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The Social Justice Institute Graduate Student Handbook

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Page 1: The Social Justice Institute · 2017-09-11 · Extended Essay Guidelines and Registration Form: ... possibilities and potential thesis and extended essay supervisors. We pair students

TheSocial Justice

InstituteGraduateStudent

Handbook

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The Social Justice Institute

Contents

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I.Vision ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. Graduate Program ----------------------------------------------------------------

A. The MA Program ----------------------------------------------------------

Program Requirements ----------------------------------------------------------

MA Thesis ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Extended Essay ----------------------------------------------------------------

MA Supervision ----------------------------------------------------------------

B. The PhD Program ----------------------------------------------------------

Program Requirements ----------------------------------------------------------

PhD Candidacy -----------------------------------------------------------------

PhD Comprehensive Examinations -------------------------------------------

The Committee ---------------------------------------------------------------------

The Dissertation Prospectus ------------------------------------------------------

Dissertation --------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Graduate Courses, 2017 – 2018 --------------------------------------------------

IV. UBC Academic Calendar 2017-2018 ---------------------------------------------

V. Graduate Awards & Scholarships ------------------------------------------------ 17

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I. VisionLocated in the unceded land of the Musqueam people, we take social justice as a duty and commitment and not solely an object of study. Towards meeting this commitment to social justice, the focus in the coming five years will be to fashion The Social Justice Institute as a leading global hub for research, teaching, and outreach portfolio dedicated to the development of a notion of social justice that reflects the current ethico-political challenges of the global present. Both its undergraduate and graduate programs are tailored to train academics, artists, or activists interested in engaged social justice research, addressing entangled modalities of power, which have inspired new forms of activism:

• Entangled Modalities of Power: The symbolic, economic, and juridical dimensions ofheteropatriarchal, colonial, and racial subjugation, as these architectures (structures, mechanisms, discourses, practices) operate at the local, national, and global levels.

• Emancipatory Projects: The practices, discourses, and organizations created byindigenous and social (racial, gender-sexual, disabled) subaltern collectives to confront the dispossession, displacement, and death these architectures produce, that is, the many dimensions of social injustice.

VISION

The Social justice Institute is a leading hub of excellent collaborative, creative, and transformative interdisciplinary engaged research, teaching, and outreach on social justice. Focusing on patriarchal, racial, sexual, and colonial power histories, mechanisms, processes, and practices, we provide our students the critical tools necessary to contribute to the project of realizing social justice, locally, nationally, and globally.

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II. Graduate Program

A. The MA Program

Program RequirementsStudents in the GRSJ MA program will complete 30 credits of course work in total, including their choice of a thesis (9 credits) or extended essay (3 credits).  Core courses (GRSJ 500, 501 and 502) are typically taken in first year.  Every effort is made to ensure that each student has satisfied all the requirements for the degree.  However, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that, at the time of applying for graduation, all requirements have been met.

MA Thesis Option:⁃ GRSJ 500 (3 credits) Intersectional Issues in Social Justice and Equality Studies⁃ GRSJ 501 (3 credits) Issues in Decolonizing and Feminist Methodologies⁃ GRSJ 502 (3 credits) Issues in Gender, Sexuality and Critical Race Theories⁃ Electives (12 credits)⁃ Thesis (9 credits)

MA Extended Essay Option:⁃ GRSJ 500 (3 credits) Intersectional Issues in Social Justice and Equality Studies⁃ GRSJ 501 (3 credits) Issues in Decolonizing and Feminist Methodologies⁃ GRSJ 502 (3 credits) Issues in Gender, Sexuality and Critical Race Theories⁃ Electives (18 credits)⁃ Extended Essay (3 credits)

Electives credits must have the approval of the student's supervisor and may be selected from:⁃ GRSJ special topics courses⁃ graduate courses in other UBC departments⁃ undergraduate courses - must be numbered 300 and above (max. 6 credits)⁃ courses at another university - see Western Deans Agreement

MA Thesis It is recommended that students choose this option only if they have a clear, researchable thesis topic in mind.

Once you have decided on an area of specialization, preferably by the end of first year (Year 1, Term 2), you will work to formulate a topic and find a supervisor. At this time, also complete the MA Thesis Option form.

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The MA Thesis ProspectusThe MA Thesis prospectus offers a preliminary description of the proposed argument of the thesis and explains the relation of this argument to existing research on the topic. It also sets out the major steps through which you plan to proceed in researching, writing, and structuring the thesis and explains why these steps have been selected. It will seek to convince readers who are specialists in the proposed research subject, as well as to explain the proposed research to non-specialist academic readers. The prospectus includes a bibliography, a comprehensive list of required primary sources for the research, and a list of the most relevant and most influential secondary readings on or around the topic, both at present and over a longer time frame. The text of the prospectus is typically 10 pages (2500 words) (not inclusive of bibliography/notes/appendices).

Handling of data and authorship should be discussed with the supervisor in accordance with UBC policies 85 and 88.

When approved, your supervisor should complete the MA Thesis Prospectus Approval form.

Supervision and Preparation of the ThesisStudents will work with a supervisor and a second committee member. The type and amount of thesis supervision will be dictated by the topic, the needs of the individual student, and the preferred methods of the supervisor. Preliminary drafts, either of individual chapters or of the whole thesis, should be submitted to the supervisor as you proceed. You are encouraged to meet with both members of the committee several times during the preparation of the thesis. The supervisory committee evaluates the final draft before scheduling an oral examination.

A third reader, chosen by the student in consultation with the supervisor, will evaluate the thesis when the committee has judged it satisfactory. The committee members will not act as copy editors. The thesis is roughly 60 pages (not inclusive of bibliography/notes/appendices).

The final form of the thesis must be prepared in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations:⁃ http://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation⁃ http://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/final-dissertation-thesis-submission

Oral CritiqueOnce the thesis is approved by the supervisory committee and evaluated by the third reader, a final oral critique of the thesis is held. A final oral may be held at any time of the year, provided the approved committee can be assembled.  The supervisor plus at least one committee member must attend the oral exam.  Students planning to submit a thesis during the summer should ensure that a suitable committee will be available. After the oral examination, a thesis will be assigned a Pass/Fail grade. Revisions made after the oral exam will not alter the grade assigned.

Students must not submit the thesis for oral examination until all other requirements for the degree have been fulfilled.

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Final MA Thesis Submission✓ Document Requirements:

https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/final-dissertation-thesis-submission/document-requirements

Master's forms: Mandatory✓ Signed Master's Thesis Approval form (minimum 2 signatures)✓ Completed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Cover Sheet✓ Click-through cIRcle Non-Exclusive Distribution License (completed while uploading

thesis to cIRcle)

Formatting Instructions:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation/formatting-requirements

Final Submission Instructions:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/final-dissertation-thesis-submission/final-submission-instructions

Once the Faculty of Graduate Studies has approved your thesis, you will be e-mailed an official receipt.

✓ Program Completion:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/graduation/program-completion

✓ Final Step: Apply to Graduate:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/graduation

Extended Essay Students have the option of completing a 3-credit extended essay (GRSJ 510) instead of writing a 9-credit thesis. An essay of approximately 40 pages (9500 words) maximum, will be written under the supervision of a faculty member or Faculty Associate.  A second reader assesses the final version. The grade is determined by the supervisor and second reader. It is the student’s responsibility to find both a supervisor and second reader for the essay. An oral critique is not required. The work may develop an essay previously completed as part of a graduate seminar or pursue a new topic.

It is expected that the supervisor of the essay and student will meet on at least three occasions during the process:

⁃ in setting up the topic, reading list and expectations;

⁃ once a first draft of the essay is complete;

⁃ on completion of the final draft.

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A second reader also reads the final draft. An oral critique is not required. Although the essay need not be accepted for publication (it need only be judged publishable), the supervisor and second reader should ideally provide advice in identifying suitable publication outlets and a strategy for bringing the essay to publication.

The essay will be assessed on the following criteria:

⁃ research/documentation skills;

⁃ evidence of critical thought and analysis;

⁃ appropriate writing skills and format/presentation.

Important: It will take at least two weeks for your two readers to respond after the extended essay is submitted to them. If revisions are required, the committee will typically require an additional two weeks to respond after each submission.

The final version of the essay, approved by both committee members, must be submitted by mid-April for May graduation. Check the G+PS website for specific deadlines.

If you would like your essay to be a part of UBC’s cIRcle repository, visit the cIRcle website for instructions.

Registration An essay proposal of approximately four pages (1,000 words) must be submitted along with the registration form signed by the faculty member who has agreed to supervise your essay and by another faculty member who will be the second reader. Submit the completed form to the graduate program assistant as early as possible. When the graduate program chair has signed the form, you will be registered the in the Extended Essay (GRSJ 510).

✓ Extended Essay Guidelines and Registration Form:http://grsj.arts.ubc.ca/graduate/current-graduate-students/current-grsj-ma-students/forms/

Completion of Extended Essay A final version of the essay must be submitted to the graduate program assistant along with the signed extended essay completion form. If your program is complete in all respects at that point, the Faculty of Graduate and Post-doctoral Studies will be notified and your MA program will be formally closed.

✓ Extended Essay Completion Form:http://grsj.arts.ubc.ca/graduate/current-graduate-students/current-grsj-ma-students/forms/

✓ Program Completion:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/graduation/program-completion

✓ Final Step: Apply to Graduatehttps://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/graduation

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MA SupervisionIncoming MA students are assigned a Pro Tem Supervisor to advise on course choices, grant possibilities and potential thesis and extended essay supervisors. We pair students with a Pro Tem with an eye to research fit; however, this is not always possible and change of supervision for the thesis or extended essay is not uncommon. GRSJ students draw on the Institute’s Core Faculty and Associate Faculty Members to serve as supervisors and committee members.  Students should meet with their supervisors at least once each a term, and may change supervisors or committee members at any time with the approval of the graduate program chair.

Supervisory Committee:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/faculty-staff/policies-procedures/supervision

Finding a Supervisor / Expectations / Policieshttps://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/supervision-advising

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website, as it contains many resources that will be useful as you move through you program:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students

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B. The PhD Program

Program Requirements:1) Complete a minimum of 12 credits of course work at the 500-level, including 9 credits of

required course work as follows:⁃ GRSJ 500 (3 credits) Intersectional Issues in Social Justice and Equality Studies⁃ GRSJ 501 (3 credits) Issues in Decolonizing and Feminist Methodologies⁃ GRSJ 502 (3 credits) Issues in Gender, Sexuality and Critical Race Theories⁃ Electives (3 credits) chosen from graduate courses offered by the Institute or

another UBC department. Undergraduate courses may not be taken for credit towards a PhD program.

2) Pass two comprehensive examinations3) Successfully defend a dissertation

PhD CandidacyPhD students achieve candidacy when they have:✓ completed all required course work,✓ passed the comprehensive examinations (both written and oral),✓ completed a dissertation proposal and had it approved by their supervisory committee.

The graduate program assistant will be notified by the supervisor of successful completion of the comprehensive exams and the proposal. The Institute will then notify the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies of the date candidacy was achieved.

Having achieved candidacy, students can begin work on the dissertation, the culmination of the PhD program.

PhD Comprehensive ExaminationsA comprehensive examination is required by the Faculty of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies in all doctoral programs. The examination is intended to further develop and assess the students’ breadth and in-depth knowledge of the discipline, their ability to conduct independent and original research, and their degree of preparation for their dissertation research. The student will write the comprehensive exam essays over 6 weeks and the committee will read these essays over 3 weeks. An Oral Critique must follow within 4 weeks of completion of the essays.

Year 1, Term 2: By the end of their second term in the program, a student should have established a (Pro Tem) supervisory committee (supervisor and at least two members) for the comprehensive exams. The supervisor should be an expert in the student’s field and a GRSJ faculty member or associate. Where appropriate, the student may change supervisor or committee members with permission from the chair of graduate studies (CGS). Students should think very carefully before attempting to change topics of study (particularly as this has implications for supervision, committee membership, and so forth). It is the student’s responsibility to find new supervision should a change be approved.

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Exam TopicsLists 1 and 2: In consultation with the supervisor and supervisory committee, the student determines two reading lists that will form the basis of the comprehensive exams.  The intent of the reading lists is to allow the student to situate themself as a scholar in the chosen fields and to provide evidence of depth and breadth of knowledge in relevant scholarship. Some students choose to organise the exam materials around a primary field with a secondary field comprised of a methods or theory list or relevant historical materials; others propose to approach a single research question through two lists in different disciplines. In an interdisciplinary environment such as ours, it is expected that exam lists will be tailored to the individual project.

Social Justice Reading List (SJRL): List 3 in our PhD Comprehensive Exam will consist of selections from a library of texts foundational for work in Social Justice. This library is gathered by the GRSJ faculty, who each contribute 5-10 texts they consider essential for social justice work in their discipline and/or in their research. It is expected that the written and the orals refer to and include elements from the SJRL. The SJRL is a required reference list for PhD students who joined the program in the 2016-17 academic year and following.

Year 1, Term 2: At a meeting between the student and supervisory committee at the end of Year 1 (or in the beginning of Year 2) the reading lists of the qualifying exam are finalized. Once finalized, the lists should be shared with the CGS and graduate program assistant no later than September 30th of the second year.

Each reading list typically consists of no more than 50 items (including articles, chapters, and a maximum of 30 books) for a total of 150 items.

The examination consists of essays written in response to questions posed by the comprehensive exam / pro-term supervisory committee and Oral Critique. We encourage a model whereby questions are decided upon jointly with the student. It is expected that the two written essays will be completed and submitted during the same 6-week period.

Comprehensive Exam ProcessAt the beginning of the exam process, the student and supervisor should develop a ‘terms of reference’ that will be shared and agreed upon by the entire Pro Tem Supervisory Committee. The terms of reference will outline the goals of the exam, the topics and chosen subfields for the exam, as well as the written products, relevant timelines and any other details that will help to clarify expectations. For instance, this may take the form of a letter or agreement or it may be elaborated as headnotes introducing each reading list and the questions or goals to be pursued in the list, accompanied by timeline.

The Pro Tem Supervisory Committee will submit examination questions, which have been developed in consultation with the student. These will be conveyed to the graduate program assistant. The examination questions are based upon the terms of reference and the ongoing research shared in conversation or writing between the student and individual members of the committee.

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The graduate program assistant forwards the approved questions to the student by e-mail on the morning of the first day of the 6-week exam period. The student chooses two questions for two essay responses. The essays are 20-25 pages (double-spaced) each (not inclusive of endnotes and bibliography). The writing process is non-consultative, which means that committee members do not read drafts although they may discuss concepts and texts during this period. A copy should be submitted to each of the supervisory committee members (paper or electronic, depending on their preference) and an electronic copy submitted to the graduate program assistant.

The committee has 3 weeks to read the essays, to determine a Pass/Fail and to agree to continue to the Oral Critique, which may be held at any time in the 4 weeks after the completion of the comprehensive exam essays. A student must pass the written exam in order to continue on to the Oral Critique.

Year 2, Term 2: It is expected that these exams will be successfully completed by April of the second year. The timeline enables a student to complete successfully the comprehensive exam in 13 weeks of a single term.

An Example:Week 2 Questions releasedWeek 8 Essays submittedWeek 11 PassWeek 12 Oral Critique

Committee members must be consulted about the timeline in advance of the exam. Committees and student may decide to release the questions during the summer or over the winter break, in which case the time line would vary.

An Example:August Questions releasedWeek 2 Essays submittedWeek 5 PassWeek 6 Oral Critique

EvaluationThe supervisory committee will read the essays within 3 weeks; the Oral Critique must take place within 4 weeks of completion of the comprehensive exam essays. While no grade is assigned, the committee must deem them to be “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory”. To earn the status of “Satisfactory” the written comprehensive exams papers must be deemed first class (80%).

The supervisor should communicate the committee’s evaluation to the CGS and graduate program assistant. Criteria for success will be clear evidence of wide reading, knowledge of the relevant literature, sophisticated critical and interpretive skills, and the capacity to conceptualize issues. Additionally, we look for the critical assessment or reading of a field that leads to a field intervention.

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Each of the essays may be written only twice.  In the event that the first attempt is deemed “Unsatisfactory”, the student will be permitted to revise in a second attempt to be made within 4 to 6 weeks of the committee’s response to the first attempt.  Any second attempt should respond to the comments and criticisms provided by the committee on the first versions of the papers.  Failure to pass a second attempt at the writtens will result in a recommendation to the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies that the student should withdraw from the program.

Oral CritiqueSuccess on both comprehensive exam essays will be followed by an Oral Critique within 4 weeks of the papers being submitted. Usually, the student opens the meeting with a short presentation of the research. This may take the form of an auto-critique, directions for the prospectus or discoveries made in the writing. The two essays are discussed at this time. During this critique, the committee may raise questions pertaining to the essays, to the full scope of the field/s as represented by the reading lists, and to the particular research that the student expects to develop.

As with the written portion of the comprehensive exam, the student’s performance must be judged to be “Satisfactory” in order to proceed to the next stage of the candidacy process. Should the Oral Critique be deemed “Unsatisfactory” by two or more of those present the student must retake the oral critique before the end of the second week of the following term.

If the student’s second performance is deemed “Unsatisfactory” by two or more members of the Committee, the student and the student’s supervisor will discuss the matter with the Chair of the Graduate Program. While no student will be asked to leave the program at this stage, no student can advance to candidacy without attempting the candidacy paper.

We encourage students and the comprehensive exam committee to view the Oral Critique also as an important time to refine the work in progress and to suggest avenues for the prospectus. The supervisor will notify the CGS and program assistant of the successful completion of the comprehensive exams.

The essays written during the qualifying process are preparatory for the prospectus, which is driven by the student’s own research program, laying out specific details of the expected contributions of the work, program of research, and significance of its field intervention.

Sample TimelineYear 1 T1 3 Courses, T2 Lists + 1 CourseYear 2 T1 Written and Oral Comprehensive Examination, T2 ProspectusYear 3 Writing DissertationYear 4 Writing Dissertation

This guideline is flexible with the understanding that all requirements for candidacy and Prospectus must be completed within 24 months of entering the PhD program.

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The CommitteeAfter the conclusion of the comprehensive examinations, the Pro Tem committee is dissolved and a dissertation supervisory committee is convened. This committee may have the same membership as the comprehensive exam committee; the membership may change; however, the student should discuss any changes with the supervisor, and communicate any committee changes to the Chair of Graduate Studies. For purposes of either the comprehensive exams, or the dissertation prospectus and research, the supervisory committee may include a faculty member from another department and/or institution.  Those who are not a member of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies or who are Faculty at another campus, will require formal approval.  Development of the prospectus should involve those committee members who will be involved with the thesis to its conclusion.

The Research Supervisor:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/supervision-advising/research-supervisor

Supervisory Committee, Composition:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/faculty-staff/policies-procedures/supervision

Be mindful that your dissertation will require, also, an external reader, an expert in your field with whom you have not worked, and who will be chosen by your supervisor/committee. The external receives the dissertation in a complete form and only when the committee deems it finished and ready for external review.

While changes to the dissertation supervisor and committee members are possible, this is generally discouraged. Any changes require permission of the Chair of Graduate Studies.

The Dissertation ProspectusThis will build on the groundwork laid by the comprehensive exams. It develops an argument proposing the direction in which the student expects the research to develop. The prospectus, prepared in consultation with the supervisory committee, should be submitted to the Chair of Graduate Studies and Graduate Program Assistant, with the full approval and the signatures of all members of the supervisory committee (thesis approval form), ideally within 24 months of entering the PhD program and no later than 36 months. 

The prospectus must make good sense to academics outside the area of specialization. It should, accordingly, include relevant explanation and detail at every stage; it is closer to a grant application or book prospectus than a research essay.

The prospectus should be approximately 20 pages, double-spaced, and should contain three components:

Description and justification This section should articulate as clearly as possible the “why” as well as the “what” of the thesis. The prospectus should situate the thesis in its field, showing how it develops or departs from previous research and what the writer hopes it will contribute. The prospectus should also spell out the theoretical framework of the thesis.

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Plan The prospectus is not necessarily a detailed blueprint, and it allows for changes of direction. Precise conclusions to inquiries need not be anticipated. However, the prospectus is to make clear the overall organization of the thesis as envisaged at this point in terms of its main stages of inquiry and the chief texts/topics/data to be addressed.

Bibliography As a research tool, this bibliography is crucial in that it locates the thesis in its field. The bibliography should be a carefully developed component of the prospectus.

Approval of the prospectus will be determined according to the originality and value of the project, quality of research, and care of preparation.

DissertationThe dissertation marks the culmination of the PhD program. It is an original and independent research project that makes a contribution to knowledge in a special area selected by the student. Handling of data and authorship will be discussed with the supervisor in accordance with UBC policies 85 and 88.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies’ website will guide you through the process of preparing for your oral defense and formatting and submitting your dissertation. Below are links to some key pages:

✓ Current Students Dashboard:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students

✓ Tools for Planninghttps://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/final-doctoral-exam/tools-planning-doctoral-exam

✓ Doctoral Deadlineshttps://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/final-doctoral-exam/doctoral-deadlines

✓ Dissertation and Thesis Preparation:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/dissertation-thesis-preparation

✓ Final Dissertation and Thesis Submission:https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/final-dissertation-thesis-submission

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III. Graduate Courses, 2017–2018The following are the 2017-18 Winter Session graduate courses offered at the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice.

GRSJ 500 (3):  Intersectional Issues in Social Justice and Equality StudiesTerm 1-2 (Required for first year MA and PhD students)A two-term seminar organized around the bi-weekly Wednesday Lecture Series and faculty seminars. 

Instructor: Dr. Dina Al-Kassim

GRSJ 501 (3):  Issues in Decolonizing and Feminist MethodologiesTerm 2 (Required for first year MA and PhD students)This course aims to stimulate discussion around decolonizing feminist social research methodologies by examining alternative (research) practices in the social sciences, humanities and applied fields (e.g. planning, education, environment and natural resources, health, social work, etc.) that lead towards respectful, reciprocal and responsible dialogues in (re)producing and (re)generating knowledge and action. Learners will be tackling issues in decolonizing and feminist research methodologies by questioning as well as redressing common disciplinary, cisnormative and heteronormative assumptions around knowledge, knowledge production and distribution -- examining whose knowledge and what forms of knowledge bases matter, how these knowledge bases are acquired and disseminated as we search for more complex, nuanced, and diverse ways of dealing with research problems/issues, ethics and methods from feminist, anti-colonial and indigenous perspectives.

Instructor: Dr. Nora Angeles

GRSJ 502 (3):  Issues in Gender, Sexuality and Critical Race Theories Term 1 (Required for first year MA and PhD students)Introduces students to key issues at the intersection of Queer, Trans, Feminist and Critical Race Theories.  We will examine a variety of cultural texts (eg, fiction, film) and new models of academic and cultural engagement with a radical democratic politics.

Instructor: Dr. Denise Ferreira da Silva

GRSJ 503E (3): Special Topics in Feminist Studies: Black and Indigenous Writings across the AmericasTerm 1Over the past two decades, the generative political and intellectual frameworks for the analysis of racial capitalism (Cedric Robinson; Angela Davis; Robin Kelley) on the one hand and settler colonialism (Nira Yuval-Davis and Daiva K Stasiulis; Jodi Byrd; Patrick Wolfe) on the other have risen to prominence, but have rarely been put directly in dialogue. “Racial capitalism” clarifies the

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ways in which anti-Black racism has been a fundamental, not incidental, component to economic development and underdevelopment in the Atlantic world and beyond while “settler colonialism” brings into focus the logic of dispossession and replacement that organizes this particular form of invasion and habitation on Indigenous lands. Both interpretive schemas can help us think through the genealogies and discontinuities of slavery, settlement, and Indigenous dispossession.

By focusing on Indigenous and Black writings across the Americas (particularly those from Brazil, Canada, Guyana, and USA), this seminar will bring these critical fields into more fruitful conversation, and will grapple with why they often seem to be deployed separately to explain the legacies of gendered, racialized, and state sanctioned violence across the Americas. We will work with the tantalizingly plural keyword “Americas” as a way to plot the traces of transnational and transcultural migration and displacements throughout the hemisphere. We will interrogate historical experiences of labor and production organized around the axis of capital and the world market (Quijano 2000), experiences that include slavery, genocide, serfdom, petty commodity production, reciprocity, and violent intimacies, at the same time that we explore the possibilities of hidden or potential solidarities, revolts, passions and generative intimacies.

Instructor: Dr. Phanuel Antwi

GRSJ 504A (3):   Decolonizing Praxis for Social Justice and Equality Studies: A PracticumTerm 2Students will draw on theoretical knowledge acquired in GRSJ studies to participate in a diverse range of community organizations working towards socio-political, economic and cultural transformation.  As is the case with all UBC practice-related courses, this course requires a Criminal Record Check.

Note: this course is cross-listed with undergraduate class (GRSJ 480)Instructor: Dr. Kim Snowden

GRSJ 505A (3 or 6): Directed ReadingTerm 1 & Term 2Undertaken with the supervision of a faculty member selected by the student, with the approval of the GRSJ Graduate Chair. For form/instructions contact e-mail the GRSJ Office or phone 604-822-9171. Restricted to students in GRSJ graduate programs.

GRSJ 510 (3): Extended EssayNon-thesis option for student enrolled in the GRSJ Master of Arts program.

GRSJ 520B (9): MA thesis

GRSJ 606 (0): PhD Thesis

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IV. UBC Academic Calendar 2017-2018Graduate Studies Academic Deadlines are listed on the Faculty of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies website: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/deadlines.

2017 – 2018 Academic Year: Dates & Deadlines

Term 1 Term 2Classes Start Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017 Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018

Reading Week February 19-23, 2018

Withdraw from courses without a ‘W’ standing Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017 Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018

Withdraw from courses with a ‘W’ standing Friday, Oct. 13, 2017 Friday, Feb. 09, 2018

Classes Finish Friday, Dec. 1, 2017 Friday, April 6, 2018

Exam Period December 5 – 20, 2017 April 10 – 25, 2018

Term ends December 31, 2017 April 30, 2018

(Source: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?page=deadlines)

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V. Graduate Awards & Scholarships All Canadian and international applicants are considered for graduate scholarship funding at the time of their application. A separate application is not required.

The Institute’s priority in allocating funds is as follows:

1) Incoming PhD students;2) Incoming MA students;3) PhD students in years 2-4 who do not have SSHRC or UBC Four-Year-Fellowships (and

especially international students who fit this criteria);4) MA students in 2nd year.

Funding opportunities:Open to Everyone

• UBC’s Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF) ($18,200 + tuition coverage forfour years of study)

• UBC’s Affiliated Fellowships ($175 – 30,000) (MA + PhD)• Graduate Student Travel Fund (up to $500) (MA + PhD)• Arts Graduate Student Research Awards (up to $1,000) (MA + PhD)

Open to Canadian Citizen or Permanent Residents• Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s (CGS-M) Program ($17,500 for 12

months)• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) doctoral

scholarships• Aboriginal Graduate Fellowship (MA + PhD)• BC Aboriginal Graduate Student Award (MA + PhD)• Vanier Scholarship (PhD)

Open to International students• International Partial Tuition Award (up to $3,200 per year)• UBC International Doctoral Fellowship ($30,000 per year + tuition coverage for

four years)• Graduate Global Leadership Fellowship (PhD)• Vanier Scholarship (PhD)

Other opportunities to explore• MITACS (Accelerate): Put your talent to work with an organization that needs

it. Funding starts at $15,000. https://www.mitacs.ca/en/programs/accelerate• Scholarships Canada: Search scholarships by field of study.

http://www.scholarshipscanada.com/Index.aspx

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