GGR202H5S
Assignment # 3
Spaces of Contention in Canada
Grade Value: 15% of final grade
Due date: Fri., March. 29, 2024 @11:59pm
Submission method: On-line submission via Quercus Dropbox.
Description:
In this assignment students will analyze a contentious location/site or attraction/feature in
Canada and demonstrate how meanings in place are constructed, challenged and changed
through historical and contemporary politics. Places are given certain meanings by certain
people to convey certain ideas/messages. Very often, meanings given to places are an
expression of power. The naming of cities, roads, islands, the erection of statues and other
monuments in public space, as well as large scale mega economic development projects are all
examples, as are instances in your everyday experiences. Students will select a contentious
location/site and/or attraction/feature in Canada and investigate its various meanings, to
whom those meanings belong and why certain people have the authority to give those
meanings and not others. Students are encouraged to think about spaces of contention in their
everyday experiences in addition to larger, more well-known instances.
The objectives of this assignment are to:
• provide an opportunity for students to investigate lesser-known meanings not evident in
the landscape
• engage in research related to a Canadian related topic that is of interest to students
• practically apply course content in generating greater meaning around contested spaces
in Canada
• practice thinking critically i.e., recognize multiple perspectives and the values and
assumptions underlying them (including your own)
Students are to prepare and hand in a summary that:
• identifies a contentious location/site or attraction/feature in Canada; the more specific the
better;
• provides a background context for the selected location/site or attraction/feature in
Canada; non-academic sources can be referenced in the background context
• explains how/why/in what ways the selected location/site or attraction/feature in Canada is
contentious; use at least 1 academic article to help add layers of meaning to your explanation
• connect the contentious location/site or attraction/feature in Canada specifically to a course
concept/theme/idea; use lecture notes (i.e., Dupej, Lecture #, lecture date) and/or the textbook
in making the connection
• 500 words max
2
References:
• students are required to reference at least one (1) academic article in their summary but
can reference up to four (4)
• students are required to reference the textbook (Bone) at least once in their summary
• include a reference section
GRADING RUBRIC
The summary:
Missing/Does
not meet
Requirement
(F)
(0)
Not
Acceptable;
Incompetent
Skill
(F)
(1-2)
Poor;
Marginally meets
the Requirement;
Questionable
Skill; Needs
Improvement
(D - D+)
(2.5)
Requires Work;
Needs Further
Explanation;
Unclear
(C – C+)
(3)
Satisfactory;
Meets the
Requirement;
Competent
Skills
(B – B+)
(3.5)
Well Done;
Fairly High
Degree of
Skill; Marginal
Improvement
(A)
(4)
Exceptional;
Skill is Above
and Beyond;
Needs No
Improvement
(A+)
(4.5-5)
• clearly identifies a
contentious location/site or
attraction/feature in Canada
and provides a background
context
• explains how/why/in what
ways the selected
location/site or
attraction/feature in Canada
is contentious; uses at least
1 academic article to help
add layers of meaning to
your explanation
• connects the contentious
location/site or
attraction/feature in Canada
specifically to a course
concept/theme/idea; use
lecture notes and/or the
textbook
• is well written: it is detailed,
thorough, organized, clearly
articulates ideas and has no
grammatical or spelling
errors; includes formatted
reference page