Contemporary Studies

Interpret today

The contemporary period is marked by continuous transformation, with new challenges but also new possibilities for change emerging constantly. The Contemporary Studies Program (CSP) engages with the ideas, thinkers, and movements that have contributed to new understandings of the world, community, self and other. In CSP you will:

choose from a wide range of interdisciplinary courses that explore ideas about ethics, aesthetics, and politics; contemporary art, modern film, and digital media; new biotechnologies, nature, environment, and the body, and many others;
consider the place of science and technology in the contemporary world and challenge the supposed dichotomy of science and culture;
engage with texts by environmental philosophers, thinkers of the Global South, Indigenous thinkers and race and gender theorists;
participate in classes on transformative thinkers such as Ludwig Wittgenstein, Hannah Arendt, Judith Butler, bell hooks, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson and Michel Foucault;
conduct conceptual analyses of issues such as marginalization, social justice, migration and belonging, freedom and responsibility, while incorporating a range of critical perspectives;
participate in innovative teaching and learning environments; for example, laboratory observation sessions, community-outreach, and gallery visits;
use critical skills and creative talents.

Find out what’s new in the program

CSP+ News & Events Courses

Study abroad in Berlin

This month-long Contemporary Studies elective provides an opportunity to explore the themes of collective memory, public space, and historical trauma in Germany’s capital city. Through daily seminars, site visits, and museum tours, you learn about the political, architectural, and social stakes of the struggle to take responsibility for history in a city that is both burdened with the past and alive to the future.

Find out more

Publish your work

Hinge is an academic journal written, edited, and published annually by the students in the Contemporary Studies Program. It is interdisciplinary in scope, not only because of the variety of academic backgrounds of our peers and contributors, but because an interdisciplinary approach is fundamental to understanding any aspect of the contemporary world. The papers are revised versions of the work produced by the students in Contemporary Studies program classes.

Read the latest volume

Combined Honours

Contemporary Studies Program students are required to take the program’s three core course doublets:

CTMP 2001.03 & CTMP 2002.03 (or CTMP 2000.06)
CTMP 3001.03 & CTMP 3002.03 (or CTMP 3000.06)
CTMP 4001.03 & CTMP 4002.03 (or CTMP 4000.06)

plus at least twelve credit hours CSP electives.

The requirements for the second honours subject are dependent on that department, and vary from program to program. Students may fulfil the honours requirement in either of the two honours subjects. Usually, this subject will be the one in which the student has taken more classes. The honours requirement in CSP is satisfied by writing an honours thesis, which is defended at an oral examination.

Explore courses

Core Courses

: Modern Social and Political Thought I: Politics of Recognition; CTMP2001.03
Fall; KTS Lecture Hall
M 1335-1525
W 1335-1425

: Modern Social and Political Thought II: Challenging Recognition; CTMP2002.03
Winter; KTS Lecture Hall
M 1335-1525
W 1335-1425

: Science and Culture I: The Discourses of Modernity; CTMP3001.03 / HSTC3031.03
Fall; Archibald Room
M 1035-1225
W 1035-1125

: Science and Culture II: Resetting the Modern; CTMP3002.03 / HSTC3032.03
Winter; Archibald Room
M 1035-1225
W 1035-1125

: The Deconstruction of the Tradition I: Language and Dispossession; CTMP4001.03
Fall; Archibald Room
M 1535-1725
W 1535-1625

: The Deconstruction of the Tradition II: Precarities; CTMP4002.03
Winter; Archibald Room
M 1535-1725
W 1535-1625

Electives

: The Lecture Series: Representation of Colonialization and De-Colonialization; CTMP2011.03/3011.03/4011.03 / EMSP2011.03/3011.03/4011.03 / HSTC2011.03/3011.03/4011.03
Winter; KTS Lecture Hall
T 1605-1755
T 1905-2055 (biweekly)

: The Politics of Hope: From Romanticism to Anarchism and Beyond; CTMP2100.03
Fall; Frazee Room
T 1735-2025

: Apocalypse: The Revolutionary Transformation of Politics and Culture; CTMP2101.03
Fall; Scotiabank Room
T 1735-2025

: The Idea of Race in Philosophy, Literature, and Art; CTMP2115.03
Winter; Classroom AA1
MW 1005-1125

: Humanism and Anti-Humanism: The Dramatic Story of What Makes Us Modern; CTMP2121.03
Winter; Frazee Room
W 1725-2025

: Mass and Digital Media Culture; CTMP2201.03
Winter; KTS Lecture Hall
MW 1005-1125

: Bio-Politics: Human Nature in Contemporary Thought; CTMP2203.03 / HSTC2206.03
Winter; Archibald Room
R 1735-2025

: Pain; CTMP2301.03
Winter; Archibald Room
M 1735-1925
W 1735-1825

: The Vampire: Modernity and the Undead; EMSP2313.03 / CTMP2313.03
Fall; KTS Lecture Hall
M 1735-2025

: Human Experiments; HSTC3101.03 / CTMP3204.03
Winter; Scotiabank Room
MW 1435-1555

: The 'Pictorial Turn' in Recent Thought, Art and Theory; CTMP2316.03
Fall; Archibald Room
TR 1305-1425

: The Experience of Others in Philosophy, History and Literature; CTMP2322.03
Winter; Scotiabank Room
T 1605-1755
R 1605-1655

: East Meets West in Popular Culture; CTMP2336.03 / CHIN2052.03
Winter; Classroom AA1
TR 1605-1725

: Asia and the West: Centuries of Dialogue; EMSP2390.03 / CTMP2102.03 / HSTC2811.03 / CHIN2082.03
Fall; Classroom AA1
MW 1005-1125

: Ideas of the Sea and Seafaring: Intercultural Perspectives; EMSP2490.03 / CTMP2207.03 / HSTC2220.03
Fall; KTS Lecture Hall
MW 1605-1725

: The Rise of Nietzscheanism; CTMP3104.03
Fall; Frazee Room
M 1735-2025

: The Nietzschean Legacy; CTMP3105.03
Winter; Frazee Room
M 1735-2025

: The Thought of Michel Foucault; CTMP3130.03
Fall; Classroom 1
TR 1005-1125

: The Question of the Animal; CTMP3155.03
Winter; Scotiabank Room
MW 1605-1725

: Science and Religion: Contemporary Perspectives; HSTC3201.03 / CTMP3201.03 / RELS3201.03 / HIST3076.03
Winter; Seminar 7
TR 1605-1725

: Intersecting Bodies, Selves and Environments; CTMP3210.03
Fall; Scotiabank Room
MW 1605-1725

: Feminism and Science; CTMP3215.03 / HSTC3411.03 / GWST3215.03
Winter; Archibald Room
TR 1005-1125

: Spinozisms: From Early Modernity to the Contemporary World; EMSP3216.03 / CTMP3316.03
Fall; Seminar 7
MW 1435-1555

: Representations of the Holocaust: Bearing Witness; CTMP3321.03
Fall; Archibald Room
TR 1605-1725

: Art and Atrocity: Contemporary Contexts, Gendered Perspectives; CTMP3330.03
Fall; Scotiabank Room
TR 1305-1425

: Theories of Punishment; EMSP3430.03 / CTMP3170.03
Fall; Online / Asynchronous

: Walter Benjamin's Materials; CTMP4124.03
Fall; Classroom AA1
TR 1605-1725

: Phenomenology and its legacy: Back to the 'things themselves'; CTMP4140.03
Winter; TR 1305-1425

: Philosophies of Technology I: From Techne to Technology; CTMP4200.03 / HSTC4200.03
Fall; Frazee Room
T 1435-1625
R 1435-1525

: Studies in Contemporary Science and Technology: New Materialisms: Life, Politics, and Science; CTMP3411.03 AND HSTC3615.03
Fall; KTS Lecture Hall
T 1305-1355
R 1305-1455

: Studies in Contemporary Aesthetics and Critical Theories - "Little Girls"; CTMP4415.03
Winter; Scotiabank Room
MW 1305-1425

: Giants of 20th Century Jewish Thought; CTMP4340.03
Winter; Frazee Room
T 1435-1625
R 1435-1525

Honours Thesis & Colloquium

: Contemporary Studies Honours Thesis; CTMP0456.00 and CTMP0457.00
Fall
Winter; Archibald Room

Minor

You can take a minor in CSP to complement your degree. Understand the contemporary world by choosing from a wide range of courses in the areas of social and political thought, science and culture, and aesthetics, literature and literary theory, and film.

Complete a minimum of 18 credit hours to a maximum of 27 credit hours including:

One of the core course doublets:
- CTMP 2001.03 & CTMP 2002.03 (or CTMP 2000.06)
  * Both CTMP 2001.03 & CTMP 2002.03 must normally be taken in the same academic year to meet this requirement.
- CTMP 3001.03 & CTMP 3002.03 (or CTMP 3000.06)
  *Both CTMP 3001.03 & CTMP 3002.03 must normally be taken in the same academic year to meet this requirement.
- CTMP 4001.03 & CTMP 4002.03 (or CTMP 4000.06)
  *Both CTMP 4001.03 & CTMP 4002.03 must normally be taken in the same academic year to meet this requirement.
6 credit hours at the 3000 or 4000 level. CTMP 3001.03 & CTMP 3002.03 (or CTMP 3000.06) OR CTMP 4001.03 & CTMP 4002.03 (or CTMP 4000.06) will also fulfill this requirement).
6 credit hours at any level.

Explore courses

: Pain; CTMP2301.03
Winter; Archibald Room
M 1735-1925
W 1735-1825

: The Vampire: Modernity and the Undead; EMSP2313.03 / CTMP2313.03
Fall; KTS Lecture Hall
M 1735-2025

: The 'Pictorial Turn' in Recent Thought, Art and Theory; CTMP2316.03
Fall; Archibald Room
TR 1305-1425

: The Experience of Others in Philosophy, History and Literature; CTMP2322.03
Winter; Scotiabank Room
T 1605-1755
R 1605-1655

: East Meets West in Popular Culture; CTMP2336.03 / CHIN2052.03
Winter; Classroom AA1
TR 1605-1725

: Asia and the West: Centuries of Dialogue; EMSP2390.03 / CTMP2102.03 / HSTC2811.03 / CHIN2082.03
Fall; Classroom AA1
MW 1005-1125

: Ideas of the Sea and Seafaring: Intercultural Perspectives; EMSP2490.03 / CTMP2207.03 / HSTC2220.03
Fall; KTS Lecture Hall
MW 1605-1725

: Science and Culture I: The Discourses of Modernity; CTMP3001.03 / HSTC3031.03
Fall; Archibald Room
M 1035-1225
W 1035-1125

: Science and Culture II: Resetting the Modern; CTMP3002.03 / HSTC3032.03
Winter; Archibald Room
M 1035-1225
W 1035-1125

: The Rise of Nietzscheanism; CTMP3104.03
Fall; Frazee Room
M 1735-2025

: The Nietzschean Legacy; CTMP3105.03
Winter; Frazee Room
M 1735-2025

: The Thought of Michel Foucault; CTMP3130.03
Fall; Classroom 1
TR 1005-1125

: The Question of the Animal; CTMP3155.03
Winter; Scotiabank Room
MW 1605-1725

: Contemporary Studies Honours Thesis; CTMP0456.00 and CTMP0457.00
Fall
Winter; Archibald Room

: Intersecting Bodies, Selves and Environments; CTMP3210.03
Fall; Scotiabank Room
MW 1605-1725

: Feminism and Science; CTMP3215.03 / HSTC3411.03 / GWST3215.03
Winter; Archibald Room
TR 1005-1125

: Spinozisms: From Early Modernity to the Contemporary World; EMSP3216.03 / CTMP3316.03
Fall; Seminar 7
MW 1435-1555

: Representations of the Holocaust: Bearing Witness; CTMP3321.03
Fall; Archibald Room
TR 1605-1725

: Art and Atrocity: Contemporary Contexts, Gendered Perspectives; CTMP3330.03
Fall; Scotiabank Room
TR 1305-1425

: Theories of Punishment; EMSP3430.03 / CTMP3170.03
Fall; Online / Asynchronous

: The Deconstruction of the Tradition I: Language and Dispossession; CTMP4001.03
Fall; Archibald Room
M 1535-1725
W 1535-1625

: The Deconstruction of the Tradition II: Precarities; CTMP4002.03
Winter; Archibald Room
M 1535-1725
W 1535-1625

: Walter Benjamin's Materials; CTMP4124.03
Fall; Classroom AA1
TR 1605-1725

: Phenomenology and its legacy: Back to the 'things themselves'; CTMP4140.03
Winter; TR 1305-1425

: Philosophies of Technology I: From Techne to Technology; CTMP4200.03 / HSTC4200.03
Fall; Frazee Room
T 1435-1625
R 1435-1525

: Studies in Contemporary Science and Technology: New Materialisms: Life, Politics, and Science; CTMP3411.03 AND HSTC3615.03
Fall; KTS Lecture Hall
T 1305-1355
R 1305-1455

: Studies in Contemporary Aesthetics and Critical Theories - "Little Girls"; CTMP4415.03
Winter; Scotiabank Room
MW 1305-1425

: Giants of 20th Century Jewish Thought; CTMP4340.03
Winter; Frazee Room
T 1435-1625
R 1435-1525

DALHOUSIE SELECTIVES

Students enrolled in the Combined Honours or Minor program in CSP can opt to take a maximum of one 3-credit hour “selective” course at Dalhousie University to count towards the CSP part of their degree. The Registrar’s Office at King’s should be notified if students wish to pursue this option.

Contemporary Studies

Interpret today

Find out what’s new in the program

Study abroad in Berlin

Publish your work

Combined Honours

Core Courses

KTS Lecture Hall

M 1335-1525

W 1335-1425

KTS Lecture Hall

M 1335-1525

W 1335-1425

Archibald Room

M 1035-1225

W 1035-1125

Archibald Room

M 1035-1225

W 1035-1125

Archibald Room

M 1535-1725

W 1535-1625

Archibald Room

M 1535-1725

W 1535-1625

Electives

KTS Lecture Hall

T 1605-1755

T 1905-2055 (biweekly)

Frazee Room

T 1735-2025

Scotiabank Room

T 1735-2025

Classroom AA1

MW 1005-1125

Frazee Room

W 1725-2025

KTS Lecture Hall

MW 1005-1125

Archibald Room

R 1735-2025

Archibald Room

M 1735-1925

W 1735-1825

KTS Lecture Hall

M 1735-2025

Scotiabank Room

MW 1435-1555

Archibald Room

TR 1305-1425

Scotiabank Room

T 1605-1755

R 1605-1655

Classroom AA1

TR 1605-1725

Classroom AA1

MW 1005-1125

KTS Lecture Hall

MW 1605-1725

Frazee Room

M 1735-2025

Frazee Room

M 1735-2025

Classroom 1

TR 1005-1125