Winter 2026

Ethics and Artificial Intelligence

Dr. William Buschert, B.A. (Waterloo), M.A. (Waterloo), PhD (ABD, Toronto), Sessional Lecturer (USask & UofR)

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in our daily lives—from social media algorithms to self-driving cars—it raises urgent ethical questions. This course will explore some of the moral challenges and societal impacts of AI in an accessible and, hopefully, engaging way. We’ll examine real-world examples on topics like bias in machine learning, surveillance, automation and jobs, and the role of AI in decision making. No technical background is required—just some curiosity about how
these technologies shape our lives and what values should guide their development and use. By the end of the course, you’ll be better equipped to think critically about the promises and perils of AI, and to join the conversation about its future.

The following topics will be covered:

1. Overview: The History and Future of AI: “Top down” and “bottom up” approaches; AGI; “superintelligence”
2. Some Moral Principles for AI Development: Benefits vs. rights
3. Privacy & Surveillance: Will AI make genuine privacy impossible?
4. AI Bias and “Hallucinations”: Can we actually ever trust AI?
5. Intellectual Property: Is generative AI misappropriating the work of human artists and writers?
6. Automation, Work & the Economy: Will AI take your job? Will it lead to an economic utopia?
7. Military & Security Applications: Defending with AI; defending from AI.
8. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: The future of AI regulation and development

Breakout sessions will not be utilized.

Why Do Londoners Have the Blues?

Mark DeJong, B.Mus. (Calgary), M.Mus. (Rutgers), Saxophonist, Composer & Educator (Mount Royal University Conservatory)

An exploration of the British Invasion from under the influence of Tin Pan Alley, the Brill Building and the American blues masters that would eventually produce artists who dominated the globe in terms of influence and popularity.

This course will cover prominent and lesser-known bands and solo artists from the London and Liverpool art school music scenes who were greatly influenced by the American rhythm and blues artists. In addition to the primary music scene, the studio environment produced numerous superstars (Moody Blues, Alan Parsons) who had honed their musical chops while in the presence of more established bands (The
Beatles, Rolling Stones). A wide variety of performers will be highlighted with directed listening using video clips and audio examples.

Breakout sessions will not be utilized.

Silk Roads: Trade, Cultural Exchange, Religious Influence, and Material Goods

Dr. Sandra Herron, M.A. (UCL), PhD (Sask.), Instructor (Art & Art History, USask)

This course will focus on the regions and cultures of the Silk Roads, trade routes between China and the Mediterranean established in antiquity that are, in many places, still functioning.

Today, the regions of the silk roads are often considered places with difficult politics, where freedom of expression in matters of faith, conscience, and sexuality is limited, and control of the media dictates what does and does not appear in the press. Our modern experiences with these regions, however, have obscured the rich and glorious past of these cultures and their network of communication and trade. Yet these bridges were the very crossroads of civilization, connecting east and west where exchanges of goods, material culture, and ideas were carried out since early antiquity. These regions saw architectural and engineering innovations, varied faith traditions, languages, cultures, and empires all connected by a series of trade routes that carried these ideas, exotic trade goods, and material culture across this vast area, transmitting and reinforcing the myriads of rich cultures that participated along these routes. Each class will be centered on a single trading hub, examining the culture, arts, religion, and politics as well as exotic goods created for trade.

Breakout sessions will not be utilized.

Life and Letters in Ancient Rome

Dr. Kyle McLeister, B.A. (Hons., Toronto), M.A. (McMaster), PhD (McMaster), Lecturer (History, USask)

One of the best sources of information about Roman history are the many letters that prominent Romans sent to their friends, family, and other members of the political class. For instance, the letters of Cicero (one of Rome’s pre-eminent statesmen) allow us to follow the fall of the Republic as it happened, offering us a first-hand account of the chaos, fear, and danger that engulfed Rome and providing an unparalleled glimpse into what it was like to live through one of the most consequential events in
history. Later on, the letters of Pliny the Elder provide a glimpse into life under the Empire, touching on subjects such a provincial administration, the powers of the empire, and the vexing question of what to do about Christians. Beyond politics and affairs of state, letters are perhaps even more interesting for what they can tell us about daily life; they contain fascinating details about aspects of regular life about
which we would otherwise know very little, such as how people interacted with their slaves, how they sought out marriage partners, and how they dealt with grief and loss (among many other topics).

• Week 1: Introduction to Life & Letters in Ancient Rome
• Week 2: Cicero, Part I: Early Career
• Week 3: Cicero, Part II: Exile
• Week 4: Cicero, Part III: The Republic Crumbles
• Week 5: Cicero, Part IV: Civil War & Dictatorship
• Week 6: Pliny, Part I: Family & Friends
• Week 7: Pliny, Part II: Provincial Administration
• Week 8: Letters as Poetry & Philosophy

Breakout sessions will not be utilized.

Curio: Cabinets of Curiosity in Contemporary Art

Jasmin Fookes, B.F.A., M.F.A. (Sask.), Instructor (School for the Arts, USask)

What makes one thing ordinary and another extraordinary? This eight-week lecture series explores how contemporary artists reinterpret the Cabinet of Curiosity to reflect on memory, ecology, and the emotional power of everyday objects. Each week introduces artists who collect, arrange, and transform materials into compelling visual narratives. From Mark Dion’s pseudo-scientific installations to Barry McGee’s urban assemblages and Lyndal Osborne’s ecological reverence, the course examines how art responds to environmental loss, cultural fragmentation, and the complexities of place. Topics include the history of Cabinets of Curiosity, systems of classification and display, the ethics of collecting, and the role of artists as stewards of memory. Prairie-based artists will also be highlighted for their place-based approaches to storytelling. Designed for lifelong learners, this course requires no prior art experience - just a curious mind and a willingness to explore how art can hold space for grief, wonder, and collective care. Participants are welcome, though not required, to take part in a self-directed creative project using everyday found materials. Full instructions will be provided, and the final session will include an informal opportunity for show-and-tell, celebrating curiosity, care, and creative interpretation.

• Week 1 – Cabinets of Curiosity: Origins and Influence Discover the history of Cabinets of Curiosity and their ties to early museums, colonial collecting, and systems of classification.
• Week 2 – Mark Dion: The Artist as Explorer Explore Dion’s installations that mimic scientific displays to question authority, environmental loss, and the legacy of natural history.
• Week 3 – Barry McGee: Urban Fragmentation and Cultural Layers Examine McGee’s street-informed assemblages that reflect urban life, consumer culture, and the politics of space.
• Week 4 – Lyndal Osborne: Material Memory and Ecological Reverence Consider Osborne’s poetic use of organic and synthetic materials to explore cycles of decay, renewal, and environmental care.
• Week 5 – Coming Home: Prairie Artists and Place-Based Practice Celebrate regional artists whose work engages with local landscapes and histories, offering grounded perspectives on collection and display.
• Week 6 – Systems of Meaning: Taxonomy, Display, and the Archive Learn how artists use classification and archival aesthetics to challenge dominant narratives and create new ways of seeing.
• Week 7 – The Ethics of Collecting: Stewardship and Storytelling Reflect on the responsibilities of artists as collectors and the emotional, cultural, and ecological stories objects can carry.
• Week 8 – Curio: Reflection and Conversation Conclude with a group dialogue on curiosity, wonder, and the role of art in preserving memory and fostering connection.

Breakout sessions will not be utilized.

A Little Water on the Prairies: A Short History of Water in the Canadian Prairies

Corwyn Shomachuk, B.A. (Hons., Sask.), B.Sc. (Env. Eng., Sask.), Engineer-in Training (APEGS), Instructor (USask)

Despite scarce water from the Rockies’ rain shadow, prairie life thrived. This course explores water use from early settlements to the 1930s drought and 2013 Alberta floods.

1. The Carving out the Prairie Potholes
   1. History of glaciers and glaciation in the prairies
   2. How the wetlands formed in the prairies
2. Indigenous Peoples and Living Water
   1. Different ways of knowing about water
   2. Tentatively will arrange for an indigenous guest speaker
3. Early Settlers, Great Depression, and the PFRA
   1. History of a critical organization the PFRA
   2. How agriculture changed water management
4. The 20th Century and the Promise of Electricity
   1. History of the Nelson River Hydroelectric Project
   2. History of Gardiner Dam construction
5. Navigating the Rivers of the Prairies
   1. Navigable Waters Act and movement of goods by river
   2. Introduction of major rivers in the Prairies: i. Nelson River System, ii.Churchill River System, iii. Mackenzie River System
6. Water Governance in the three Prairie Provinces
   1. Overview of the Prairie Provinces Water Board
7. Water in the 21st Century World
   1. Climate change and potential for widespread drought.
   2. Crop Insurance and government budgets
   3. The Mackenzie River Hydroelectric Potential
8. Water and Climate Change
   1. Drought risk and agriculture
   2. Shipping water south
   3. Where the river runs dry

Breakout sessions will not be utilized.

Understanding and Interpreting Research in the Social Sciences

Dr. Janel Fergusson, B.A., M.A., PhD (UBC), Instructor (Psychology, STM)

The goal of this course is to increase learners’ ability to interpret research and understand how reported findings apply (or don’t apply) to their lives.

News reports and social media posts frequently include claims about research findings, like “people who eat this food live 4 years longer” or “people from this social group are happier”. This course will tackle how researchers design and conduct studies to address questions in the social sciences and medicine, and how we as consumers of this research can interpret their findings. We will cover types of study designs, research ethics, limitations of various methods, and a very brief introduction to statistics (don’t worry, I won’t make you do math!).

Breakout sessions will not be utilized.

Introduction to Psychology: Understanding Important Concepts Through the Lens of Our Lived Experiences

Aliya Khalid, B.A., M.A., PhD (cand., Sask.), Coordinator (PAWS Your Stress Program, USask)

The present introductory course aims to discuss some of the major concepts in Psychology. Topics to be covered include brief history of Psychology, sensation and perception, learning, memory, consciousness, motivation, personality, social psychology, emotions, stress, and health. It also highlights the applied nature of the covered psychological concepts in real life situations. This course is designed to help
students understand the complex dynamics involved in human behavior and to highlight the role of the environment as well as society. Students will be encouraged to evaluate and reconsider their own understanding of the biological, psychological and social factors involved in shaping human thinking and behavior. Upon successful completion of this course, students will understand the common terminologies and core topics covered in Psychology, apply principles of Psychology to situations in their daily lives and enhance problem-solving skills, and lastly, foster critical thinking by investigating existing theories and phenomenon with a critical lens.

• Week 1: What is Psychology? Definition, Common Misconceptions, Schools of Psychology (Structuralism, Functionalism, Psychoanalytic Theory, Behaviorism, Gestalt, Humanism, Cognitive Revolution)
• Week 2: Sensation and Perception, Sensing the world: Basic principles Vision, hearing, and other important senses, Perceptual organization and interpretation; Week 3: Learning, Classical conditioning, Learning by observation, Operant conditioning;
• Week 4: Memory, Information-processing models, Encoding, storage, and retrieval of information, Forgetting, Memory construction, Improving memory;
• Week 5: Motivation, General principles of motivation, Types of motivation;
• Week 6: Personality, Theories of personality, Personality traits, Personality assessment;
• Week 7: Social Psychology, Social thinking and perception, Social influence, Social relations;
• Week 8: Emotions, Stress, and Health, Theories of emotions, Nature of emotions, Stress and health, and The ABC Model

Breakout sessions will be utilized.

China and the New World Order (Part II): The Cataclysm of the Cultural Revolution

Dr. Clay Burlingham, B.A. (Toronto), M.A., PhD (Sask.), Sessional Lecturer

This is the second of a three-part series; completion of part one is not a pre-requisite.

Lui Shaoqi had been Mao's successor until he challenged Mao in January of 1962 at the Seven Thousand Cadre Conference. Thus, even though things seemed resolved after the Conference, Mao neither forgot nor forgave this challenge. What intensified Mao's anxiety was when Khrushchev was pushed from power in October of 1964, by his successor Brezhnev, for this led Mao to believe that Shaoqi was China's Khrushchev, who waited in the wings as had Krushchev, in replacing Stalin in 1953. The Cultural Revolution, which began in mid-May of 1966, was Mao's answer to what he saw as a coordinated and concerted conspiracy to overthrow him, for here he enlisted the Red Guard students to storm the Party Headquarters, government offices and Beijing University, so as to root out the Counter Revolutionaries. This onslaught, which the course will cover in its various decade long forms, only came to an end with
the death of Mao in 1976.

Breakout sessions will not be utilized.

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