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International Studies Minor
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.
Program Declaration
Students can apply to declare their minor after completing the program's lower division requirements and meeting the posted CGPA requirement on the international studies website.
Required Grades
Students must obtain C- or higher in all courses used toward the program. For graduation, students must obtain a minimum 2.00 CGPA, 2.00 UDGPA, 2.00 international studies subject CGPA (calculated on all IS courses completed at SFU), and 2.00 international studies subject UDGPA (calculated on all upper division IS courses completed at SFU).
Program Requirements
Lower Division Requirements
Students complete a minimum total of 12 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 |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Anushay Malik |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D101 |
Anushay Malik |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D102 |
Anushay Malik |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D103 |
Anushay Malik |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D104 |
Anushay Malik |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D105 |
Anushay Malik |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D106 |
Anushay Malik |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 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.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Logan Masilamani |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D101 |
Logan Masilamani |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D102 |
Logan Masilamani |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D103 |
Logan Masilamani |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 5:30–6:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D104 |
Logan Masilamani |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 6:30–7:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D105 |
Logan Masilamani |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 5:30–6:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D106 |
Logan Masilamani |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 6:30–7:20 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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D900 |
Logan Masilamani |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 2:30–5:20 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 |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Oi Ying Irene Pang |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D101 |
Oi Ying Irene Pang |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D102 |
Oi Ying Irene Pang |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D103 |
Oi Ying Irene Pang |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D104 |
Oi Ying Irene Pang |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Elizabeth Cooper |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D101 |
Elizabeth Cooper |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D102 |
Elizabeth Cooper |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D103 |
Elizabeth Cooper |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D104 |
Elizabeth Cooper |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D105 |
Elizabeth Cooper |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D106 |
Elizabeth Cooper |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 4:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
* required for students completing the International Security and Conflict concentration
** required for students completing the Comparative World Politics, Culture and Society concentration
*** required for students completing the International Development, Economic and Environmental Issues concentration
Upper Division Requirements
Students complete 16 upper division units, at least 12 of which are from one of the three concentrations. At least 12 out of the 16 upper division units must be completed from international studies course offerings at SFU. Up to a maximum of four 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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D900 |
Jennifer Marchbank |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 12:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Surrey |
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.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Ilya Vinkovetsky |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D101 |
Ilya Vinkovetsky |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D102 |
Ilya Vinkovetsky |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Paul Sedra |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 8:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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 SFU 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.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Brenda Lyshaug |
Jan 8 – Jan 15, 2025: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Jan 22 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m. |
Vancouver Vancouver |
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
E100 |
Brenda Lyshaug |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 5:30–8:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
Specific details of courses to be offered will be published prior to enrollment each term. Prerequisite: 45 units.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Megan MacKenzie |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Darren Byler |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Nazanin Shahrokni |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
E100 |
James Busumtwi-sam |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 4:30–8:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Tsuyoshi Kawasaki |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Prerequisite: Six lower division units in Political Science or permission of the department.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
BLS1 |
Radoslav Dimitrov |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 4:30–5:50 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
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.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
May Farrales |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 12:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Ilya Vinkovetsky |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D101 |
Ilya Vinkovetsky |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
D102 |
Ilya Vinkovetsky |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Roxanne Panchasi |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
An examination of how the Russian Empire grew, was maintained, and came to an end, if it did end, through a study of imperial and colonial policies and practices and the responses to these by the area's diverse peoples. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 420 may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history.
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.
Examines the political, social, and cultural transformation in Turkey from the end of World War I to the present. Topics may include the Ottoman legacy in the Turkish Republic, issues of nation building, national identity and ethnicity, the role of the military in Turkish politics, changing concepts of gender, the role of political Islam, and Turkish diasporas. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history. Recommended: HIST 151 and 249.
Concepts and methodology of modern Asian history. Selected themes may include revolution, inequality, mass violence, ideology, imperialism, leadership, and the Cold War. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 464 may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Paul Sedra |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 8:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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 SFU student who has completed an international study, research, internship, or volunteership program.
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.
Examines various forms of resistance and protest, including everyday resistance and organized activism, with an emphasis on civil resistance. Investigates the conditions and outcomes of protest, focusing on a range of cases which may include Solidarity in Poland, the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and the American Civil Rights Movement. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken POL 339 or IS 309 with this topic may not take this course for further credit.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Brenda Lyshaug |
Jan 8 – Jan 15, 2025: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Jan 22 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m. |
Vancouver Vancouver |
An examination of the differing narratives of nation and modernity in the struggle for independence from colonial rule in India, and their implications for the post-colonial state, for politics and for India's economic development. Prerequisite: 45 units. Recommended: IS 210 or 220. Writing.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Anushay Malik |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Darren Byler |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Nazanin Shahrokni |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
Specific details of courses to be offered will be published prior to enrollment each term. Prerequisite: 45 units.
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.
Explores China's stunning rise from Mao to global markets, with attention to social issues brought on by "the Chinese Development Model". Examines the bases of state legitimacy in contemporary China, challenges to state legitimacy, as well as state responses to these challenges. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Examines the nature, activities, and effects of social movements across the Global South. Uses an interdisciplinary approach to explore how social movements shape and respond to political, economic, and social transformation. Considers their relationship with political parties, states, and media and assesses the conditions under which movements emerge and succeed. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 329 or IS 419 with this topic, or IS 439 may not take this course for further credit.
Explores how digital technology is transforming societies, political systems, and economies around the world. Examines the origins of surveillance and data assessment and the political, economic, and ethical challenges automated technologies present by focusing on contemporary cases and their effects in communities around the world. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for IS 319 under this topic may not take this course for further credit.
The quality of institutions' exercises a crucial influence on the prospects for development. Aims are to interrogate this claim through analysis of different paths of economic growth and change across the developing world. Examination of the ways in which politics influences economic growth and distribution; the relationships between political systems and patterns of development; and the politics of institutions and state formation. Prerequisite: 90 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.
Specific details of courses to be offered will be published prior to enrollment each term. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Analyzes the origins and the economic consequences of globalization and the uneven process of economic development around the world in relation to poverty, by considering the measurement of poverty, its causes and dynamics, as well as public policy for poverty reduction. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Sumercan Bozkurt-Gungen |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
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.
Considers how the global economic recession of the late 2000s has coincided with the rise of global China. Examines the origins of Chinese international development, and its effects in receiving communities in Chinese internal frontiers and along China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for IS 419 under this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Darren Byler |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
Examines the impact of identity politics on the dynamics and organization of political systems. Topics include the impact of ethnic, racial and/or religious diversity on modes of political representation, the formation of public policy, and the quest for political stability and national identity. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department. Student with credit for POL 481 may not take this course for further credit.
Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.
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.
Considers Africa in the historical development of the modern global political economy, from the transatlantic slave trade to the present. Examines contemporary issues associated with Africa in the neo-liberal world order and the politics of resistance and alternative pathways or models of development. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
E100 |
James Busumtwi-sam |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 4:30–8:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
An examination of the processes by which governments are created, maintained, and destroyed in democratic systems. The effects of different regime types, electoral arrangements, and party systems will be highlighted. 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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Shivaji Mukherjee |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department.
An introduction to the political economy and culture of capitalism in relation to global problems. Case studies may focus on issues of population, famine, disease, poverty, environmental destruction, social inequality, and nation-state violence. Resistance, rebellion and social movements in response to these problems also will be addressed. Writing/Breadth-Social Sci.
An examination of uneven development arising from the intersection of European colonialism and capitalism since 1492. This process embodies power relations including commodification, dispossession, capital accumulation, organization of states and cultures, restructuring of social classes and gender relations, and deepening racialization. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
In this intensive seminar, we compare political actions and social movements of indigenous peoples across several countries: analyze development of these movements over time; and discuss factors affecting the timing, reception, intensity and nature of these politics. Students write research papers on topics they develop. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
International Development, Economic, and Environmental Issues Concentration
Topics discussed in this course are: gains from trade in a classical world; the modern theory of international trade; factor price equalization; empirical tests and extensions of the pure theory model; economic growth and international trade; the nature and effects of protection; motives and welfare effects of factor movements; multinational enterprises; the brain drain; customs union theory; pollution control and international trade. Prerequisite: ECON 103 with a minimum grade of C- or ECON 113 with a minimum grade of A-; ECON 105 with a minimum grade of C- or ECON 115 with a minimum grade of A-; 60 units or permission of the department. Students with credit for ECON 442 cannot take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Foreign exchange markets; determination of spot and forward exchange rates; Euro currency markets; balance of payments statistics; international adjustment theory; income price and exchange rate effects; the role of international short term capital flows; the international monetary system: gold standard, freely floating rates, dollar gold exchange standard, centrally created reserves. Prerequisite: ECON 103 with a minimum grade of C- or ECON 113 with a minimum grade of A-; ECON 105 with a minimum grade of C- or ECON 115 with a minimum grade of A-; 60 units or permission of the department. Students with credit for ECON 445 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
Analysis of theories of economic development. Consideration will be given to the requirements of successful development, to aspects of international co-operation, and to procedures of economic planning. Problems of emerging countries and models of various developing economies will be studied. Prerequisite: ECON 103 with a minimum grade of C- or ECON 113 with a minimum grade of A-; ECON 105 with a minimum grade of C- or ECON 115 with a minimum grade of A-; 60 units. Students with credit for ECON 355 or ECON 455 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Quantitative.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Chris Bidner |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 10:30–11:20 a.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
D101 |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D102 |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D103 |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 8:30–9:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D104 |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 9:30–10:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D105 |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D106 |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D107 |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D108 |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Evolution of the global economy and its institutions, including historical developments dating from the nineteenth century up to the present day. Examines common themes across all periods, such as international trade, capital, and immigration flows. Prerequisite: ECON 103 with a minimum grade of C- or ECON 113 with a minimum grade of A-; ECON 105 with a minimum grade of C- or ECON 115 with a minimum grade of A-; 60 units. Students with credit for ECON 382 in Spring 2008, Spring 2009, or Spring 2010 terms may not take this course for further credit.
Takes a broad approach to gender, placing it dialogue with race and ethnicity, class, nation, and space, to think through the complex dynamic between gender and labour from a variety of perspectives. Explores workers’ lived experiences of gender regimes while critically examining how gender ‘matters’ within the workplace. Prerequisite: 30 units including three units in GSWS or WS or GDST or LBST. Students who have taken GSWS 308, LBST 305, LBST 331 under the title Gender - Paid & Unpaid, or WS 310 under the title Women and Work may not take this course for further credit.
Examines from interdisciplinary and international perspectives how development is gendered and creates differential impacts, meanings and processes for women and men around the world. Prerequisite: 15 units. Students with credit for GSWS 310 (or WS 310) Special Topic: Women and Development or GSWS 301 (or WS 301) Special Topic: Gender and Development or GSWS 309 (or WS 309) under the title Gender and Development may not take this course for further credit.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
May Farrales |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 12:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Examines the reciprocal influences between humans and nature through time. Topics may include settlement, agriculture, technology, politics, urbanization, science, and conservation. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Students with credit for GEOG 377 may not take this course for further credit.
New formations of wealth and power that contribute to international health disparities and consideration of the relations of power both between and within nation-states that make some people sick and keep others well. Economic and political collusions that make people sick. Infectious disease and child survival, health implications of war, biotech, and the politics of food and water. Prerequisite: 45 units. Recommended: HSCI 130.
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 SFU student who has completed an international study, research, internship, or volunteership program.
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.
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Brenda Lyshaug |
Jan 8 – Jan 15, 2025: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Jan 22 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m. |
Vancouver Vancouver |
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
E100 |
Brenda Lyshaug |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 5:30–8:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
An examination of the differing narratives of nation and modernity in the struggle for independence from colonial rule in India, and their implications for the post-colonial state, for politics and for India's economic development. Prerequisite: 45 units. Recommended: IS 210 or 220. Writing.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Anushay Malik |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
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.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Darren Byler |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Nazanin Shahrokni |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
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.
Specific details of courses to be offered will be published prior to enrollment each term. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Explores China's stunning rise from Mao to global markets, with attention to social issues brought on by "the Chinese Development Model". Examines the bases of state legitimacy in contemporary China, challenges to state legitimacy, as well as state responses to these challenges. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Examines the nature, activities, and effects of social movements across the Global South. Uses an interdisciplinary approach to explore how social movements shape and respond to political, economic, and social transformation. Considers their relationship with political parties, states, and media and assesses the conditions under which movements emerge and succeed. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 329 or IS 419 with this topic, or IS 439 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 "International Development" within a series of historical frames, including the history of imperialism, the history of international relations, globalization, and the cultural and intellectual history of North-South relations. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have credit for HIST 358 may not take IS 358 for further credit.
Explores how digital technology is transforming societies, political systems, and economies around the world. Examines the origins of surveillance and data assessment and the political, economic, and ethical challenges automated technologies present by focusing on contemporary cases and their effects in communities around the world. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for IS 319 under this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Examines international efforts to respond to global environmental challenges, such as climate change, deforestation, and the degradation of the oceans. Investigates obstacles to effective action and possible ways forward. Explores the role of a range of key actors, including states, intergovernmental organizations, multinational companies, NGOs, and social movements. Prerequisite: 45 units.
The quality of institutions' exercises a crucial influence on the prospects for development. Aims are to interrogate this claim through analysis of different paths of economic growth and change across the developing world. Examination of the ways in which politics influences economic growth and distribution; the relationships between political systems and patterns of development; and the politics of institutions and state formation. Prerequisite: 90 units.
Reviews important current regional issues in Southeast Asia with particular attention to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Develops an understanding of the interactions between international organizations, economic theory, and implementation of economic policies. Explores as well the impact of their interventions in some chosen countries. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Critically considers why and how international development has been, and might be, pursued. Includes study of histories of development, theories of development, as well as policies, practices, different perspectives and outcomes of development. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 429 with this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Analyzes the origins and the economic consequences of globalization and the uneven process of economic development around the world in relation to poverty, by considering the measurement of poverty, its causes and dynamics, as well as public policy for poverty reduction. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Sumercan Bozkurt-Gungen |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
Specific details of courses to be offered will be published prior to enrollment each term. Prerequisite: 45 units.
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.
Considers how the global economic recession of the late 2000s has coincided with the rise of global China. Examines the origins of Chinese international development, and its effects in receiving communities in Chinese internal frontiers and along China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for IS 419 under this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Darren Byler |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
An exploration of the expanding forms of unfree labour in capitalist economies as products of changing labour processes, global labour markets, and the policies of neoliberalism and 'austerity'. Prerequisite: Strongly Recommended: LBST 101.
Global labour migration has increased substantially in the last several decades. What factors contribute to the current wave of labour migration? Which countries send and receive migrants, and what is the role of internal migration? What challenges do migrant workers face in their host countries? This course will examine these questions to uncover the nature, trends and impacts of this growing phenomenon. Prerequisite: Strongly Recommended: LBST 101. Students who have taken LBST 330 Global Labour Migration may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Xinying Hu |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Examines contemporary debates in Labour Geography and geographical approaches to work and employment. Lectures explore the relationships between space, place and labour market change in the context of globalization and uneven development. Prerequisite: 60 units; LBST 101 or GEOG 221. Students with credit for GEOG 328 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Sessional |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
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.
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.
Considers Africa in the historical development of the modern global political economy, from the transatlantic slave trade to the present. Examines contemporary issues associated with Africa in the neo-liberal world order and the politics of resistance and alternative pathways or models of development. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
E100 |
James Busumtwi-sam |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 4:30–8:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
An examination of the major theories of international political economy, and their application to such issues as the politics of trade, aid, monetary relations, and transnational corporations. Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department.
Examines the politics and policies of energy, including historical and technical perspectives. Topics include alternative energy, climate change, regulatory policy, and the economics of energy, as well as practical case studies. Students who have completed POL 459 in 2009 and 2010 may not complete this course for further credit. Writing.
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.
An introduction to the political economy and culture of capitalism in relation to global problems. Case studies may focus on issues of population, famine, disease, poverty, environmental destruction, social inequality, and nation-state violence. Resistance, rebellion and social movements in response to these problems also will be addressed. Writing/Breadth-Social Sci.
Modernization narratives have placed food and agriculture on the margins of social thought. The current ecological crisis requires us to take a new look at the global agrifood system and its social, political and ecological relations. This course develops analytical perspectives on contemporary issues concerning food, ecology and agrarian change. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
Addresses the historical, global dimensions of the social and ecological by examining hegemonies of capitalism from the colonial to the neoliberal era. Explores deepening commodification in the neoliberal "sustainability by algorithms" approach, animated by powerful discourses of crisis, climate change, food security, and development. Considers resistance possibilities. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
D100 |
Yildiz Atasoy |
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
An examination of uneven development arising from the intersection of European colonialism and capitalism since 1492. This process embodies power relations including commodification, dispossession, capital accumulation, organization of states and cultures, restructuring of social classes and gender relations, and deepening racialization. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
An examination of environmental issues in their social context. Environmental issues are on the leading edge of contemporary public concern and public policy debates. This course will examine such issues as the relationship between social organization and mode of subsistence, the politics of hunger, and the way in which human societies in their particular social, historical, and cultural contexts view and interact with the natural world. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
In this intensive seminar, we compare political actions and social movements of indigenous peoples across several countries: analyze development of these movements over time; and discuss factors affecting the timing, reception, intensity and nature of these politics. Students write research papers on topics they develop. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
An investigation of the social, cultural, and political issues that contribute to problems of ill-health in resource-poor countries and the major efforts in international public health to address these problems. It explores the application of knowledge about social, and especially gender relations in international health, with particular attention to local perspectives and grassroots initiatives. Institutional frameworks intended to promote health development are examined in historical and contemporary perspective through case studies on topics such as: malaria, population control, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. Prerequisite: 72 units, which must include SA 101 or 150 or 201W. Breadth-Social Sciences.
*With the approval of the School for International Studies (please contact the IS advisor), 4 upper division units from courses not listed above with high international content may be considered for credit towards this plan.
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Degree Requirements
For all bachelor of arts (BA) programs, students complete 120 units, which includes
- at least 60 units that must be completed at Simon Fraser University
- at least 45 upper division units, of which at least 30 upper division units must be completed at Simon Fraser University
- at least 60 units (including 21 upper division units) in Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences courses
- satisfaction of the writing, quantitative, and breadth requirements
- an overall cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and upper division overall CGPA of at least 2.0, and program CGPA and upper division program CGPA of at least 2.0 on the course work used to satisfy the minimum program requirements. FASS departments may define additional GPA requirements for their respective programs.
For students in other faculties, please check your faculty's overall degree requirements: https://www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/faculties-research.html
Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements
Students admitted to Simon Fraser University beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements for university-wide information.
WQB Graduation Requirements
A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit
Requirement |
Units |
Notes | |
W - Writing |
6 |
Must include at least one upper division course, taken at Simon Fraser University within the student's major subject; two courses (minimum three units each) |
|
Q - Quantitative |
6 |
Q courses may be lower or upper division; two courses (total six units or more) | |
B - Breadth |
18 |
Designated Breadth |
Must be outside the student's major subject, and may be lower or upper division: Two courses (total six units or more) Social Sciences: B-Soc |
6 |
Additional Breadth |
Two courses (total six units or more) outside the student's major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements). Students choosing to complete a joint major, joint honours, double major, two extended minors, an extended minor and a minor, or two minors may satisfy the breadth requirements (designated or not designated) with courses completed in either one or both program areas. |