University of Manitoba - Summer Institute on Social Justice

 

Teaching the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide (Holodomor) and the Ukrainian Canadian Internment

This special summer institute explores the meanings of social justice, human rights, genocide and totalitarianism within the context of two case studies: the internment of Ukrainian Canadians in Canadian prison camps during WWI; and the Ukrainian famine-genocide of 1932-1933, called the Holodomor.

These two events challenge how we think about social justice within the 21st Century. An amalgam of history, culture, media, the arts and pedagogy, this course will present a unique opportunity to examine any horrific event within a teaching and learning perspective. While housed within the UofM Faculty of Education, this course will reach far beyond a simple “how to teach” model.

Course highlights include:

     An opportunity to view critical documentary films dealing with the Internment and Holodomor.

     A look at why the Canadian government treated minorities as enemy aliens, during WWI, whether Ukrainian, German, or Austrian, and how this extended to the treatment of the Japanese Canadians and others in WWII.

     A discussion of how Raphael Lemkin, the man who coined the term “genocide”, defines that term relevant to the Holodomor.

     An examination of George Orwell’s fantasy novel Animal Farm and … a little known fact … how it might be conceived of as a depiction of the Ukrainian famine.

     A study of how these issues fit into the Manitoba school curriculum, presented by specialists from Manitoba Education.

The course is directly aimed at teachers at all levels, but is also relevant to master’s and doctoral students in education, in history, in political studies and students doing advanced work in peace and justice studies.

The Institute is worth 6 credit hours and is a viable component within the PBDE program, as well as for a MEd/PhD program (with advisor’s permission), and potentially transferable to other faculties as well. The course is also available to auditors.

Grounded in the Faculty of Education, this Summer Institute is supported through grants by the Shevchenko Foundation and the University of Manitoba Innovation Fund, and is assisted by The Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies at UofM.

Dates: July 4-15, 2011, 9am-5pm

Course Facilitators: Dr. Orest Cap 204-474-9073, ocap@cc.umanitoba.ca; and Dr. Denis Hlynka 204-474-9062, dhlynka@cc.umanitoba.ca

To register: Contact the Summer Session Office at 204-474-6963 or 474-8008 or the Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies at 204-474-8907.