teaching & studying
Rural history is integrated into many of the Department's course offerings with respect to a number of historical fields, but especially:
- History 3660, Canadian Social History
- our research seminar course in North American Rural History, History 4620
- our independent reading courses, Hist 4447 and Hist 4490, are often focused on rural history
- our specific rural history courses (see below...)
CURRENT UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
HIST*3470/3970: Independent Reading Course: Irish Immigration to Canada
This reading course provides a detailed examination of Irish immigration to Canada in the 19th century. Special emphasis is placed upon the reasons for immigration, on settlement patterns in Canada, and on cultural and economic adaptation. Some of the literature will discuss cultural stereotypes and popular perceptions of the Irish. Other works are important for their revisionism and their extensive use of unusual sources such as immigrant letters, genealogy, housing designs, and folk songs.
HIST*3660: Canadian Social History Since Confederation
An examination of selected themes in the development of modern Canadian society such as the role of class, the social consequences of industrialization and urbanization, immigration, ethnicity and religion, education and culture.
Prerequisite: HIST*2601/2602
HIST*4620: Seminar in North American Rural History
This course examines selected topics in the social and economic transformation of rural North America.
Prerequisite: 1 of HIST*2110, HIST*2601/2, HIST*2650 Restriction: 70% average in all History course attempts
for more information on undergraduate work in History at the University of Guelph, see the Undergraduate Calendar
CURRENT GRADUATE COURSES
HIST*6280: Topics in Canadian History: Rural History Part I
A seminar course based on selected secondary readings from the historiography of Canadian rural history. This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to Canadian rural history, its themes, debates and sources. Not intended to be a comprehensive reading list, instead the readings expose students to a wide range of topics and authors in order to read some of the best literature in the field. As well as gaining a thorough understanding of each author's thesis and her/his contribution, we will examine how books are written, how arguments develop over several chapters and how authors make their work pertinent to the larger historical narrative. Students will also be given an opportunity to experience first hand the pleasures and challenges of working with primary documents. This focus on research and writing are designed to assist students in developing skills they can take with them into their own individual research projects in the future.
HIST*6281: Topics in Canadian History: Rural History Part II
In this course a research project is carried out over one term on a historical or historiographical topic in Canadian rural history. The research paper is developed as part of the requirements of a seminar course, in this case Topics in Canadian History: Rural History, Part II. The aim of this project is for the student to acquire practise in the advanced research and writing skills necessary for independent research at the graduate level. It is designed so the student can explore a topic of her/his choice, demonstrate a thorough grasp of the secondary literature on the topic, work with a body of primary sources,and arrive at an independent conclusion.
for more information on graduate work in History at the University of Guelph, see the Graduate Calendar