Program
Application Period is now closed for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Fourth Year
Fourth Year Courses
Integrated Seminar (ARTHUM 4410E)
This capstone seminar will center on a specific theme or hot topic, to be examined from various disciplinary and methodological perspectives in the Arts and Humanities within which students have been trained. Building on students' local and regional community involvement to this point in the Program, the Seminar may involve travel to a national or international site for the purpose of undertaking intensive fieldwork. The seminar topic will be led by a Visiting Scholar invited to participate in the Program, with the contribution of one or more Research Fellows. Course curriculum will be determined by the Visiting Professor and/or Research Fellows in dialogue with students, who will be asked to engage with the seminar’s themes in terms of their individual research interests developed throughout the Program. Among a variety of assignments, students will be asked to design and execute a major Independent Research Project whose applied study will reflect the results of their fieldwork; design and present an exhibition or video/media program; or produce another ambitious project. 
For the 2020-21 Academic year we are happy to announce that David Simmonds is our Visiting Professor. David is a member of the expert panel at the Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation. Most recently, David was Senior Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs for McKesson Canada. A member of the company’s executive leadership team, David was responsible for internal communications, external affairs, media relations, government relations, corporate and event marketing, corporate social responsibility and strategic partnerships for McKesson’s business units in Canada.
David is Past President of Alumni Western - Western University's global alumni network; a member of Western University’s Board of Governors; Director and President Elect of the Canadian Club of Toronto; and, an Advisory Board Member of Catalyst Canada. His earlier board work includes six years with Casey House, Canada’s leading HIV Specialty Hospital and the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.
A graduate of Western University, David holds an Honours BA, MA, and the executive development program at the Wharton School.
A sought-after speaker his commentary can be found in national media including the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and CBC News. In 2015 the Diversity Advancement Network named David one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Canadians.
The topic for 2020-21 is: Power, Privilege, and Public Persuasion: Storytelling as a Tool for Change
Every day, those with social power have opportunities to drive decisions that impact organizations, individuals, and the public at large. How successful they are rests in large part on their ability to effectively use power, influence, and persuasion to move individuals to “think, say, or act” in a way that benefits their perspective / POV.
This course focuses on both the theory and practice of persuasion as a tool for change. Through a series of in-class discussions, guest speakers, and the creation of a final ‘campaign plan’ this course will explore how we:
· Tap power sources needed to move “opinion” and get things done
· Expand individual and organizational influence
· Adopt communications strategies that move target audiences
· Structure and deliver effective storytelling through ‘campaigns’
This course will examine persuasion and how we are persuaded. We will explore the impact of advertising and political communications on ideology and everyday life.
We will begin with a look at the theory of power as it relates to persuasion and examine critical thinking as it relates to argument.
Through class reflections and the preparation of a final assignment we will look at how to apply tools to as we consider techniques of marketing/advertising persuasion and the ways in persuasion functions politically and through corporate marketing and communications.
For the final project in this course, students were tasked with creating campaigns for change.
Theory and practice of persuasion - “Every day, those with social power have opportunities to drive decisions that impact organizations, individuals, and the public at large. How successful they are rests in large part on their ability to effectively use power, influence, and persuasion to move individuals to ‘think, say, or act’ in a way that benefits their perspective / POV.”
Pre-requisite: ArtHum 2200E, 2220F/G and 2230F/G
Previous Visiting Research Fellows include:
2019-2020
Visiting Professor Jamelie Hassan with students from her ArtHum 4410E course.
Jamelie Hassan is an award-winning visual artist based in London, Ontario, Canada. She has also coordinated numerous cultural programs, including Orientalism and Ephemera (2006-2010). Her mixed media installation works have been presented across Canada and internationally. In 2018 she received an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts from OCAD University, Toronto. Her guest's included, Jim Drobnick, Jennifer Fischer, Salah Hassan, John Greyson, and Dr. Tarek Loubani. Jamelie also took her students to the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, and the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.
2018-2019
Shelley Niro is a multi-diciplinary artist, and a member of the Six Nations Reserve, Turtle Clan, Bay of Quinte Mohawk. She has worked in a variety of media, including beadwork, painting, photography, and film. Her work challenges stereotypical images of Indigenous peoples. Her guest's included, Sam Thomas, Robin Bourgeois, ElizaBeth Hill, and Darlene Naponse. Shelley also took her students to the ImagiNative Film Festival in Toronto.
2017-2018
Lainey Lui is a co-host of CTV’s The Social, a senior reporter for CTV’s Etalk, and the head writer for LaineyGossip.com. Her guest’s included, Anne Helen Peterson, Jann Arden, and Nico Lang. She also invited her students to a taping of The Social.
2016-2017
Paul Kennedy has been the host of CBS’s Ideas since 1999. His guests included, Sally Armstrong, Joe MacInnis, Richard Susskind, Michael Stadtlander, David Bentley, Katherine Switzer, Zita Cobb, Payam Akhavan, and Jim Stayer.
Experiential Learning in the Arts and Humanities (ARTHUM 4490 F/G to 4493 F/G, 4494 W/X)
These courses will capitalize upon the various applied skills acquired in the Program in order to aid in launching students on their future academic or career trajectories. Each course will thus focus exclusively on practical and professional capabilities that complement students' critical and research skills, with an eye to preparing students for any number of fields from postgraduate study, to jobs in the private and public sectors. Students will take up either an internship or a community engaged learning project in any number of settings or in organizations with which the School collaborates: print or digital editing and publishing; public or human resources; cultural event organization; curatorial, museum, or gallery planning; film or video production, etc. The placement-oriented aspects of these courses will be supplmented by classroom-based professionalization workshops in job-searches, interviewing, resume writing, etc.
Students can choose which courses they enroll in. Module requirement is 1.0 courses from ARTHUM 4490F, 4491F, 4492G, 4493G or 4494W/X.
