Current Courses
Fall 2016 Courses
| HRM | Chester | Mahone Bay | Liverpool | Truro |
If your chosen course is listed as FULL, consider adding your name to the wait-list for the next time this course is offered, or if we are able to secure a larger classroom. Simply email your request to: [email protected].‡ = these courses are in partnership with Halifax Public Libraries ‡ with half the available seats reserved for SCANS members registered in the courses;
* = NO CLASSES on Fri Nov 11 (Remembrance Day).
| 1. Six Controversies (Discussion Class) [Course FULL] | |
| Norman Pereira [bio] | HRM: Maritime Conservatory of the Performing Arts, Room 16 [location] |
| Mondays, 10:00 to noon (6 wks) | Begins Oct 17, ends Nov 21. Class Limit: 25 |
| This is a Discussion Class. Norman Pereira will introduce each class's topic. Participants will carry the discussion forward. A list of Suggested Readings/Online Viewings will be provided in September. 1. AMERICAN POLITICS. What are the distinctive features of the American political system? How do they differ from the British parliamentary model? How important is the divide between Democrats and Republicans? Is the Sanders’ insurgency a passing phenomenon or something more durable? 2. THEISM, DEISM, ATHEISM. What are the main principles and assumptions of these three schools and how do they relate to each other? How do their respective assertions stand up to critical scrutiny? What is the role of religious leaders in today’s society? 3. ANTI-SEMITISM AND ANTI-ZIONISM. In what ways, if any, does anti-Semitism differ from anti-Zionism? Is there a new form of anti-Semitism that blurs distinctions, and if so how and why? What is the significance and role of Israel? 4. ISLAMOPHOBIA AND ISLAMOPHILIA Why is almost any critical examination of Islam by non-Muslims (and even by some Muslims) widely regarded as Islamophobic? What are the overlaps and differences between Islam and the other two Abrahamic religions, namely Christianity and Judaism? Is Islam a religion of peace? 5. HATE SPEECH VERSUS FREE SPEECH. Why is there a growing tendency in Canada and elsewhere to label as hate speech all opinions or views that are seen to be offensive on vaguely defined ethnic, religious, or ideological grounds? Does hate speech legislation threaten the fundamental civil liberties of Western civilization, and is it the best way to counter criticism or even defamation? 6. PUTIN’S AGENDA. What are Putin’s domestic goals, successes and failures? To what degree is Putin’s foreign policy dictated by the perception of an American threat? Why the interventions in Ukraine and Syria? Is Putin, as suggested by Hillary Clinton and other Western politicians, the new Hitler or Mussolini? | |
| 2. Understanding Human Evolution [register here] | |
| Barnett Richling [bio] | HRM: Capt Wm Spry Community Centre, CMPR [location] |
| Mondays, 10:00 to noon (6 wks) | Begins Oct 17, ends Nov 21 |
| Ever since the remains of “Neanderthal Man” first came to light nearly 200 years ago, the steady accumulation of fossils, artefacts, and other types of evidence from Africa, Asia, and Europe has yielded a great wealth of knowledge of the human family tree, and with it, a good many surprises and unanswered questions. This course, six lectures altogether, offers a primer on the evolution of our species, Homo sapiens sapiens, a development whose beginnings reach back many millions of years. Starting with basic concepts of biological evolution, lectures move on to examine some key discoveries, past and present, and what they reveal about our common ancestry. At the same time, they will also consider what the unfolding story of our origins might tell us about what it is to be human.
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| 3. Movie Musicals: The Later Years [register here] | |
| David Overton [bio] | HRM: Capt Wm Spry Community Centre, CMPR [location] |
| Mondays, 1:30 to 3:30pm (6 wks) | Begins Oct 17, ends Nov 21 |
| The breakdown of the studio system brought radical changes in the way movie musicals were produced. The infrastructure of the studios was gone, and stars, writers, and directors were no longer under contract, but were hired to do one picture at a time. This risk-averse approach led to a reliance on pre-sold properties, and Broadway became the natural source. We will look at how films of Broadway hits came to dominate the movie musical landscape in the sixties and thereafter, and will consider both the good and lean periods, as blockbuster productions encouraged enormous financial risks in musicals, with results that ranged from box office poison to award-winning success.
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| 4. Women in History: Untold, Unsung [register here] | |
| Michael Collins [bio] | HRM: ‡ Captain William Spry Library, CMPR ‡ [location] |
| Tuesdays, 10:00 to noon (7 wks) | Begins Oct 18, ends Nov 29 |
| Almost all of the female university students (a pleasure to teach) who were in contact with me hated the offerings contained in 'Women's Studies' courses. This is the reason I tried to include in my courses offerings on women who had been 'role models' even if many of them were not widely known. For years I have been loath to present this course but off we go. Limitations in a historical sense of the role of women in history is very badly documented. Also, the course is heavily involved with western industrialised nations mainly due to research limitations. The seven week course is divided loosely into seven areas: 1) 19th Century Women As education and opportunity started to become more widespread (Started is the word) a host of women in the Arts and public life be-came prominent. 2) The Vote Heavily based on the UK experience which was replicated across ‘west-ern societies’ but not always as popular history records. 3) War and Opportunity In the realm of Economic and Social History The World Wars of the 20th Century (Particularly WW2) accelerated the participation of women into vital areas and started to change established views on gender models. 4) Arts and Crafts Always huge areas for women which now started to spread across class lines. 5) Politics and Power From Elizabeth 1st to present day UK. 6) Science and Technology Very unreported success some due to how awards were delivered and others for reasons hard to fathom. 7) Sports, Strikes, and Stuff. A ragbag of items that did not quite fit the other head-ings but very important on their own terms. | |
| 5. Israeli Dissenters of Zionism: Seldom Heard Voices [register here] | |
| Daphna Levit [bio] | HRM: Capt Wm Spry Community Centre, CMPR [location] |
| Tuesdays, 1:30 to 3:30pm (6 wks) | Begins Oct 18, ends Nov 22 |
| Considering the current number of incompatible ideologies in the global political sphere and their turbulent impact, the disputes about Zionism are timeworn, obstinate and of lesser immediate dramatic interest. Yet the turmoil in the Middle East is commonly attributed to the existence of the State of Israel and the injustices perpetrated in the name of Zionism, a movement that has existed since the end of the 19th century. It is a modern convention to divide the world into a Jewish, Zionist, pro-Israel camp versus an anti-Semitic, Jew-hating camp opposed to the State of Israel, although many early founders of Zionism would likely be appalled by its contemporary derivation. And many contemporary Israeli dissenters are silenced by the pervasive nationalism that seeks to entrench militant Zionism. Rarely heard are the opinions of Israeli intellectuals, born after WWII who grew up in Israel, with a shared language, literature and music that oppose the evolution of successive extreme nationalist governments and policies, who have well-founded criticism of Zionism and its evolution. They are silenced from within Israel and from without by the loud chorus of powerful Jews in the diaspora. This course attempts to give some of them a voice. How and why did the Zionist movement begin? Who were its founders? Who were its followers? How did the Jewish intelligentsia regard Zionism? Is Zionism just another word for Judaism? From Martin Buber (1878- 1965); Albert Einstein (1879-1955); Yeshaya Leibowitz (1903-1994); Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) to contemporary and still living academics and philosophers in Israel, this course will focus on the ethical complexity of this ideology. | |
| 6. How to Talk Back to an Economist [register here] | |
| Alex Roberts [bio] | HRM: Parkland Clayton Park, Cameron Hall [location] |
| Tuesdays, 1:30 to 3:30pm (6 wks) | Begins Oct 11, ends Nov 15 |
| "Economics is an easy subject at which few excel." – John Maynard Keynes The subtle, mysterious, (not so dismal) science of economics affects each and every one of us on a daily basis - be it the rising cost of family groceries, investing in the stock market, to making informed choices as a voter. However, a little training in some basic economic concepts can go a long way in helping you to comprehend the economic forces shaping our digitally-connected lives, avoid being deceived by economists, and hold your own in discussions about economics issues. This six-week course is designed as a lively, accessible, easy-to-understand guide to economics and the economy with an emphasis on ideas rather than formulas. Relevant real-life examples, video clips, case studies and simulations will be employed to help demystify the jargon and explain key concepts. Topics will include: globalization, virtual currencies, snapshots of the most influential economists, Keynesianism, behavioural economics, key economic indicators - as well as hot-button issues such as the economics of legalizing marijuana, neuroeconomics , Trumponomics, and the pros and cons of carbon taxes. | |
| 7. Spy School 101 [register here] | |
| Hugh Williamson & Ian MacVicar [bio] | HRM: Capt Wm Spry Community Centre, CMPR [location] |
| Wednesdays , 10:00 to noon (6 wks) | Begins Oct 12, ends Nov 16 |
| Spy School 101 will provide a basic introduction to the field of Intelligence, and its darker cousin "Espionage". The class will examine both the real world of government intelligence agencies and their activities, and the fictional world of spying, in print and on the screen. The library and its resources, both hard copy and electronic, will provide a gateway for research and discovery into the ENIGMAtic world of information "Hide and seek" played by governments, business, and some surprising other parties as well.
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| 8. The Poetry and Prose of Atlantic Canada [register here] | |
| John Cowans [bio] | HRM: ‡ Tantallon Public Library ‡ [location] |
| Wednesdays, 10:15am to 12:15pm (7 wks) | Begins Oct 12, ends Nov 23 |
| Whether in the poetry of E.J. Pratt and Alden Nowlan, the novels of Frank P. Day, Thomas Raddall, Michael Crummey, Lawrence Hill or Donna Morrissey, or the short stories of Alistair MacLeod, to name just a few mentioned in this series, the literature of Atlantic Canada expresses the deep emotional response of Maritimers to their beloved homeland, be it the outports of Newfoundland, the villlages of P.E.I. the highlands of Cape Breton, the verdant fields of the Annapolis Valley, or the Fundy shore of New Brunswick, from the 1700's to the present, all have their truly Canadian stories to tell. Unfortunately, our native literature has, until recently, been largely ignored in Canadian schools and colleges; this course is an effort to right this injustice. | |
| 9. Electoral Reform in Canada [register here] | |
| Fred Vaughan [bio] | HRM: Capt Wm Spry Community Centre, CMPR [location] |
| Wednesdays, 1:00 to 3:00pm (6 wks) | Begins Oct 12, ends Nov 16 |
| This course will consist of six weeks of lectures/discussions on the various alternatives to the 'First Past The Post' way of electing members of Parliament (our current system). The course is not designed to support one or other of the alternatives to FPTP. It is designed to describe the various alternatives and to engage speakers who are partisans of any one of the alternatives. It will begin with a discussion of democracy in Canada and contrast Canada's system with that of the United States and Great Britain. | |
| 10. Historical Dynamics of Clothing and Fashion [register here] | |
| Michael Collins [bio] | HRM: Parkland Clayton Park, Cameron Hall [location] |
| Thursdays , 10:00am to noon (7 wks) | Begins Oct 13, ends Nov 24 |
| The theme is to ask what changes in dress tell us about society, economics and culture. Do we wear clothes simply to keep warm or for modesty, or are there other reasons? What drives the concept of fashion? Why and how does fashion appear in many societies? The course will start by considering Medieval society, the rise of elite fashion, the trouble with whores, and modernization by way of dress. The American Civil War, French "Haute Couture", feminism, world war rationing and the post war legacy will all be part of this social history.
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| 11. An Introduction to Chinese Culture, Pt 2 [register here] | |
| Mei Wang [bio] | HRM: ‡ Bedford Public Library, Program Rm ‡ [location] |
| *Fridays , 10:00 to noon (6 wks) | *Begins Oct 14, ends Nov 25 |
| This course is the second half of An Introduction to Chinese Culture. Five more lectures are presented in this semester with a movie session. We are going to look at Chinese arts such as Chinese calligraphy, painting, music and Peking Opera. We will also look at traditional Chinese medicine to uncover the beauty of natural treatments. A movie, Guasha, A Treatment, shows culture conflicts a Chinese family living North America goes through. The course will be finalized with a lecture on problems in China. It will examine challenges that China is facing today. | |
| 12. The Ancient Celts – Their Art, Culture, and History [register here] | |
| Dee Appleby [bio] | HRM: ‡ Woodlawn Public Library ‡ [location] |
| *Fridays , 1:30 to 3:30pm (6 wks) | *Begins Oct 14, ends Nov 25 |
| An Introduction to Celtic civilization from pre-history (Bronze and Iron Ages) to the Halstatt and La Tene periods and Roman occupation. We'll explore the rich history and culture, exquisite art and mystical beliefs of this fascinating people. | |
| 13. Judicial Progressivism in the Supreme Court of Canada [register here] | |
| Fred Vaughan [bio] | Chester: St. Stephen’s Hall [location] |
| Tuesdays, 2:00 to 4:00pm (7 wks) | Begins Oct 11, ends Nov 22 |
| This course is a sequel to Fred's "Supreme Court and the Charter" course, given last year. It revisits the extent to which the Supreme Court of Canada has become influenced by the emergence of "legal progressivism." The course begins, therefore, with a brief account of the roots of progressivism in both Canada and the United States. This means that we will be spending some time in the United States Supreme Court by way of understanding how legal progressivism has influenced the life of the law in that country. We will then look at the extent to which US legal progressivism has begun to seep into Canada. We will return to several important Canadian court cases to expose the extent to which progressivism has taken hold of the minds of leading Canadian Supreme Court judges. We will also take a close look at several leading Supreme Court of Canada judges and dialogue with their understanding of progressivism and the Charter as the principal conduit of progressivism into the life of Canada. | |
| 14. Ethical Issues in the Media [register here] | |
| Kevin Cox [bio] | Chester: St. Stephen’s Hall [location] |
| Wednesdays , 2:00 to 4:00pm (6 wks) | Begins Oct 12, ends Nov 16 |
| The course consists of six to eight discussions of ethical issues in the media. We examine political coverage, sports, entertainment, the cult of the celebrity, the business of journalism, perception of bias, the social media and Internet communication and the future of newspapers and broadcast outlets in an Internet world. We look at issues such as anonymous slagging in the social media, conflicts of interest such as promoting stocks that a reporter owns, trespassing, libel and defamation and the rise of personality journalism. Each class consists of a one hour discussion followed by a one hour ethics case study where the students break into small groups and deal with real situations that a journalist has encountered. The studies include trespassing to uncover a dogfighting ring, a journalist lobbying for and accepting a Senate post, and being compelled to reveal the name of a high-ranking source who provided a key piece of information in a murder investigation. | |
| 15. Film, Experimentation, Cultural Change, and Photography [register here] | |
| Alan Griffiths [bio] | Mahone Bay: Mahone Bay Centre [location] |
| Wednesdays , 10:00am to noon (7 wks) | Begins Oct 12, ends Nov 23 |
| This new course continues the themes discussed in Film, experimentation, propaganda, cultural change and photography (Part 1) that was given in SCANS classes in Mahone Bay and Halifax in 2015. There will be an introductory lecture on the history of photography and film to provide a context to getting a better understanding of the films we will be looking at. This course will include two German, one French, two Italian, one Argentinian and a Brazilian film, that hopefully you will not have seen. If you have seen any, I can adjust the films so they are fresh to everybody. Each week following the film we will have a break followed by a short talk and a discussion during which we will consider historical events, contemporary photographic trends, how different countries varied and who were the key photographers and cinematographers of the time. This course is about enjoying great films together and improving our understanding of their context. No understanding of the techniques of photography is required or knowledge of the films and questions are always encouraged. | |
| 16. Light Opera: Offenbach to Early 20th Century [register here] | |
| Walter Kemp [bio] | Mahone Bay: Mahone Bay Centre [location] |
| Thursdays , 10:30am to 12:30pm (6 wks) | Begins Sep 22, ends Oct 27 |
| The Parisian idiom as established by Offenbach developed into two nationally characteristic streams. In England, Gilbert and Sullivan created their own type of family-friendly entertainments, featuring clever dialogue and witty satire set to well-crafted solos and ensembles. Meanwhile, the German-language Romantic operetta featured more fully developed plots and sophisticated music requiring top quality opera singers performing waltz-referenced musical material and the gypsy culture of Hapsburg Austria-Hungary. Crumbling at Hitler's "Anschluss" the idiom had already been saved by talented musicians who emigrated to the USA and carried Light Opera forward into the American Musical. | |
| 17. A Maritime History of Colonialism [register here] | |
| Chris Benjamin [bio] | Mahone Bay: Mahone Bay Centre [location] |
| Fridays , 2:00 to 4:00pm (6 wks) | Begins Oct 14, ends Nov 25 |
| The course will give a history of colonialism in this region, exploring the perspectives of settlers and the original inhabitants, the Mi’kmaq. Specific lectures will include: 1. What did the settlers fail to see when they landed in Mi’maq territitory? (well developed math and science, intimate knowledge of the land and geography, complex language, advanced egalitarian political system). 2. Tools of the colonial era: land grabbing, reserves, centralization, religious conversion, colonial education. 3. The Canadian residential school system. 4. The Shubenacadie Indian Residential School, the only one in the Maritimes 5. Contemporary challenges for First Nations and settler Canadians Learning from past mistakes: land and resource issues and what reconciliation looks like, e.g. Mi'kmaq concepts of Netukulimk (sustainability) and two-eyed | |
| 18. A Practical Guide to Observing the Night Sky [register here] | |
| Tony Schellinck [bio] | Liverpool: Astor Theatre [location] |
| Wednesdays, 2:00 to 4:00pm (6 wks) | Begins Oct 12, ends Nov 16 |
| After completing this course the participant should have a greater appreciation of what there is to see in the sky and how to find and observe them. Topics covered include: how to find your way around the summer, fall, winter and spring night skies; how to observe the moon and planets; and what galaxies, globular clusters, open clusters, planetary nebula, diffuse nebula, double stars and interesting asterisms can be found. We will also cover how to view these objects using dark adapted eyes and averted vision, and practice observing using a variety of instruments from binoculars to telescopes. We will also explore topics of interest to participants. | |
| 19. Current Topics in Introductory Psychology [register here] | |
| Heather Schellinck [bio] | Liverpool: Trinity Church [location] |
| Thursdays , 2:00 to 4:00pm (6 wks) | Begins Oct 13, ends Nov 17 |
| The discipline of psychology covers a very broad area of study with the overall goal of understanding mind and behaviour. The six classes in this course will cover topics of general interest such as brain disorders and neuroplasticity; the neurobiology of addic-tions, how false memories form and the influence of authority on our behaviour. Depend-ing upon the topic, some optional group activities that demonstrate the principles dis-cussed in class will be included.
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| 20. History and Future of the English Language [register here] | |
| Barry Mills [bio] | Truro: Douglas St. Rec Centre [location] |
| Tuesdays, 1:30 to 3:30pm (7 wks) | Begins Oct 11, ends Nov 22 |
| The two topics illuminate one another. The first half of each class in this course is reserved for a discussion of how spoken and written English has developed from Germanic origins and has been enriched through Latin and French contributaries. Before this initial chronological mapping concludes an historical personality will be portrayed, someone whose formative influence will bring the history into sharper focus. For Old English of the mid-6th through the 12th centuries Alfred the Great, that wily, yet conscientious monarch, will be the representative guest. Later such figures will be Chaucer, Shakespeare and Jane Austen. After the class break history will give way to a study of present day English and speculations upon what the future might hold for our language. This will be initiated by our examining in turn each of the eight parts of speech over the course of lectures. Why did the Anglo-Saxons love nouns and how did this affection show itself in Old English writings? A later class will hold an inquest on the strange death of the English adverb. A summing up will detail how these parts of speech through syntax and diction have shaped the various sentence styles down through the ages. | |
| 21. Ancient Celts: Their Art and Culture [register here] | |
| Dee Appleby [bio] | Truro: Douglas St. Rec Centre [location] |
| Wednesdays, 10:00 to noon (6 wks) | Begins Oct 12, ends Nov 16 |
| An Introduction to Celtic civilization from pre-history (Bronze and Iron Ages) to the Halstatt and La Tene periods and Roman occupation. We'll explore the rich history and culture, exquisite art and mystical beliefs of this fascinating people. | |
| 22. Identification of Wild Mushrooms [register here] | |
| Bruce Gray [bio] | Truro: Douglas St. Rec Centre [location] |
| Thursdays, 10:00 to noon (6 wks) | Begins Oct 13, ends Nov 17 |
| Autumn in Nova Scotia is ideal for mushroom collecting with many choice edibles growing right in your neighbourhood and in nearby woods and meadows. This course will focus on the use of a mushroom key to identify the safe and tasty ones.
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