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.
Applications will be open from November 11, 2024 to January 10, 2025.
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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
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 |
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For more information, students can connect with LA&PS Study Abroad Coordinator (studyabr@yorku.ca).