New Courses in 2026/27

AN232K: Cultures of Sound and Song (Fall 2026)

Mondays and Wednesdays 11:30 a.m. -12:50 p.m.
with Assistant Professor Christina Woolner

Have you ever stopped to really listen to the world around you? Or considered how sounds – from traffic noise and birdsong to your favourite Spotify playlist – shape your experiences, what you know, how you feel, and how you relate to others?

In AN232K (Cultures of Sound and Song), we will explore what sound is and what sound does in diverse cultural contexts – from Laurier’s campus to the Bosavi rainforest, from British prisons and wartime Iraq to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter. Through lectures, ethnographic case studies, and experiential sound-based activities (including a soundwalk and basic audio recording/editing practice) we will examine how sound systems as cultural systems shape our understanding of the world and reflect on what we may learn and know by more intentionally and critically attending to the sounds that surround us.

AN307X: Deep Reading Ethnography (Winter 2027)

Tuesdays 10 a.m. - 12:50 p.m.
With Assistant Professor Christina Woolner

Ready to unplug and “get lost” in a book?

Reading is a core skill for learning university content and developing critical thinking, and reading ethnography is central to sharing anthropological knowledge. But digital technologies like smartphones and AI are fundamentally re-shaping how we pay attention to written texts. Inspired by the “slow reading” movement, AN307X (Deep Reading Ethnography) will introduce you to the practice of “deep” reading: reading that is intentional, sustained, reflexive and rewarding. Through tech-free deep reading sessions, reflective journalling and class discussion, you will sharpen your ability to read ethnographic monographs while also discovering rewarding reading strategies for your university studies and beyond.