Home, Work, and Play in Modern Canada
HIST 2314A:
Winter 2027
Instructor: Professor James Opp
Introduction: This course addresses a wide range of issues in Canadian social and cultural History by examining three distinct but overlapping spheres of “social” life: Home, Work, and Play. Dividing the course into thematic sections allows for a deeper investigation of gender, class, race, sexuality, and the spaces where they interact. It is impossible to cover every aspect of Canada’s social history, but we will selectively explore how the textures of everyday life have changed between the beginning of the nineteenth century and the end of the twentieth.
History 2304 also introduces students to the methodological and conceptual issues involved in doing social-cultural history. In this vein, we will discuss many of the problems and issues facing social and cultural historians and how they have sought to overcome the inherent limitations of historical work in this field.
Class Format: This class meets twice a week ; some classes will be lecture-based, some will be designated workshop periods, and some will combine both elements to different degrees.
Aims and Goals: The content of this course allows students to put their contemporary social and cultural lives into a broader context, and to appreciate the deep power relationships that have historically formed them. The course also provides a mentored learning experience of how to plan and manage a significant research project. Finally, there is a unique focus in the course in learning how to give historical, deconstructive “readings” of a wide range of visual culture – advertising, photography, film, comics, and other media.
Assessment: Students can expect a combination of reading quizzes, section exams, workshop activities, and a laddered research project. Exact details on these TBC.
Text: James Opp and John C. Walsh, eds., Home, Work, and Play: Situating Canadian Social History 3rd ed. (Oxford University Press, 2015). Please note the third edition is 65% different from the second edition and 95% different from the first edition. It is therefore critical to have the correct version!
Questions? Please email james.opp@carleton.ca