Canadian Studies 309 Lecture 20
Development of the Canadian North
 Spring 2008
Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:00 165 Minutes

Instructor:	Dr. R. MacDonald
Office Location:	AINA 816A MLT
Office Phone:	220-4054
E-Mail:	n/a
Office Hours:	T  9:00-11:00; W 9:00-12:00; R 9:00-11:00

 

Course Description

This course deals with a number of areas relating to the development and habitation of the Canadian North.  It is not confined to the areas north of the 60^th parallel, as many developments cross artificial boundaries.  Both historical and contemporary development will be examined in topics such as resources, economic development, transportation, pipelines, government, social issues, and science.

Objectives of the Course

1) To enhance research and writing skills. 2) To develop an understanding of the relationship of economic, political and social development in the North.  3) To develop an understanding of the relationship of the physical environment and human activity.

 Textbooks and Readings:

1.      Robert M. Bone, The Geography of the Canadian North, Oxford, 2003.

2.      John S. Matthiasson, Living on the Land: Change Among the Inuit of Baffin Island, Peterborough: Broadview Press, 1992.

Assignments and Evaluation                                                                                                      

Mid-term Test 3 June 2008 30%

Essay (due 12 June 2008) 30%

Final Examination 40%

An essay of 3000 words is required, using at least six specialized studies or sources (these do not include textbooks, encyclopedic articles, or general works).  The topic must be one mutually agreed upon by the student and the instructor.  The essay must conform to standards as discussed in class.  Proper bibliographic and footnoting techniques are required:  these are discussed in class at the beginning of the course.  The essays will be marked according to the scale in the University Calendar.  Organisation, argument, use of reference material, writing style and grammar will be the basis of evaluation.  Assignments completed for another course cannot be submitted for this course.  Teaching consists of classroom lectures, office consultation, and comments on assignments.

 

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  YES

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

Students are expected to read the appropriate portions of the textbooks.

1. Introduction: Meaning of the North (Bone Ch. 1)

    (a) Concept of Nordicity

2. The Setting (Bone Ch.2)

    (a) The Physical Dimensions

    (b) The Demographic Dimension:  Aboriginal Societies

3. Early Development (Bone Ch. 3)

    (a) The Fur Trade and Whaling (Matthiason pp. 24-53)

    (b) The Industrial Frontier  

    (c)  The Impact of War  

4. Modern Development

    (a) Economic: petroleum, mining, hydroelectricity, forestry, natural resources,

          transportation, retail (Bone Ch. 5-7; Matthiasson pp. 69-90)

    (b) Political Evolution: administration, self-government, land claims, devolution

          (Bone Ch. 9; Matthiasson pp. 91-120, 152-7)

    (c)  Social Evolution:  education, health, housing, demography, ethnic relations

    (d)  Military and Sovereignty Issues   

    (e)  Scientific Development (Bone Ch. 7)

5.  The Canadian North in an International Perspective

     (a) Global Warming