Instructor: Dr. Nick Hrynyk
Introduction: This course examines selected topics in Canadian women’s history from the seventeenth century to the late twentieth century. It begins by exploring women’s roles and contributions in indigenous societies and moves on to cover women’s roles and contributions in establishing settler societies, politics, family economies, the world wars, labour force, and social movements. The course aims to introduce students to the diversity of women’s experiences and the changing approaches that scholars have used to study the history of women in Canada. Students will explore how issues of class, race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, region, and (dis)ability have shaped and continue to shape women’s lives. We will also consider how the same categories of analysis have influenced the writing and re-writing of the field.
Another central objective is to introduce students to the methodological and conceptual issues involved in doing social-cultural history. In this vein, we discuss many of the problems and issues facing social and cultural historians and how they have sought to overcome these over time (especially since the 1990s).
Class Format: Asynchronous. This class will be a hybrid of posted lectures and discussions/activities.
Aims and Goals: This course considers the major social, cultural, political, and economic progress and challenges pertaining to women in Canada. Students will come away with a stronger understanding of women’s history in Canada, as well as the development of the study of women’s history as a field of inquiry.
Assessment: This course will be assessed through participation, essays, and a take-home final exam. The assignments are designed to reflect the course themes and also build specific research skills.
Text: All readings will be on CuLearn/ARES
Questions? Please email me at: Nicholashrynyk@cmail.carleton.ca