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SOSC 4371 3.0 – State of the Art in Law & Society (Study Away)

Quebec appears to tackle questions related to religious diversity differently than other provinces in Canada. Why is that? What role does the Catholic heritage of the province play in understanding these differences? Why does this province feel the need to legislate on the place of religion in its society, and on secularism? What are the consequences of those legislations, especially for religious minorities? This seminar seeks to answer these questions and others by examining the evolution of religion, law and politics in Quebec. The province’s political history and contemporary debates on religion and secularism, as well as sites of worship and pilgrimages, are considered within the socio-cultural contexts that produced them. The course combines in-class seminar sessions, and field visits to a range of sites in Montréal, Quebec City and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.

More specifically, SOSC 4371 considers (and problematizes the narrative of) the province’s move from the Grande Noirceur (Great Darkness), through the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, which set the stage for the emergence of the distinct brand of Québécois secularism or laïcité. We focus on what some scholars label the “Québécois lurch into modernity” to trace changing conceptions of, and the emerging relationships between, religious traditions, nationalism, immigration, post-colonialism, gender, and secularization. Finally, we briefly examine contemporary Judaism, Islam, and New Religious Movements, as well as Québécois political and legal responses and restrictions that have followed.

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Applications will be open from November 11, 2024 to January 10, 2025.

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Please note: Applications are hosted on Microsoft Teams and are only accessible to York University students. Please sign in using your Passport York e-mail address and password to access the form.

Prerequisites: AP/SOSC 2350 6.00 or permission of the instructor.

Course Credit Exclusion: AP/SOSC 4370 6.00, AP/SOSC 4370 3.00

Location: Montreal and Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Course Dates:
June 9 – 20, 2025 at York; June 23 – July 6, 2025, in Quebec

Course Director:

Prof. Amelie Barras (abarras@yorku.ca), Associate Professor, Department of Social Science.

Enrolment: Min. 10 students, max. 15 students

Course Details

Notre Dame Basilica
McCord Stewart Museum
MEM Centre des memoires Montréalaise
Patriots Prison Museum
Civilization Museum
St-Anne-de-Beaupré pilgrimage site
And more!

In Montreal, students will stay in shared dorm rooms on Concordia University’s campus in downtown Montreal. The dorm is walking distance to all that Montreal has to offer, including the metro. Dorm rooms will be shared, with shared co-ed washrooms and communal lounges and kitchenettes on each floor. Daily breakfast is included.

In Quebec City, students will stay in shared dorm rooms at a small hostel in the old town. The hostel is walking distance to all the sights of old Quebec City and is close to public transit. Dorms have lockers to store belongings, and shared washrooms are located on each floor. Daily breakfast is included.

There is no group flight for this course, and all admitted students are responsible for booking and paying for their own flights. If you wish to arrive in Montreal earlier than the course start date, or stay after the course is complete, you will be responsible for finding and paying for your own accommodations.

Program Costs

Cost		Details
Estimated Program Fee	$2,295 (based on 10 students)	Included in program fee: accommodations in Montreal and Quebec City, transportation, all site visits and excursions, welcome and farewell meal, professor-related costs (travel, accommodations, meals, incidentals). **Program fee subject to change based on final number of students and final course itinerary.
Additional Costs
Flights to Montreal/from Quebec City	$600	Estimate. Depends on departure location and date of purchase.
Spending money	$600	Variable. All students should budget additional funds for meals, transportation, gifts, personal travel, etc.
York University Tuition (Domestic)	$724.59	Approximate based on Summer 2024 LA&PS tuition fees for 3.0 credits. Subject to change.
York University Tuition (International)	$3,723.84	Approximate based on Summer 2024 LA&PS tuition fees for 3.0 credits. Subject to change.
Approximate Total Program Costs (subject to change)
Domestic Students		$4,219.59
International Students		$7,218.84