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, Alavites and Ahmadyia. 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 Ou'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 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..

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.

Students explore the complexities of leadership communication in multi-cultural, non-western contexts through topics such as gender and social structures, motivation, decision-making, negotiating conflict, and managing projects and change. The course draws on leadership theories, metaphors, and global leadership research to define culturally preferred leadership attributes and behaviours, and effective cross-cultural communication in comparative global settings.

An introduction to various facets of linguistic field work with an emphasis on language acquisition. Students develop self-directed strategies based on personal learning styles. Various topics related to field work include text collection, cultural journaling, and technical writing. Practical experience in the above topics is gained by working with a speaker of a non-Indo-European language. Additional work includes phonological and grammatical analysis of this language.