Fall 2024
HRSJ 5010 -Foundations of Human Rights and Social Justice
This course provided strong overview of important theoretical frameworks that are used to understand, describe, and advocate for equality and social justice such as:intersectionality, feminism, and critical race theory. These theories helped me to understand the reasons behind inequality, and how those inequalities can be addressed and resolved at both local and global levels.
Class discussions provided me with a platform to understand multiple viewpoints and reflect upon my own privilege within our societal systems. The group project was also very helpful, since it permitted me to apply what we had been learning about in our readings to real world problems, through collaborative approach. The theory paper assisted me in improving my ability to think critically and write effectively.
HRSJ 5020- Indigenous Ways of Knowing: Resurgence of Land Based Pedagogies and Practices
This course provided me with a greater awareness of Indigenous knowledge system and understanding of Indigenous peoples’ philosophies of relationships (with people, history, land) and how they differ from the Western academic frameworks I have studied. This course also helped me to develop deeper appreciation toward the depth and strength of Indigenous worldviews and their resistance.
As someone from the Global South, this course has been an awakening experience for me in relation to social justice issues in Canada, specifically in terms of ongoing legacies of colonialism and continued systemic marginalization of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Participating in weekly journals assisted me in connecting class materials to my own lived experiences and evolving positionality. Also, I was able to develop critical thinking and empathy by participating in class discussion and dialogue with knowledge-keepers and elders.
For me, sharing Secwépemc stories, learning to introduce ourselves in Secwépemc language and visiting Kamloops Residential School during the course were powerful learning experiences that enhanced our learning objective. It reminded me that learning is not just an intellectual process, it is a relational one.
HRSJ 5710- Food, Art, and Community Empowerment
This course was a special experience that allowed exploring food more as something that nourishes people but rather as something that brings bodies, land, culture, and justice together. I explored the role of capitalism, colonialism, and industrial agriculture in defining the global food system and reinforcing inequality. The chapter submission on the book by Vandana Shiva, “Who Really Feeds the World?” enlightened me on the ways in which corporate food systems are exploiting the people and the planet. The article reviews and presentation on Food-Systems-Racism: From mistreatment to transformation that I have conducted assisted me in examining the intersection of race and class in the fight of food justice. For the final assignment, I tried exploring political cartoons, which is a strong form of art that usually critiques the current scenario and connects them with related videos and articles.
Our visit to the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc Food Sovereignty Garden, KFPC Butler Urban Farm and The Stir provided a very strong experiential learning experience. These visits anchored abstract theories in practice demonstrating how communities create resilience based on local food efforts and Indigenous knowledge. Altogether, this course enabled me to perceive food as a space of resistance and connection and deeply understand how our daily decisions relate to larger movements of justice, sustainability, and decolonization.
Winter 2024
HRSJ 5030- Problem Solving in the Field
Through this course, I developed a strong understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of social science research. I was able to look at the research through both the quantitative and qualitative lenses. In this class we were taught to come up with precise and focused research questions, assess different methods, and see their advantages and problems in the actual world. The course increased my consciousness of the ethical and social aspects of research, particularly in human rights and social justice. I also acquired analytical and critical skills with respect to Indigenous and anti-colonial research methods and learned how these and similar other frameworks change data collection, analysis, and community engagement—especially in the Global South context.
This course helped me during my practicum as a research assistant at KFPC, where I got an opportunity to implement what I learned in this course. Also, I am proud of my research grant proposal that I developed in this class, which investigates shrinking civic space and its impact on women human rights defenders in the context of Nepal.
HRSJ 5120- Settler Colonialism, Decolonization and Responsibility
This course enabled me to recognize settler colonialism as an active system of power and displacement, not an event of the past. I examined the ways it has continued to influence societies in the global north with colonial past and its strong linkage to land, identity and justice.
The course materials and textbooks taught me to identify the distinctions among the different types of colonialism and to assess how settler colonialism functions as a cultural and political project that strengthens systemic injustices—particularly among Indigenous and marginalized community. Assignments of this course, such as the chapter submission on the book by Arthur Manuel and Ronald Derrickson, “Unsettling Canada: A National Wake-up Call,” enabled me to approach reading works with greater criticality and relate theory with realities.
Our final project was a creative expression on which I created a handbook dedicated to the analysis of the 46 articles of UNDRIP and its applicability to the constitution of Nepal. The main objective of this handbook was to advance legal awareness and advocacy on Indigenous rights through knowledge, engagement, and meaningful dialogues to safeguard Indigenous rights in Nepal. This course expanded my understanding of the ways in which colonial institutions continue to exist in the modern world and reinforced the idea that I must be thoughtful in engaging in the work of decolonization, relationship-building, and justice.
HRSJ5260 – Contemporary Capitalism
Through this course, I was able to investigate how modern capitalism forms relationships between extraction, production, consumption, and disposal in various societies and on various levels. We also were able to analyze the influence of global economic systems on people, environment, and social relations.
The discussions in classes enhanced my perception of capitalist globalization as a factor that fosters social inequalities. Similarly, the group presentation provided an opportunity to work with my colleagues to examine real-life examples of consumption, waste, and environmental justice movements. Overall, this course allowed me to access the social movements as they stand against the injustices of global capitalism and to think critically about the economic systems, morals, and ways to make the world a better and fairer place.
Summer 2025
HRSJ 5040- Practicum
Fall 2025
HRSJ 5110 – Genocide in the 20th Century
The course has also enriched my knowledge of genocide as one of the most severe types of violations of human rights and allowed me to analyze its causes, effects, and the global consequences in the light of the historical and modern examples.
The course, which was split into three large themes—the concept of genocide, the Holocaust, and modern genocides—enabled me to critically examine the mechanisms of systemic violence formation and the way a society remembers and reacts to this kind of atrocity. Group discussion and class talks were significant in influencing my learning.
Our classroom discussion helped us to engage meaningfully, think critically, and confront other views on morality, responsibility, and justice. The think pieces enabled me to consider the ethical and political aspects of genocide, whereas the research paper gave me an opportunity to look into what international actors and the peacekeeping mission could do to prevent and intervene in mass atrocities. On the whole, this course helped me to enhance my skills in analyzing genocide in terms of history, morality, and politics, and increased my understanding of the moral obligations that we as world citizens have.
HRSJ5140 – Art, Media and Dissent
This course allowed me to explore how feminist social movements use art, media, and activism to challenge gender inequality and advocate for social justice. I examined how visual and digital media represent women’s struggles and how feminist artists and activists reclaim these spaces to amplify marginalized voices. Through discussions and readings, I gained a deeper understanding of how issues such as bodily autonomy, sexual violence, environmentalism, and access to public and digital spaces intersect within feminist movements.
The group presentation on a film proposal helped me understand the power of visual storytelling in activism and how media can influence public consciousness. Engaging in weekly art projects encouraged me to think creatively about social issues and express feminist perspectives through visual and conceptual forms. The final reflective assignment allowed me to connect theory, creativity, and community experience, helping me see how feminist frameworks can guide meaningful action in real-world contexts.
Overall, this course strengthened my understanding of feminist theory, creative resistance, and intersectional activism, while inspiring me to see art not only as expression but as a tool for empowerment, education, and social change.