Michael Ignatieff to teach course in Canadian politics

July 12, 2011

Former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff will be teaching POL 382H1 S – Topics in Canadian Politics (Renewing Canadian Democracy) in the Department of Political Science in the winter 2012 term. The course is scheduled to be offered on Wednesday 10:00 -12:00 noon in the George Ignatieff Theatre.

Course Description: Is Canadian democracy working? Who is being served and who is being left out? What practical reforms would make our institutions serve our people better? What can we learn from other countries to make Canada a more democratic society? The course introduces students to theories of how democracy ought to work and then takes a critical look at the way Canadian political institutions actually work: the Prime Minister’s office, Parliament, political parties, the federal system, aboriginal self-government, NGO’s lobbying groups and the media. Students will be encouraged to propose and critically examine specific ideas about how to make our political institutions more just, more transparent, more inclusive and more equitable.