Course Description
This course examines the nature of culture; how cultural identities are acquired, maintained, and transformed; and theories used to analyse cultures. Students will explore world cultures, with an emphasis on the analysis of religious and spiritual beliefs, art forms, and philosophy. They will study the contributions and influence of a range of cultural groups and will critically analyse issues facing ethnocultural groups within Canada and around the world. Students will develop and apply research skills and will design and implement a social action initiative relating to cultural diversity.
Units of Study
The Concept of Culture
· Term Work 70%
· Culminating 30%
This course examines the nature of culture; how cultural identities are acquired, maintained, and transformed; and theories used to analyse cultures. Students will explore world cultures, with an emphasis on the analysis of religious and spiritual beliefs, art forms, and philosophy. They will study the contributions and influence of a range of cultural groups and will critically analyse issues facing ethnocultural groups within Canada and around the world. Students will develop and apply research skills and will design and implement a social action initiative relating to cultural diversity.
Units of Study
The Concept of Culture
- Understanding Culture: demonstrate an understanding of the elements and functions of culture and of the nature of cultural influence;
- Cultural Dynamics: analyse how cultural identities are socially constructed, preserved, transmitted, and transformed;
- Theoretical Analysis of Culture: demonstrate an understanding of theories and concepts related to the study of culture, and apply these theories to analyse various cultures.
- Art, Philosophy, and Religion: demonstrate an understanding of artistic expressions, philosophies, and religious/spiritual beliefs found within specific cultures, and of how these expressions relate to various aspects of those cultures;
- Cultural Expressions in Context: analyse specific cultural expressions and a range of factors that can affect them;
- Contributions and Influences: assess the contributions to and influence on various cultures/societies, including Canada, of a diverse range of ethnocultural groups and individuals from those groups.
- Power Relations: demonstrate an understanding of the dynamics of power relations within specific cultural groups and between minority and majority cultures;
- Policies and Issues: demonstrate an understanding of past and present policies and issues affecting cultural diversity in Canada, and compare approaches to such policy in Canada with those in other countries;
- Social Action and Personal Engagement: design, implement, and evaluate an initiative to address an issue related to cultural groups or promoting cultural diversity.s
· Term Work 70%
· Culminating 30%