york university faculty of arts division of social science human rights ...

YORK UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ARTS
DIVISION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
HUMAN RIGHTS AND CANADIAN MINORITIES
SOCIAL SCIENCE 1210 0.9
COURSE OUTLINE
FALL/WINTER 2005-2006
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course analyses issues and policies associated with
minority status in Canada from an interdisciplinary perspective. Using International
Human Rights principles as a framework, the course examines both inferiorized and
stigmatized minorities, the forms of prejudice and discrimination responsible for their
unequal treatment and disadvantaged life conditions, as well as ways in which they
have sought to change law and policy in order to gain recognition as citizens with rights
to dignity, power and equality. Minorities such as women, senior citizens, aboriginal
peoples, racialized minorities, immigrants/refugees, the disabled, and gays and lesbians
will be examined in this context.
The objective of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive analysis of the
forms of discrimination experienced by various minority groups in Canada. Questions of
how and why their human rights are being violated will be thoroughly examined along
with prospects for changing Canadian society to eliminate discriminatory practices and
to accord full recognition of minorities' rights.
This course is structured as a foundations course with an additional tutorial hour
devoted to the development of analytical skills pertinent to the social sciences. It will
focus on the critical reading of texts (including relevant documentary films), the
development of logical argument, scholarly research, and writing skills.
While this course may be taken as a part of Law and Society Program, only 6 of the 9
credits accorded are eligible for credit in the Program.
TEACHING TEAM: Dorathy Moore (Course Director). Teaching Assistants: Geoffrey
Duckworth, Fatemeh Hajihosseini, Graham Hudson, Winifred Kamau, Adam Kay, Gina
Papageorgiou, Donn Short, Fenner Stewart,
COURSE TEXT: Required readings are found in the course kit Social Science 1210
9.0, Human Rights and Canadian Minorities Vol. I available at the York Book Store,
located in York Lanes. Volume II, covering material for the second term will be
available in November.

LECTURES: Lectures are held in Curtis Lecture Hall F on Wednesdays from 12:30-
2:30 p.m.. While lecture attendance does not constitute a specific portion of your final
grade per se, you should be aware of the fact that material will be covered that is not
included in the reading kit, and it will always form a partial basis of response to exam
questions. Given that lecture attendance is not mandatory, students who wish to chat,
and otherwise be disruptive to their peers, need not attend. CELL PHONES MUST BE
TURNED OFF DURING LECTURE HOURS: if you are expecting an emergency call,
please do not attend the lecture—ask a friend to take notes for you.
VIDEOS: there are a number of videos screened in lecture during the year. They are
an important part of the course content and must be referenced in tests. Some might
be helpful for referencing in your essay. If you miss a video in class, it can be viewed in
the Sound and Moving Image Library—Main Floor, Scott Library.
TUTORIALS: Tutorials are 2 hours each and students must participate in, and be
present for both hours in order to be given credit. You are responsible for the material
covered in tutorial whether or not you are in attendance. We suggest that you find a
“buddy” in your tutorial that you can contact for relevant information if you are unable to
attend. Tutorials will begin the week of Sept 12 th .
ENROLMENT IN THIS COURSE IS TUTORIAL-BASED. YOU MUST BE ENROLLED
IN A TUTORIAL AND ATTEND THE TUTORIAL IN WHICH YOU ARE REGISTERED,
UNLESS THERE IS SOMEONE WHO WISHES TO SWITCH TUTORIALS WITH YOU.
We will provide an opportunity for students to switch with each other at the end of the
first two lectures. The appropriate form must be signed by both students and the
Course Director, and submitted to the Social Science Office (S744R).
TUTORIAL SCHEDULE:
Type Day Start Time Duration Location
TUTR 01 W 10:30 120 VH3000
TUTR 02 W 8:30 120 VH3000
TUTR 03 W 14:30 120 WC115
TUTR 04 M 16:30 120 RS623
TUTR 05 R 14:30 120 FC114
TUTR 06 T 14:30 120 FC117
TUTR 07 T 12:30 120 WC108
TUTR 08 R 8:30 120 VH1022
Continued next page…
PLEASE NOTE:
1. TUTORIALS ON OCTOBER 13 TH WILL NOT BE HELD BECAUSE OF THE
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OBSERVANCE OF YOM KIPPUR.
2. ALL TUTORIALS DURING THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 24, 2005 WILL BE HELD IN
SCOTT LIBRARY. CHECK WITH YOUR TUTORIAL LEADER ABOUT WHERE YOU
SHOULD MEET.
3. THERE ARE NO TUTORIALS HELD DURING THE WEEKS OF IN-CLASS TESTS.
COURSE POLICIES
The policies below will help you with the “rules of the road”: we want you to understand
the basic premises on which the team operates so there are no surprises for you at any
point in the year. Please read them carefully, and assume that all members of the team
operate on the same rules.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY/PLAGIARISM: At the end of this syllabus, there is a
University policy statement on Academic Dishonesty. PLEASE read the statement
very carefully and make sure you are VERY CLEAR about what constitutes
plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. Explanations will be given in
tutorials at which time any questions you have about it can be raised with your tutorial
leader. "I didn't know", "I didn't understand", “I didn’t intend to”, or “I ran out of time…”
do not constitute mitigating circumstances for committing the offence, so please be
sure you understand what constitutes academic dishonesty so you do not unwittingly
engage in it. We take plagiarism very seriously: please do not jeopardize your
academic career by engaging in it. To assist your understanding, you will be required to
complete the Academic Integrity Tutorial and Quiz for submission at the Library
tutorial during the week of October 24th.
In addition to the Academic Integrity Tutorial and Quiz, you will be required to complete
the Library Research Roadmap and Quiz. This will prepare you for the hands-on
session at the library during the week of October 24 th . Although neither tutorial/quiz has
a grade assigned to it, you will not be able to submit either part of the Library
Assignment until such time as you have demonstrated that you have successfully
completed both tutorial/quiz assignments. Having done the tutorial/quiz for another
course, does not fulfil the requirement for this course.
GRADING: All work is graded by your tutorial leader and reviewed by the teaching team
before it is returned to you. All assigned grades in the lowest (D and below) and in the
highest (A and A+) are systematically re-read by another team member. Requests for
re-reads should be directed to your tutorial leader and be put in writing. Tutorial leaders
will raise outstanding issues with the Course Director. We want you to succeed as much
as you do, but unfortunately, not everyone can receive an A.
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The faculty of arts has a long standing set of guidelines for assigning letter grades
which are appended to this outline (see last page).
COURSE GRADING SCHEME:
1. October 19 th : In lecture test—5% of the final grade
2. November 2 nd : Library Assignment “search statements” and the articles selected
due in tutorial. You must submit two copies of each—5% of the final grade.
3. Nov 23 rd : Library Assignment “article summaries” and the “essay” due in tutorials—
10% of the final grade.
4. January 11 th : In lecture test--essay questions--20% of the final grade.
5. Week of February 21 st : Essay, 7-8pp., typed, double-spaced, due in tutorials--20%
of the final grade.
6. March 29 th : In lecture test—essay questions--20% of the final grade.
7. Tutorial Participation: based on preparedness, positive contribution to
discussions, and attendance throughout the academic year--20% of the final grade.
PENALTIES FOR LATE ASSIGNMENTS: you will lose 5% for assignments up to one
week late. If an assignment is late from one to seven days, it will lose 5%, thus if your
evaluation is 65% on the assignment, it will receive 60% as a final grade. The date of
receipt will be when your instructor clears the drop-box. No assignment will be
accepted more than two weeks late unless there is sufficient evidence for the Course
Director to accept it. Assignments over 2 weeks late (where the Course Director has
agreed to accept it) will be marked by the Course Director.
PLEASE NOTE: do not put assignments under your instructor’s door. There is a “dropbox”
for the course (DMOORE/1210) located across from S742R where they can be left.
Always keep a copy of the assignments you submit: if it goes astray you are responsible
for replacing it. Late assignments placed in the drop-box will not be date-stamped by
the support staff.
REWRITE POLICY: students do not have the option of rewriting an assignment to
improve their grades, nor may they do an alternative assignment to make up for a poor
grade on an exam, or poor tutorial attendance. Focus your attention on improving in the
rest of your assignments.
RETURN OF ASSIGNMENTS/TESTS: tutorial leaders return both assignments and
tests in tutorial. Tests (with the exception of the final) are collected back after you have
had a chance to re-read what you wrote, and the comments made on your submission.
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Essays and the Library Assignment are returned to you. If you are not in tutorial when
assignments/tests are returned, you must arrange to meet with your tutorial leader to
see/receive it. No grades will be available via email, nor posted on instructors’ doors.
TESTS AND ESSAY: Please make note now of the dates of the in-class tests, and the
essay due date. Students who miss a test must provide a VALID, DETAILED
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE in order to be eligible for a make-up. Medical certificates
stating ‘“x’ had a cold yesterday”, are not acceptable. Make sure the Doctor’s phone
number is clearly stated on the form so we can call to ensure she/he saw you. There is
no automatic right to a make-up exam: you will have to appeal the denial of a make-up if
your medical certificate is questionable. If you are ill on the day of a test, we expect that
you will alert the Course Director or your tutorial leader prior to the test. If you are
unable to call, have someone call for you. Calls should be made to: 416 736 5054—
leave your name and a phone number where you can be reached. Make-up exams will
be graded by the Course Director.
WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COURSE WITHOUT ACADEMIC PENALTY: Please keep
in mind that while you have until Feb 3 rd to withdraw from the course without academic
penalty (i.e. you will not receive a failing grade for incomplete course work), you should
try to determine early in the year whether or not you intend to complete the course. In
past years some students have not completed the requirements and have not filled out
the requisite form with the result that they have received a failing grade.
CAMPUS SERVICES: please see appended pages at the end of the syllabus.
THE TEACHING TEAM WISHES YOU A SUCCESSFUL YEAR AT YORK. WE ARE
HERE TO HELP, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DROP IN DURING OUR OFFICE
HOURS IF YOU WISH ASSISTANCE. OFFICE HOURS AND LOCATIONS WILL BE
ANNOUNCED AT THE FIRST TUTORIALS. MESSAGES CAN BE LEFT AT 416-736-
5054. EXTRA COPIES OF HANDOUTS AND STUDY QUESTIONS ARE AVAILABLE
AT THE DIVISION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE OFFICE (S742R).
PLEASE SEE NEXT PAGE FOR LECTURE SCHEDULE
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LECTURE SCHEDULE AND READINGS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCE 1210 9.0
HUMAN RIGHTS AND CANADIAN MINORITIES
FALL/WINTER 2005-2006
Sept 7
Sept 14
Sept 21
Sept 28
Oct 5
Oct 12
Oct 19
Oct 26
Introduction of the Teaching Team; Brief outline of the course;
Survey of Group Differences
The International Human Rights Framework
Readings: Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Kallen, E., "The
Human Rights Perspective" (excerpt); Broadbent, E., “Ten Propositions
about Equality and Democracy”.
Human Rights in the Canadian Context
Readings: The Constitution Act, 1982, Part I (The Charter of Rights and
Freedoms), and Part II (Rights of the Aboriginal People of Canada);
Moore, D., “Basic Concepts of the Charter and its Interpretation”; Boyd,
Neil, “Strengths and Limitations of the Charter” (excerpt).
Key Concepts in the Creation of Minorities
Readings: Moore, D., “Key Concepts in the Study of Canadian Minorities”;
Henry, F., and Tator, C., "Glossary” from, The Colour of Democracy.
ROSH HASANAH--NO CLASSES
Socio-Economic Rights in Canada:
Readings: Masstricht Guidelines; Iding, L., “Laying the Foundation for
Economic Rights: International Law and Canada’s Obligations” (excerpt);
Hulchanski, J.D., “People without Housing: Homelessness is a Human
Rights Violation”; Mosher, Janet, “The Shrinking of the Public and Private
Spaces of the Poor”;
IN-LECTURE TEST (NO TUTORIALS THIS WEEK)
Civil Liberties and National Security
Readings: Kinsman et al; “How the Centre Holds—National Security as
an Ideological Practice”; Ujimoto, K.V., “Racism, Discrimination and
Internment: Japanese in Canada”; Bahdi, R., “No Exit: Racial Profiling and
Canada’s War Against Terrorism”.
Film: “Being Osama”
October 26 th continued on next page…
ALL TUTORIALS WILL BE HELD IN THE LIBRARY DURING THE WEEK
OF OCT 24 TH : STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE THE TWO TUTORIALS AT:
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www.yorku.ca/fcap/onlinetutorials.html AND HAND THEM IN AT
TUTORIAL
Nov 2
Nov 9
Nov 16
Nov 23
Nov 30
Dimensions of Racism, and Racism in the Colonial Context
Readings: UN Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice; Kallen, E.,
“The myth of racial inferiority and superiority” (excerpt); Kallen, E.,
”Paternalism: Assumptions Behind the Colonialism Model”; Kallen, E.,
“Institutionalized Racism: Majority Techniques of Domination”;
Film: “Broken Promises”
Racism in the Colonial Context: The Case of First Nations Peoples
Readings: United Nations “Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples; Part II, Charter of Rights and Freedoms; Orkin, A., “When the
Law Breaks Down:”.
Film: “Residential Schools—Moving Beyond Survival” (PART II)
Claiming Collective Cultural Group Rights: Inuit and First Nations
Peoples
Readings: Monture-Angus, P., “Standing against Canadian Law: Naming
Omissions of Race, Culture, and Gender”; The Hon Minister of Justice M.
Sinclair; “Transcript…”; Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, “Nunavut-‘Our Land’”.
Film: “Honour of the Crown”
Dimensions of Racism in Canada: Controlling Access: Immigrants
and Refugees
Readings: Baureiss, “Discrimination and Response: the Chinese in
Canada” (Part 1); Abella, I. And H. Troper, None is too Many (2
excerpts: “Introduction” and “The Line Must be Drawn Somewhere”);
Matas, D., “Why Protect Refugees?”
Film: “Who gets in?”
Changes Affecting Refugees and Immigrants and Claiming Ethnocultural
Group Rights
Readings: Razack, S., “Making Canada White: Law and the Policing of
Bodies of Colour in the 1990s”; Harvey, C., “Securing Refugee Protection
in a Cold Climate”; Adelman, H., “Refugees and Border Security Post
September 11”;
Film: “Dying to Get In” (Part II)
END OF FALL TERM
Jan 4
Dimensions of Racism in Canada: Control of the Settled Land and its
Spaces
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Readings: Nelson, J., “The Space of Africville: Creating, Regulating and
Remembering the Urban ‘Slum’; James, C., “’Up to no good’: Blacks on
the Streets and Encountering Police”; Isin, E. and M. Siemiatycki, “Making
Space for Mosques: Struggles for Urban Citizenship in Diasporic Toronto”;
Jan 11
Jan 18
Jan 25
Feb1
Feb 8
Feb 15
IN-CLASS TEST (NO TUTORIALS THIS WEEK)
Dimensions of Racism in Canada: Control of Opportunities
Readings: Baureiss, G., “Denial of Citizenship and Disenfranchisement”,
(Part 2); Henry, F., “Racism in Canadian Education” (excerpt);
Teelucksingh, C., and Galabuzi, G-E., “Working Precariously: the impact
of race and immigrant status on employment opportunities and outcomes
in Canada”.
Addressing Racism
Readings: Aylward, Carol, "Canadian Critical Race Theory" (excerpt); Li,
Peter, ΑOld Images and New Politics≅; Saloojee, A., “Social Cohesion and
the Limits of Multiculturalism in Canada” (excerpt).
Film: “In the Shadow of Gold Mountain”
The Model of Heterosexism: Gays and Lesbians in Canada
Readings: Kallen, E., “In and Out of the Homosexual Closet: Gay and
Lesbian Rights and Liberation in Canada” (excerpt); Kinsman, G.,
“Constructing Gay Men and Lesbians as National Security Risks, 1950-
70”; Martin, A.D.; ”The Stigmatization of Gay or Lesbian Adolescents”;
Rochlin, M., “The Language of Sex: the Heterosexual Questionnaire”;
Film: “The Laramie Project” (excerpts)
Challenging Heterosexism: the Law and Social Activism
Readings: The Hon Justice C. L’Heureux-Dube, “Same-Sex Partnerships
in Canada”; Kallen, E., “World-wide Gay and Lesbian Movements”
(excerpt); Khayatt, D., "Proper Schooling for Teenage Lesbians in
Canada";
Film: "Jim Loves Jack"
READING WEEK—NO LECTURE OR TUTORIALS
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Feb 22
Mar 1
Mar 8
Mar 15
Mar 22
Mar 29
Paternalism/Patriarchy: Women in Canada
Readings: Chunn, D. “Feminism, Law, and ‘the Family’: Assessing the
Reform Legacy”; Turnbull, L. “Seeing Mothers: Invisibility and Poverty”;
Eltahawy, M., “Boxed in by a Bit of Cloth”.
Strategies for Change: Women's Claim for Categorical Rights
Readings: Chunn, D, "Prospects for 'Reform' in the Neo-Liberal State";
Turnball, L., “Supporting Mothers: Strategies for Change; and “Justice for
Mothers: Reforming Law”
Film: “In the Face of Justice”
Patriarchy and Canada’s Senior Citizens
Readings: Gee, E and G. Gutman, “Introduction”; Gee, M., “Population
Politics: Voodoo Demography, Population Aging, and Canadian Social
Policy”, Russell, P., “Conclusions” from Time’s Up; Kodar, F., “Pension
(In)Securities: Unpaid Work, Precarious Employment and the Canadian
Pension System”.
Patriarchy and Canadians with Disabilities
Readings: UN Declaration on the Rights of the Disabled; Lepofsky, D., “A
Report Card on the Charter” (excerpt); Excerpted case summary of
Eldridge v. A.G B.C and Medical Services Commission et.al.
Film: “Between the Cracks”
Course Summary and Evaluations:
Readings: Kallen, E., "Toward the Full Recognition and Protection for
Ethnic Minority Rights in Canada: Strategies for Change"; Tator et al,
"Concluding Reflections"
Film: “A Score for Women’s Voices”
IN-LECTURE TEST
END OF WINTER TERM
HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!!!
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CAMPUS SERVICES:
Foundations Computer Assistance Program (FCAP) Bootstrap Computer Lab in
Calumet College (Room 108), fcap@yorku.ca
FCAP, a computer assistance program, is available to all those taking a Foundations
course (a nine-credit course in Social Science or Humanities). FCAP offers access to
computers and multi-media stations, printing and scanning facilities, individual computer
tutoring, and workshops to improve computer literacy and computer-based critical skills.
The lab is open 24/7 and staff are available to answer your questions from 10-2 Monday
to Friday. You can also write to fcap@yorku.ca with any computer-related issues.
FCAP also maintains a website with information about pre-writing strategies, grammar
questions, style guides and dictionaries, and links for ESL students and to useful on-line
materials for critical skills development. Visit the FCAP website at
for more information and current
schedules.
To use FCAP, students will need to activate their Foundations account through Manage
My Services on York's Computing and Network Services website
. Click on "Manage My Services".
You will be required to log in through Passport York which is your 'passport' to various
computing services and websites at York. If you don't know or have forgotten your user
name and password, there is a link on the login screen: "Forgot your password or
username?" Click to reset your password online. To activate an account (also called a
service), click on the ACTIVATE NEW SERVICE link and then click on the appropriate
service to activate. NOTE: Accounts or services that you have already activated will
appear on the left hand column of the page with a green check mark beside them. The
steps have to be done in the order above. It can take 15 minutes to 24 hours to
become fully activated. If you have questions about how to set up your accounts, visit
the FCAP lab.
In addition to FCAP, York has several computer labs around campus or in the Scott
Library which can be used with an Acadians-PC/MAC Labs account. To activate this
account, go to Manage My Services and follow instructions as above.
Centre for Academic Writing [CAW], S329 Ross (416 736-5134).
CAW offers one-on-one tutoring To be assigned a tutor, you must sign up well in
advance. CAW also offers mini-workshops on topics such as "How to Develop a Thesis"
and "Effective last Minute Revisions". These workshops happen regularly over the year
and fill up quickly. Stop by the CAW to sign up. Link available on the course website:
click on "Learning Skills" or check out their website at
E-TUTOR (etutor@yorku.ca)
E-tutor will comment on essay drafts. E-tutor tries to respond within one week but in
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periods of high demand it may take longer. Plan ahead so that you can take advantage
of this excellent service. For complete directions on how to use etutor, go to
.
English as a Second Language Open Learning Centre (ESL-LOC)
Vanier College 037 (416-736-2100 x 22940)
The Centre is open twelve months a year to all York students, registered in degree
programs, and is free of charge. Students may request help in any aspect of English:
listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
ESL-LOC offers individual tutoring by appointment and weekly workshops on topics
related to the language needs of ESL students: Conversing in English, Understanding
Lectures and Note Taking, the Internet for Language Learning, Reading Academic
Texts, Correcting Common Grammar Errors, Presenting in Front of a Group, Research
Skills for Essays, and Organizing and Writing Essays.
Register at ESL_OLC or on the website (click the First
Time Sign Up link on the left). Once registered, you can use the online form or visit the
Centre to book space in tutorials and workshops.
Counselling and Development Centre [CDC], 145 BSB (416-736-5297)
CDC offers a range of services to students including personal counselling, skill
development workshops (on time management, stress management and test
preparation) and support for those with psychiatric disabilities and learning disabilities
(112 BSB x33409). Link available on the course website: click on "Learning Skills" or
check out their website at . Or check out their
advertisements in Excalibur.
Accommodation: Students with medical conditions, physical, learning, or psychiatric
disabilities may require accommodation in teaching style, evaluation methods and other
course requirements. Students are encouraged to register with the appropriate office
and contact the Course Director to ensure appropriate arrangements are made to
accommodate their needs.
Information about offices on the Keele Campus providing support for students with
disabilities is available from the Office of Community Development—416 736 5144.
Students should make contact with this Office at the commencement of the academic
year, if they have not already done so.
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