In recent years; the 'radical' notion of abolishing prisons and the police has moved from an idea shared by organizers for social justice to being a concept debated in mainstream Canadian society. In this course; we will look at the worldview underlying grassroots movements for the abolition of the prison industrial complex (PIC) and transformative justice (TJ). These movements call on us to imagine a society where the basic needs and desires of everyone are met ' including personal and societal safety ' and where we can 'address harm without relying on structural forms of oppression or the violent systems that increase it' (Kaba; 2021; p. 2). Throughout the course; we will ask critical questions around the purpose of prisons and police in our society and whether or not these institutions achieve these goals. Lastly; we will challenge ourselves to imagine what kind of world we want to live in and how we can go about building that world for ourselves.

Most people think that love is an essential part of human existence; perhaps even a fundamental human need. Yet though it has; throughout history; been the subject of an enormous amount of works of art; novels; plays; music; film; etc.; it has long been overlooked as an area of study by much of academia. It is undeniable that the way we think about Love has far-reaching consequences for our interpersonal relationships and for many of our societal practices and values. In this course; we will take a serious; and in depth; look at love; and more specifically; romantic love. We will examine the different meanings; representations and practices that evolved around notions of romantic love; intimacy and emotions across time. We will analyse how our most private and personal experiences; attitudes; behaviours and understanding about love are shaped; in particular by deeply internalized norms and values as well as sexist; heterosexist; cissexist; racist; ableist; etc.; and classist orders. The course is divided by themes in the study of love according to a model of the progression of romantic love; beginning with loneliness and longing; transitioning to attraction; hooking up; dating and falling in love; then to the experience of loving someone (including unrequited love); followed by attachment and commitment; and ultimately; fading love; detachment; betrayal; 'heartache' and the loss of love. Finally; we will end the course by exploring the radical and transformative potential of love and self-love.

The well-known anarchist Gustav Landauer said that 'the State is not something that can be destroyed by a revolution; but it is a condition; a certain relationship between human beings; a mode of human behaviour; we destroy it by contracting other relationships; by behaving differently." This points to a characteristically anarchist way of connecting knowledge and power; and theory and practice. In this course; students will analyze the diverse ways of understanding knowledge and power that have developed within the anarchist tradition; and the different forms that anarchist theory and practice have taken. Students will also apply an anarchist way of understanding social problems to such contemporary issues as education; health care; homelessness and the economy. Students will also develop their understanding of the ways in which anarchism links theory and practice in such a way that anarchist methods prefigure their desired outcomes.

With the Occupy Movement and various protests against globalization; the early 21st century has seen a renewed interest in anarchist forms of political action; as well as a resurgence of the old stereotypes of anarchists as simply chaotic; destructive and violent. Students will analyze the rich history of anarchism and the diverse worldviews that have developed within the anarchist tradition; and the different forms that anarchist theory and practice have taken. By working with anarchist organizational tools like affinity groups and consensus; students will also develop their understanding of the ways in which anarchism links theory and practice so that anarchist methods prefigure their desired outcomes.

This course will examine ancient and modern worldviews of leisure. Some of our guiding questions will include: Is leisure inherently good? Is leisure means to an end or an end in itself? What did the ancients think we should do in order to live the good life? Is the good life a happy life? Does leisure have a dark side? While our Western tradition traces its origins to the ancients; nonetheless their views of leisure and work differ conceptually; ethically; socially; and politically from modern conceptions. Part of our analysis would be to explain those differences and explore their implications. While a variety of views were offered in antiquity we will begin with Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics because he offers the most complete theory of the relationship between eudaimonia (happiness); aret? (virtue); and schol? (leisure). Following that; we will turn our attention to Calvinism and the Protestant Work Ethic followed by Karl Marx; Nietzsche and Camus. We will conclude by examining the latest findings from the field of positive psychology.

Capitalism informs how we live; how relate to each other; how we understand the world; how we dream. In this course we will analyze the values; assumptions; understandings and implications of living under capitalism before turning towards an examination of a number movements that seek to create alternatives to capitalism including socialism; Marxism; anarchism; feminism; environmentalism and sustainability; and anti-oppression frameworks.

"When in Rome; do as the Romans do." The old cliché reflects the importance of the ancient city that was for centuries the political and military capital of the Western world; and for even longer an artistic and cultural centre of European civilization. In this course will examine the origins and evolution of the world view that animated and sustained the ancient Romans as they expanded from a small town into a vast empire governing diverse peoples with a social and cultural cohesion that endured well beyond the empire's military collapse. Students will explore the various ways in which this world view was expressed in the cultural; social; religious and political lives of the Romans. Students will also compare the Roman world view to those of other ancient peoples; and identify the continuing influence of the Romans in contemporary world views.

The belief that there is no god 'has been around as long as religious belief itself. Many atheists have criticized the institutions that often go along with faith; claiming that these institutions are destructive and immoral. In this course; we will examine critically a variety of ideas that are associated with (or claimed by) atheists; including secularism; rationalism; humanism and agnosticism. We will examine the arguments for and against religion and consider atheism as a belief system with its own articles of faith; its own canonical texts and its own mission.

What is the good life? What does it mean to be a good person or to do what is right? On what bases might we establish common answers to these questions? This course examines the ways in which the good life; and being good; have been understood by past thinkers; and addresses the answers offered to some of these questions today. Answers to these questions; and ideas of what the good life might be like; are at the core of much social science research today; as it seeks answers to how and why human cultures vary in their efforts towards a better world.

Are human beings natural born killers destined for self-destruction? Is who we are and what we do predetermined by our genetic make-up or is how we were raised determine our future? One way to seek answers to these questions we all ask ourselves about what we do and why we do it; is to look back millions of years and trace the evolution of humans; which is; in essence; the study of how we got this way in the first place. By understanding where we came from as a species and how this species (Homo sapiens) has developed since our emergence over 150;000 years ago; we may hope to better understand just who we are and why we behave the way we do.

The course has two components: The first being that North Americans and Europeans; see China through a unique perspective and that Westerners' cultural programming colors to a large extent how we see China and our perspective of 'things' Chinese. Questions to be addressed include: what are the most persistent images of China in the West? How have these images developed and changed over time? Students will study written records left by western visitors to China; including Marco Polo and the Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci; and analyze films/videos that feature various stereotypes of China and Chinese people. The second component looks to answer questions such as: How do Chinese people reason their way through the world? In what ways are these patterns different from Western patterns? In what ways are they similar? Students draw on research from psychology; philosophy and linguistics in the search for understanding.

The changes to the world during and after the Second World War were wide-ranging and permanent. The conflicts; fears and politics of war-time along with the industries and products of the post war era changed the visual; cultural and philosophical landscape forever. This course will investigate the ideas; the events; and the lived experiences that defined this era with particular attention to how it still defines our lives today.