In Canada; ongoing attempts at reconciliation with aborignal peoples have met with limited success. Globally as well; 'truth and reconciliation' commissions and calls for apology and redress for wrongs or crimes against disenfranchised; traumatized; and colonized peoples are criticized as well as lauded. This course will examine reconciliation; largely within the Canadian cultural context; focusing on theoretical; philosophical; and cultural complexities entailed in the words 'reconcile' and 'reconciliation'. We will examine; most importantly; the concept of 'the other' (and of 'alterity'); of how and if we can come to know the other (person; group; culture; animal; even self) and what; therefore; reconciliation means as a result of these explorations. Our starting point will be work produced by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation in Canada. Students will select a research topic of their own to work on throughout the term. This course has a significant online component; and runs concurrently on both U of C and Red Deer campuses.