ANTH 2222 6.0 - From Settler Colonialism to Multiculturalism (Study Away)
This domestic summer away course focuses on the anthropology of settler colonialism, multiculturalism, and nation-making in Canada. Students will learn anthropological theories of colonialism, multiculturalism, and reconciliation on campus at York. Students will later apply their knowledge and gain experience through site visits in British Columbia, to understand the contemporary significance of settler-colonialism and multiculturalism.
How do we live and interact with others in multicultural and multiracial communities in Canada? What is the relationship between settler colonialism and multiculturalism? What is the future of multiculturalism? This study away course is a critical study of colonialism, settler colonialism, multiculturalism, and Canadian nation-making by attending to: (a) the politics of elimination, assimilation, and recognition of Indigenous presence; (b) settler colonial institutions that have sustained racialized and social hierarchies in Canada, and (c) historical and contemporary interactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
We will draw upon the work of scholars, community leaders, and artists that critique celebratory perspectives of multiculturalism to identify emerging forms of knowledge and practice that interrogate multicultural values of recognition, tolerance and welcome.
Students will travel to Vancouver, British Columbia where they will experience guided tours of historically Black and Asian neighborhoods, a canoe tour with the səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), activities involving land stewardship with xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Nation), festivals that commemorate dispossessed communities, and much more. Students will critically engage with memorials, life histories, and convivial multicultural places to untangle the fraught relationship between public memory, “truth” and reconciliation.
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Applications are open until 12:00 p.m. EST. on January 22, 2027.
Please note that all program dates and costs are tentative and subject to change. Final program fees will be determined based on enrolment numbers and the confirmed course itinerary.
Prerequisites: None. Anthropology majors may have preference.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Course Dates:
July 5 – July 9, 2027 in person at York; July 19 – August 1. 2027 in Vancouver, British Columbia
Course Director:
Prof. Lisa Davidson, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology.
Enrolment: Min. 10 students, max. 16 students
Program Costs
| Cost | Details | |
| Estimated Program Fee | $2,950 (based on 10 students) | Included in program fee: accommodation in Vancouver, all site visits, excursions and day trips, welcome and farewell meals, 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/from Vancouver | $700 | Estimate. Depends on departure location and date of purchase. |
| Spending money | $1,000 | Variable. All students should budget additional funds for meals, transportation, gifts, personal travel, etc. |
| York University Tuition (Domestic) | $1,486.02
|
Approximate based on Summer 2026 LA&PS tuition fees for 6.0 credits in LA&PS courses. Subject to change based on program. |
| York University Tuition (International) | $8,147.52
|
Approximate based on Summer 2026 LA&PS tuition fees for 6.0 credits in LA&PS courses. Subject to change based on program. |
| Approximate Total Program Costs (subject to change) | ||
| Domestic Students | $6,136.02 | |
| International Students | $12,797.52 | |
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For more information, students can connect with LA&PS Study Abroad Coordinator (studyabr@yorku.ca).