours
The program is primarily for students with a background or interest in political science, history, economics, geography, sociology, anthropology, and humanities, as well as other areas. Students can specialize in international issues through a curriculum which integrates training and experience concerning the complex and challenging issues that are central to global affairs. Public or private sector employees who wish to specialize in specific dimensions that are necessary to understand and address international issues may also be interested in this program. This program is for those who wish to refine their discussion skills, and their expository writing and critical thought with an international context.
Program Declaration
The school limits admission to its honours program. Applicants must already be a declared IS major student, have completed 12 upper division IS units with a minimum CGPA of 3.4 and have identified a faculty supervisor.
Required Grades
Students must obtain C- or higher in all courses used toward the program. In addition, those admitted to the honours program must maintain a minimum 3.4 cumulative GPA. For graduation, students must obtain a minimum 3.4 CGPA, 3.4 UDGPA, 3.4 international studies subject CGPA (calculated on all IS courses completed at 911³ԹÏ), and 3.4 international studies subject UDGPA (calculated on all upper division IS courses completed at 911³ԹÏ).
Accelerated Master's
NOTE: 911³ԹÏ students accepted in the accelerated master's within the School of International Studies may apply a maximum of 10 graduate course units listed below, taken while completing the bachelor’s degree, towards the upper division electives of the bachelor’s program and the requirements of the master's degree. For more information go to: /gradstudies/apply/programs/accelerated-masters.html.
'The quality of institutions' is now said to exercise a crucial influence on the prospects for development, and the course interrogates this claim both through analysis of different paths of economic growth and change across the developing world, and in regard to public administration and development management. It examines development policies and institutional theories, the politics of institutions and state formation, and the relationships between political systems, institutions and patterns of development. Prerequisite: Graduate students enrolled in the MA in International Studies, or permission of the instructor.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gerardo Otero |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
Examines the causes of state fragility and collapse, and assesses the challenges of reconstruction. Focusing on cases from different regions, we will explore the security dimensions of state fragility, the role of humanitarian intervention, the challenge of building democratic institutions in divided societies, and the relationship between state building and peace building.
Examines the specific development experience of a selected region, taking account of the historical context, of state capacity, development strategies and of the political economy of development - as well as of the particular problems of development across different sectors of the economy, and the outcomes in regard to poverty and levels of well-being.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rupak Shrestha |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
A synthetic introduction to historical and contemporary theories of development in Latin America. Topics include political economy of development, sociological theories of development, an introduction to neoliberalism, and the contemporary experience of globalization and development in Latin America. Students who have taken LAS 815 or SA 815 for credit may not take this course for further credit.
A general overview of social and political change in Latin America, including revolutions, independence, transition to democracy, and contemporary social movements. Theoretical approaches may include social-movement theory, democratic theory, etc. Students who have taken LAS 835 or SA 835 for credit may not take this course for further credit.
or other courses as may be recommended by the Graduate Program Committee of the School.
The following two core undergraduate courses cannot be substituted with graduate level courses:
An in-depth examination of select global problems. Focuses on developing policy-related writing skills valuable for careers in government and in intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations. Assignments may include: briefing papers, policy papers, grant writing, and op-ed essays. Prerequisite: 60 units. International Studies major or honours students. Students with credit for IS 450W may not take this course for further credit. Writing.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Megan MacKenzie |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Mon, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Oct 15, 2024: Tue, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m. |
Vancouver Vancouver |
An interdisciplinary course which aims to bring together different disciplinary perspectives on international affairs through the study of influential texts which, between them, involve study of core themes to the program: development, governance and civil society, war and peace, human rights and questions of culture and ethnicity. Prerequisite: 90 units. International Studies major or honours students.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Christopher Gibson |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 8:30–11:20 a.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 8:30–11:20 a.m. |
Vancouver Vancouver |
Program Requirements
Lower Division Requirements
Students complete a minimum of 15 lower division units including
Introduces the interdisciplinary field of International Studies to all undergraduates and IS majors. Examines the major global challenges of our time, including poverty and inequality, environmental degradation, nationalism, civil war, and armed conflict. Explores the challenge of global governance and global citizenship. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tamir Moustafa |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D101 |
Tamir Moustafa |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 12:30–1:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
| D102 |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 1:30–2:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D103 |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 2:30–3:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D104 |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 12:30–1:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D105 |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 1:30–2:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D106 |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 2:30–3:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
|
Logan Masilamani |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Surrey |
and lower division units from one of three concentrations:
- International Security and Conflict
- Comparative World Politics, Culture and Society
- International Development, Economic and Environmental Issues
International Security and Conflict Concentration
Students complete
Examines contemporary security and governance challenges by drawing on insights from across the social sciences. Includes such topics as: war, nuclear proliferation, genocide, human trafficking, and global health threats. Explores the role of international organizations (the UN, EU, NATO and others) in addressing security challenges and advancing global governance. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
Analyzes some of the historical reasons for the great divergence in world economic development, and undertakes a cross-country, cross-regional perspective of world economic development using a historical approach to long-run economic growth. Breadth-Social Sciences.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Christopher Gibson |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D101 |
Christopher Gibson |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
| D102 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 5:30–6:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D104 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
and two of
Explores social, economic, and political change around the globe, through documentaries and feature films. Examines pressing issues that shape and reflect people’s lives in diverse countries and regions, from Asia and Latin America, to Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Darren Byler |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Introduces students to the variety of systems of governance in the world today, examines the historical and cultural sources of their different developmental trajectories, and assesses the challenges they face in the future. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
This course surveys the diverse ways people have fashioned identities and social relations that do not easily conform to the boundaries of nation-states. Explores how, in the context of transnational movements of people and ideas, individuals and communities construct and contest new identities, aspirations, and forms of belonging. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
An introduction to Global History, beginning in the 1780s and ending in the present day. Key topics include the first Age of Revolution (US, Haiti, Latin America), the post-colonial experience, and the modern world economy. Students with credit for HIST 265 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Anushay Malik |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
Comparative World Politics, Culture and Society Concentration
Students complete
Introduces students to the variety of systems of governance in the world today, examines the historical and cultural sources of their different developmental trajectories, and assesses the challenges they face in the future. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
Analyzes some of the historical reasons for the great divergence in world economic development, and undertakes a cross-country, cross-regional perspective of world economic development using a historical approach to long-run economic growth. Breadth-Social Sciences.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Christopher Gibson |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D101 |
Christopher Gibson |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
| D102 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 5:30–6:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D104 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
and two of
Explores social, economic, and political change around the globe, through documentaries and feature films. Examines pressing issues that shape and reflect people’s lives in diverse countries and regions, from Asia and Latin America, to Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Darren Byler |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Examines contemporary security and governance challenges by drawing on insights from across the social sciences. Includes such topics as: war, nuclear proliferation, genocide, human trafficking, and global health threats. Explores the role of international organizations (the UN, EU, NATO and others) in addressing security challenges and advancing global governance. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
This course surveys the diverse ways people have fashioned identities and social relations that do not easily conform to the boundaries of nation-states. Explores how, in the context of transnational movements of people and ideas, individuals and communities construct and contest new identities, aspirations, and forms of belonging. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
An introduction to Global History, beginning in the 1780s and ending in the present day. Key topics include the first Age of Revolution (US, Haiti, Latin America), the post-colonial experience, and the modern world economy. Students with credit for HIST 265 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Anushay Malik |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
International Development, Economic, and Environmental Issues Concentration
Students complete all of
The principal elements of theory concerning money and income, distribution, social accounts, public finance, international trade, comparative systems, and development and growth. Quantitative/Breadth-Soc.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
John Knowles |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 12:30–2:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D101 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 8:30–9:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D102 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 9:30–10:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D103 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 10:30–11:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D104 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 11:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D106 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Thu, 9:30–10:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D107 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Thu, 10:30–11:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D108 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D109 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
|
Vasyl Golovetskyy |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D201 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Mon, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
Oct 15, 2024: Tue, 12:30–1:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D202 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Mon, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
Oct 15, 2024: Tue, 1:30–2:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D203 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Mon, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
Oct 15, 2024: Tue, 2:30–3:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D204 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Mon, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
Oct 15, 2024: Tue, 3:30–4:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
| D207 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 10:30–11:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D208 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 11:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D209 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D210 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
|
Yan Yan |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, Fri, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Surrey |
Analyzes some of the historical reasons for the great divergence in world economic development, and undertakes a cross-country, cross-regional perspective of world economic development using a historical approach to long-run economic growth. Breadth-Social Sciences.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Christopher Gibson |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D101 |
Christopher Gibson |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
| D102 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 5:30–6:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
| D104 |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
and three of
Explores social, economic, and political change around the globe, through documentaries and feature films. Examines pressing issues that shape and reflect people’s lives in diverse countries and regions, from Asia and Latin America, to Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Darren Byler |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Examines contemporary security and governance challenges by drawing on insights from across the social sciences. Includes such topics as: war, nuclear proliferation, genocide, human trafficking, and global health threats. Explores the role of international organizations (the UN, EU, NATO and others) in addressing security challenges and advancing global governance. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
Introduces students to the variety of systems of governance in the world today, examines the historical and cultural sources of their different developmental trajectories, and assesses the challenges they face in the future. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
This course surveys the diverse ways people have fashioned identities and social relations that do not easily conform to the boundaries of nation-states. Explores how, in the context of transnational movements of people and ideas, individuals and communities construct and contest new identities, aspirations, and forms of belonging. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
An introduction to Global History, beginning in the 1780s and ending in the present day. Key topics include the first Age of Revolution (US, Haiti, Latin America), the post-colonial experience, and the modern world economy. Students with credit for HIST 265 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Anushay Malik |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
Upper Division Requirements
Students complete 54 upper division units including all of
Introduces the research enterprise in International Studies. Prerequisite: IS 101 and 45 units.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sumercan Bozkurt-Gungen |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
An in-depth examination of select global problems. Focuses on developing policy-related writing skills valuable for careers in government and in intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations. Assignments may include: briefing papers, policy papers, grant writing, and op-ed essays. Prerequisite: 60 units. International Studies major or honours students. Students with credit for IS 450W may not take this course for further credit. Writing.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Megan MacKenzie |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Mon, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Oct 15, 2024: Tue, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m. |
Vancouver Vancouver |
An interdisciplinary course which aims to bring together different disciplinary perspectives on international affairs through the study of influential texts which, between them, involve study of core themes to the program: development, governance and civil society, war and peace, human rights and questions of culture and ethnicity. Prerequisite: 90 units. International Studies major or honours students.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Christopher Gibson |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 8:30–11:20 a.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 8:30–11:20 a.m. |
Vancouver Vancouver |
Intended for the research and preparation of materials for the honours graduating essay. Students must complete this course before taking IS 499. Open only to students who have been accepted into the honours program. Prerequisite: Admission is by permission of the instructor and the School.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | |||
| TBD |
In addition to regular meetings with their supervisors, students will be required to submit a major paper on a topic to be selected in consultation with the School. Admission is by permission of the instructor and the School. Open only to students who have been accepted into the honours program. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of B+ in IS 490.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | |||
| TBD |
Of the remaining 32 units, at least 24 are chosen from one of the three concentrations. The remaining eight upper division units may be chosen from course offerings in any of the three concentrations. At least 24 of the 32 upper division units must be completed from international studies course offerings at 911³ԹÏ, eight of which must be at the 400 level. Up to a maximum of eight upper division units may be chosen from non-IS course offerings listed within the three concentrations.*
International Security and Conflict Concentration
A seminar-based, interdisciplinary course providing a gendered analysis of violence and resistance, to violence, focusing on political states, conflict and war, individual experiences, and institutional situations through feminist and critical masculinities lenses. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units in GSWS or WS or GDST. Students with credit for special temporary topics (STT) course GDST 303 Gender, Violence and Resistance may not complete this course for further credit.
An examination of major themes in German history from the establishment of a united German Empire in 1871 to the reunification of Germany in 1990. Emphasis will be placed on issues related to the formation of German national identity and the problems associated with modernization and militarism. Attention will be given to the difficulties of Weimar democracy, the nature of the Third Reich, and contrasting developments in East and West Germany after 1949. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lauren Rossi |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
An examination of the history of the Soviet Union from its creation to its collapse, emphasizing its ideology, culture, role in global politics, and social and economic transformations. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history.
An introduction to the history of the origins and course of the second world war. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: HIST 225.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Michael Lanthier |
Online |
A study of Ottoman society and the impact of Ottoman rule in the Middle East from the conquest of Constantinople to the death of Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. Emphasis will be on the conflict between preservation and reform in the nineteenth century and on the significance of the Ottoman legacy for twentieth century Turkey and the Arab world. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: one of HIST 151, 249.
This course examines the role of imperialism in the transformation of societies in the Middle East and North Africa over the last two centuries. Focusing mainly on the cases of Ottoman, British and French empire building, the course discusses the socio-economic, cultural and political changes brought about by the interaction of various segments of local societies with these imperial powers. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: one of HIST 151, 249.
An examination of this century's major themes in the history of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, as well as other states of the Arabian peninsula. Topics to be investigated include the origins of Arab nationalism and Islamic reformism; the origins and development of the Lebanese question; the emergence of the politics of the military in Iraq and Syria, and the special role of the Jordanian and Arabian monarchies. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: one of HIST 151, 249.
Covers the period in Japan from the 1930s to the 1950s and will introduce students to topics such as wartime atrocities, the dropping of the atomic bombs and the prosecution of war criminals. It will also attempt to explain why so much controversy surrounds interpretations of events arising from Japan's last war, the Asia-Pacific War. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: at least one course on modern Japan.
An examination of major debates concerning the history of late-nineteenth and twentieth century Germany. Themes may include the nature of German modernity, interpretations of the Third Reich, or German memory after the Second World War. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 401 may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units, including nine units of lower division history and one of HIST 224, 225, 332 or permission of the department.
Advanced analysis of specific problems in social, intellectual, and political history of modern Russia. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 419W may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history. Recommended: HIST 224 or 225. Writing.
Examines the cycle of violence that followed the Axis occupation of Greece and created a political schism that lasted until the 1980s. The course will focus on Greek resistance, foreign relations and relations with the British intelligence services. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history. Students with credit for HS 422 may not take this course for further credit.
Explores ideas, people, and movements of social criticism and social justice, stressing history as a way to understand and engage the present. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 463W may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history. Students with credit for HIST 412 or HIST 412W cannot take HIST 463W for further credit when offered with the course topic "Marxism.". Writing.
A discussion of the modern history of nation-building in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The topics discussed include Zionism, the British Mandate in Palestine, the creation of the state of Israel, the rise of modern Palestinian nationalism, and the role of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute in regional and international affairs. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history and one of HIST 151, 249, 350, 354, 355 or permission of the department.
An interpretive discussion of the course of modern Egyptian history. This may range from the advent to power of Muhammed Ali Pasha until recent times, or may focus on specific periods of revolutionary change. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history and one of HIST 151, 249, 350, 354, 355 or permission of the department.
Examines topics in Italian history and culture through film, literature, primary sources, and/or art. May be repeated for credit when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for HUM 345 under the same topic may not take this course for further credit.
Provides an opportunity to examine social, cultural, and political challenges involved in working or living abroad. Students reflect on the knowledge, skills, and values gained while abroad, with attention to career-related pathways and possibilities. Topics include the complexities of cross-cultural engagement and ethical aspects of experiential learning in international settings. Graded as Pass/Fail (P/F). Prerequisite: This course will be open to any 911³ԹÏ student who has completed an international study, research, internship, or volunteership program.
Explores how international actors respond to humanitarian emergencies, such as famine, displacement, and genocide. Examines the political, legal, and ethical challenges of humanitarian action by focusing on contemporary cases and on key types of response, from the delivery of aid to sanctions and the use of military force. Prerequisite: 45 units. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
Surveys the ethnic minorities of Southeast Asia, focusing on their relations with other ethnic groups, especially majority populations, and governments. Examines the treatment of ethnic minorities and the responses of the minorities, including ethnic-based secession movements. Reviews cross-border and broader international issues relating to minorities, such as their status as refugees and cross-border support for insurgencies. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Introduces the Russian Federation's foreign and security policies. Reviews key actors, institutions, and stages in the development of Russian foreign policy development as well as the gap between rhetoric and realities in Russian foreign policy. Prerequisite: 45 units. Recommended: IS 200 and HIST 335.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alsu Tagirova |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Mon, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Oct 15, 2024: Tue, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m. |
Vancouver Vancouver |
Examines the causes of state fragility and collapse, and assesses the challenges of reconstruction. Focusing on cases from different regions, we will explore the security dimensions of state fragility; the role of humanitarian intervention; the challenge of building democratic institutions in divided societies; and, the relationship between statebuilding and peacebuilding. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 409 with this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Examines ethical issues of global concern, with a focus on debates about poverty, environmental change, and armed conflict. Introduces students to relevant political and ethical theories, such as cosmopolitanism and nationalism, utilitarianism, theories of human rights, and ethics of care. Assesses various policy responses to these global challenges. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 319 with this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Examines security issues and events with attention to gender. Focuses on themes related to war, political violence, post-war reconstruction, militarism, military culture, and peace activism with attention to women and marginalised communities, gender norms, and feminist and queer approaches to rethinking security and imagining peace. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Provides an overview of national and political issues in Southeast Asia. Surveying politics in individual countries and regional political institutions, focus is given to particular themes such as democratization and civil society, communism and other forms of authoritarianism, the role of the military, decentralization, religion and politics, the impact of China on the region, and security concerns. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Introduces the political, economic, and ideological dynamics of contemporary Middle Eastern states. Examines the legacy of colonialism, state formation, central ideological trends such as Arab nationalism and political Islam, the dynamics of state-society contention, and the challenges of economic development. Prerequisite: 45 units.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Nazanin Shahrokni |
Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m. |
Vancouver Vancouver |
Examines post-Soviet Central Asian states, with particular reference to the relationship among democratization, development, autocracy and conflict, and the role of external actors in transnational security issues in the region. Prerequisite: 45 units. Recommended: IS 200. Students with credit for IS 412 may not take this course for further credit.
Survey course of major contemporary issues relevant to people's lives in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as major debates about these. Study of the historic, economic, political, social and cultural factors contributing to contemporary realities and perspectives. Relevant for students with little to significant familiarity with life in Africa. Prerequisite: 45 units.
From peasant uprisings and student protests to armed insurrections, this course explores the range of African social movements and assesses their role in shaping Africa's future. Key themes include the role of ethnicity and religion, the impact of urbanization, economic inequality, gender politics, and trends in international solidarity and engagement. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 319 with this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Examines ideas and practices that affect experiences of forced migration and responses to these situations. What does it mean to live as a refugee? And what needs to change to alleviate the hardships and suffering of so many displaced people? Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 329 with this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Examines the causes of civil wars throughout history, as well as the different ways scholars have approached them. Explores recent trends in civil wars and potential solutions. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for IS 409 under the title "Civil Wars" may not take this course for further credit.
Examines how states engage with the global security architecture to address a range of contemporary security challenges. Taking a comparative perspective, we investigate key actors’ involvement with regional and international institutions such as the UN, NATO, and the EU. Issues may include disinformation, cybersecurity, outer space security, trafficking, and terrorism. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 409 with this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Specific details of courses to be offered will be published prior to enrollment each term. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Reviews important current regional issues in Southeast Asia with particular attention to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Focuses upon the political Islamist movements that have swept much of the Middle East and North Africa since the mid-1970s. Examines a broad range of movements, from liberal to militant trends, drawing on the experiences of countries throughout the region. Prerequisite: 45 units. Recommended: HIST 151 or IS 315.
An examination of Latin America through historical, literary, and social scientific approaches. Prerequisite: 45 units. Recommended: IS 209W or HIST 209W.
Explores diplomacy in its bilateral and multilateral forms, from the perspective of practitioners. Examines how diplomatic principles and procedures have been applied in various areas of global policy (e.g. human rights, peacemaking, climate change, and disarmament). Focuses on the development of diplomatic skills, such as analysis, reporting, and negotiation. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 409 with this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Problems arising from the disparities in power and wealth between the highly industrialized countries of Europe and North America, and the under-industrialized countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.
Sovereignty, nationality, jurisdiction, arbitration. Examination of selected cases exemplifying present trends in the international legal order. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.
An examination of the structures and processes and the main substantive decisions of the United Nations and related international organizations. Based upon in-depth study of the UN Charter, the Security Council, General Assembly, Secretary-general and Secretariat and their constitutional and political interactions since 1945, with special attention to the theory and practice of international organization advanced by the principal Western countries, the Soviet Union and Soviet bloc, the People's Republic of China and leading Third World countries. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.
Examines the origins and causes of several major conflicts during the last century. This course reviews various theories on the causes of conflict and war in the international system. It also examines the techniques of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping, crisis management and coercive diplomacy as they have been used to try to forestall open warfare and maximize the opportunities for peaceful change and the negotiated resolution of international disputes. Both documentary and feature films will be used to illustrate many types of conflict and warfare in the international system. Course simulations, when employed, will concentrate on the problems and risks that are involved in international efforts to contain and reverse the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Prerequisite: POL 141 and three lower division units in political science or permission of the department.
Prerequisite: Six lower division units in Political Science or permission of the department.
Explores what is involved in shifting the focus in the security realm from 'national interest' to the safety and needs of humans. Addresses several contemporary issues of human insecurity such as genocide, terrorism, civil wars and other complex emergencies; the political economy of conflict (small arms, "blood" diamonds); 'new' inequalities (economic, gender, class, ethnicity); and new health risks (e.g. HIV/AIDS, SARS, ecological degradation). Considers recent initiatives and trends that have emerged to deal with these issues (e.g. humanitarian intervention, International Criminal Court, new coalitions of state and non-state actors such as the Ottawa Process on anti-personnel mines). Prerequisite: Six lower division units in Political Science or permission of the department. Students with credit for POL 349 'Special Topics' for credit under this title may not take this course for further credit.
The political system of Japan, including an analysis of political culture, political institutions, political behaviour and both formal and informal political processes. Emphasis will be placed on the post-World War II political development of Japan. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department. Students with credit for POL 381W may not take this course for further credit.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
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Tsuyoshi Kawasaki |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Oct 15, 2024: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
This course introduces students to the problems involved in the assertion of universal moral standards across political and cultural divides. These issues will be explored at a theoretical level, and in the context of specific human rights controversies. Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department.
The course traces the evolution of Canadian thinking on national international security issues through an examination of pre-World War II isolationism, elite attitudes during the Cold War, the formative period of NATO, as well as Canadian involvement in the Korean and Indochina conflicts. More recent policies concerning ALCM testings, NORAD, and nuclear non-proliferation will also be explored in detail. Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department.
Provides an overview of how great powers (e.g., Russia, USA), smaller states (e.g., Iran and North Korea), and non-state actors employ nuclear threats and other traditional intimidation techniques alongside emerging “disruptive” technologies (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, Social Media, Cyber, Big Data) to coerce one another. Whereas traditional military threats are issued openly, grey zone tactics of disinformation, espionage, and violence utilize ambiguity, strategic surprise and deception to accomplish their strategic objectives. Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department. Students with credit for POL 422 under the title "Grey Zone Warfare and Security in the Age of Disruptive Technologies" may not take this course for further credit.
Examines US foreign policy in the post World War II era. Topics to be covered will include the formation of foreign policy, 20th century American security issues, alliance relations, crisis management and international economic relations. Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in Political Science or permission of the department. Writing.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
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Aaron Hoffman |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department.
Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in Political Science or permission of the department .
Students investigate dimensions of the global environmental crisis related to water security, including: human rights, political science, development economics, gender policies, geopolitics, regional integration and security, international law, national legislation, public health, trade, agriculture, energy generation, and water resources management. Prerequisite: 75 units and REM 100 or EVSC 100 or GEOG 100.
Comparative World Politics, Culture and Society Concentration
Examines the forces involved in displacements and global migration. Centring both the exploitation involved in the extraction of land and labor, and the modes of belonging and resistance of migrants and immigrants, the course explores the gendered, economic, border and racial regimes involved in contemporary global migration and nation-building. Prerequisite: 15 units.
An examination of the history of modern France from 1789 to the present with a focus on the social, political, and cultural divisions within the French nation resulting from the Revolutionary era, industrialization, the expansion and eventual decolonization of France's colonial empire, and the World Wars and their consequences. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history.
An examination of major themes in German history from the establishment of a united German Empire in 1871 to the reunification of Germany in 1990. Emphasis will be placed on issues related to the formation of German national identity and the problems associated with modernization and militarism. Attention will be given to the difficulties of Weimar democracy, the nature of the Third Reich, and contrasting developments in East and West Germany after 1949. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lauren Rossi |
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
An examination of the history of the Soviet Union from its creation to its collapse, emphasizing its ideology, culture, role in global politics, and social and economic transformations. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history.
Examines the diversity of environments, cultures and livelihoods in East Africa and the Horn in the context of long-term trans-regional influences, especially slave trade, cash cropping, colonization and post-colonial politics, and the expansion of the world religions into East Africa. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 344 may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history.
A study of Ottoman society and the impact of Ottoman rule in the Middle East from the conquest of Constantinople to the death of Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. Emphasis will be on the conflict between preservation and reform in the nineteenth century and on the significance of the Ottoman legacy for twentieth century Turkey and the Arab world. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: one of HIST 151, 249.
This course examines the role of imperialism in the transformation of societies in the Middle East and North Africa over the last two centuries. Focusing mainly on the cases of Ottoman, British and French empire building, the course discusses the socio-economic, cultural and political changes brought about by the interaction of various segments of local societies with these imperial powers. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: one of HIST 151, 249.
An examination of this century's major themes in the history of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, as well as other states of the Arabian peninsula. Topics to be investigated include the origins of Arab nationalism and Islamic reformism; the origins and development of the Lebanese question; the emergence of the politics of the military in Iraq and Syria, and the special role of the Jordanian and Arabian monarchies. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: one of HIST 151, 249.
Explores the social and cultural problems in modern Chinese history, with special emphasis on popular and elite cultures in the late Qing, Republican, and socialist eras. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. HIST 255 is recommended.
Analyzes the history of the PRC from 1949 to present. Special emphasis on ideology, inequality, diversity, the Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution, and economic reforms. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Students with credit for HIST 256 may not take this course for further credit.
A writing-intensive examination of selected topics in the history of Asia, Africa and/or the Middle East. The content will vary from offering to offering. See department for further information. HIST 368W may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Students may not take selected topics within HIST 368W for further credit if duplicating content of another history course and vice versa. Writing.
Covers the period in Japan from the 1930s to the 1950s and will introduce students to topics such as wartime atrocities, the dropping of the atomic bombs and the prosecution of war criminals. It will also attempt to explain why so much controversy surrounds interpretations of events arising from Japan's last war, the Asia-Pacific War. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Recommended: at least one course on modern Japan.
An examination of a principal aspect of, or period in, the history of French society since the Revolution. For example, attention may be given to the 19th century French revolutionary tradition, or to society and culture in the Third, Fourth and Fifth Republics, or to colonialism and decolonisation. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 417W may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history. Recommended: HIST 224 or 225. Writing.
Advanced analysis of specific problems in social, intellectual, and political history of modern Russia. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 419W may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history. Recommended: HIST 224 or 225. Writing.