UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE

Law and Society (LWSO) 401.05 L20

Special Topics in Law and Society

Not in Canada! : A History of Canadian Censorship

Spring 2008

Mondays and Wednesdays 11:00- 1:45

Instructor: Dennis Slater

Office T.B.A.

Phone Number: T.B.A.

E-Mail:        -----  hanshan@telusplanet.net.

Office Hours: ---- By appointment

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course explores the rise and development of Canadian censorship laws: a history of banned images, books, and films considered a threat to society and deemed blasphemous, obscene or seditious. These hotly debated terms and their interpretation continue to affect what we see on television and movies, what we view in galleries and museums, and what appears on bookstore shelves. Throughout Canadian history, the list of bannings and challenged materials has resonated with issues of communication, law, representation, and public access. In turn, censorship decisions have reflected prevalent fears and mores of the time: a mix of  reaction to world events, regional and national politics, and changes in technology. "Not in Canada!" is a detailed journey through some of the key censorship cases in Canadian history from the  creation of Decency Crusades and  book burnings in Ontario, to recent objections to Bugs Bunny cartoons for sexist dialogue.

 

In addition to lectures and discussion, this course will involve in-class viewing of challenged films. These viewings are not optional and form an integral part of the course. The film material and in-class discussion of the films will form part of the content of LWSO 401.05 exam questions.

 

Objectives of the Course:

 

• Investigate the impact of world events and Canadian political and social issues on the censorship of films, books, art, television, and other media.

 

• Develop and enhance critical thought skills through close examination and discussion of key censorship rulings in Canada.

 

• Sharpen student understanding of the issues surrounding government and interest group objections to a range of materials.

 

• Explore and debate the definitions that form the basis of Canadian censorship laws.

 

• Explore and debate the deep interrelationship between laws, legal and social definitions, individual rights and public access to challenged materials.

 

• Develop a broader understanding of the cross disciplinary implications of censorship.

 

• Explore, in depth, landmark censorship cases in Canada, investigating and discussing how those rulings have set precedent for today's challenges

 

TEXTBOOKS/READINGS

Dean, Malcolm. Censored! Only in Canada: The History of Film Censorship -- the Scandal off the Screen. Toronto: Virgo Press, 1981.

 

Crossman, Brenda. Censorship and the Arts: Law, Controversy, Debate, Facts. Toronto: Ontario Association of Art Galleries, 1995.

 

Nakaya, Andrea C.(ed.). Censorship: Opposing Viewpoints. Greenhaven Press, 2005.

 

LWSO 401.05 Book of Readings (available at University of Calgary Bookstore)

 

ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION

May 28/08 Essay-20%

June 4/08   Mid Term Exam 25%

June 16/08 Essay 20%

June 25/08 Final exam  25%

Class participation, 10%

 

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:  NO

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

The history of censorship in Canada has generated a wealth of written material on the subject, both defending and condemning the practice. Students in this course will be expected to demonstrate a working knowledge of both sides of the argument and be able to articulate this understanding in essays and exam questions. Writing skills therefore, aside from university standards, are important in this course. You will be marked for grammar, organisation and clarity of thought in your essays and assignments.

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.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see

The Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be handed out the first day of LWSO 401.05 class