Courses
Upcoming and current courses on offer.
Fall 2026
September 2026 Courses
“What’s Happening on the Hill” - Nick Nanos
Nick Nanos and others The course will consist of a series of separate talks by people close to the centre of Canadian politics.
“Getting off Fossil Fuels: The Role of Renewable Energy” - David Holmes
The recent Iran war and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has brought into focus the need to diversify our energy mix and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. After examining the current world energy mix, this course will look at the current and potential future contributions of renewable energy to the world’s overall energy consumption.
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“Six Challenges to Contemporary Democracy” - Andrea Chandler
There has been much debate over whether liberal democracy is in decline in the 21 st century, particularly since Donald Trump was first elected President of the United States in 2016. In the course, we will examine some of the influential authors and theorists who discuss these challenges from various perspectives, and consider their relevance for particular countries.
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“Understanding ADHD” - Barry Schneider
ADHD is difficult to recognize and is characterized by many difficulties in addition to attention problems. The name of the disorder changes every few years as do the criteria for its diagnosis. It is sometimes considered a single disorder that manifests itself in different ways but is sometimes thought to encompass several different disorders. In this course, we will briefly trace the history of the concept of ADHD and
theories about what causes it.
October 2026 Courses
"How People Think" - Bruce H. Tsuji
The Psychology of Thinking, How it Develops, Exceptional Thought, AI, and the Getting of Wisdom
The speaker’s interest in AI has led him to wonder about the differences between human and artificial intelligence and if there might be something about human thinking (wisdom?) that computers may neverachieve. We will explore these topics together.
"A Literary Journey in the Muslim World" - Monia Mazigh
This course is a literary introduction to great books (mostly novels and a biography) written by Muslim (mainly female) authors from different Muslim countries. The novels will be explored mainly from a literary perspective but also will be a point of entry to a conversation about the country, its traditions, its history, its geography and its political situation.
"The Biology of Cancer" - Bruce Burns
Cancer is a terrifying disease, yet we have made amazing progress in dealing with it over the past few decades. This course is offered as an introduction understanding how cancer develops, how cancer cells differ from normal cells and how we diagnose, classify and stage (extent of spread of the cancer) the common cancers. While the summary aspects of treatment will be discussed, this is not intended to focus on treatments. Special attention will be devoted to colon, breast, prostate and skin cancers.
"An Introduction to Reggae and Jamaican Music” - Keith McQuaig
Reggae is a major part of Jamaican culture, and the impact and influence of this music continues to be felt all over the world. In this course we will look at the sonic and social history of Jamaican music, from ska, rocksteady, and reggae, to dub and dancehall. We’ll also discuss the rich and varied Jamaican Canadian music scene in Toronto in the 1970s and 1980s. Whether you’re a reggae aficionado, or your knowledge of reggae begins and ends with Bob Marley, this course is for you.
Remembering Through Caring and Healing - Anna Rumin
Remembering Through Caring and Healing
How do the stories of healing and caring from our lives play a role in helping us understand who we are and why we do what we do? How do you define “healing”? How do you define “caring”? What is the difference between “caring” and “healing”? Can exploring our experience of healing and caring / being cared for change our relationships to others and to ourselves? Can it have an impact on our capacity for empathy for ourselves and others? Do you remember the first time you got sick and who did and didn’t look after? Were there times you were emotionally hurt and who was there to support you? For whom have you been a support? What about systems – the health-care system, religious organisations, schools, and clubs – what role do they play in caring and healing? This is a memoir based writing course that invites you to do a deep dive into your unique experiences which will, undoubtedly shed light on a shared experience.
"Time is Just a Four-Letter Word" - Peter Watson
Time affects every single human activity, and we have a profound intuitive understanding of it. Despite that, there are basic questions about Time that we cannot answer. This series of six lectures covers a wide variety of topics.
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