AJL18052 Canadian Political History

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2024
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Kenneth Alfred Froehling, M.A. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Kenneth Alfred Froehling, M.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 18:00–19:40 L21, except Thu 18. 4.
Prerequisites (in Czech)
( AJ01002 Practical English II || AJL01002 Practical English II )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 11/20, only registered: 0/20, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course is a study of Canadian history and politics since the end of World War II. Its main purpose is to clarify the many statements, often incongruous, made by Canadians and foreigners alike about the importance and viability of Canada. How does one square President Clinton's statement that "Canada stands as a model of how people of different cultures can live and work together in peace, prosperity and mutual respect" with the opinion of "The Economist" that "Sooner or later Canadians are going to become Americans. Too bad," and that "Nations like stars burn out...Maybe Canada is not meant to survive"? Even more extreme is making sense of a former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations during the late 1980s stating that Canada is a "systematically _racist_ society" at the same time when the UN itself labeled Canada as being the world's most _agreeable_ nation! The point is that Canada has changed greatly since 1945 and that its history since then has been shaped by political personalities in combination with the traditional cultural, economic, international, linguistic and regional forces which have been a part of Canadian history since the nineteenth century. Therefore, students will be given an overview of the most important aspects of the period studied and will be able to see documentary films which highlight the era.
Syllabus
  • This course is a study of Canadian history and politics since the end of World War II. Its main purpose is to clarify the many statements, often incongruous, made by Canadians and foreigners alike about the importance and viability of Canada. How does one square President Clinton's statement that "Canada stands as a model of how people of different cultures can live and work together in peace, prosperity and mutual respect" with the opinion of "The Economist" that "Sooner or later Canadians are going to become Americans. Too bad," and that "Nations like stars burn out...Maybe Canada is not meant to survive"? Even more extreme is making sense of a former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations during the late 1980s stating that Canada is a "systematically _racist_ society" at the same time when the UN itself labeled Canada as being the world's most _agreeable_ nation! The point is that Canada has changed greatly since 1945 and that its history since then has been shaped by political personalities in combination with the traditional cultural, economic, international, linguistic and regional forces which have been a part of Canadian history since the nineteenth century. Therefore, students will be given an overview of the most important aspects of the period studied and will be able to see documentary films which highlight the era.
Literature
  • Martin, Lawrence. The President and the Prime Ministers (1982)
  • MCCALL, Christina and Stephen CLARKSON. Trudeau and our times. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1991, 502 p. ISBN 0-7710-5416-5. info
  • ENGLISH, John, Robert BOTHWELL and Ian M. DRUMMOND. Canada since 1945 : power, politics, and provincialism. Rev. ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1989, ix, 508 s. ISBN 0-8020-2647-8. info
Assessment methods
Seminar; Assessment: in-class exam and an essay
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
http://elf.phil.muni.cz/elf/course/view.php?id=471
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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