In Fall 2020 Halifax Humanities introduced its first online course, Perspectives. The goal of the class was to introduce students from across the province to the process of studying philosophy, literature, and art in a welcoming, accessible, online environment. The class ran for six weeks, and students met online via Zoom twice a week from 7pm-8pm to grapple with the question: “How does your perspective change the way you see the world?” The class has tackled the question from a variety of angles, including Plato’s analogy of the cave, self-portraiture from the Renaissance to the present day, Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Lorraine Hansberry’s realist drama A Raisin in the Sun.
The Perspectives Online Course is open to all adults in Nova Scotia facing barriers to traditional education. The course is 100% free. Books are mailed to participants free of charge, and assistance with technology and child care is available. This course offers a great introduction to the Humanities for anyone planning to take Halifax Humanities 101, and it is also a fun course to take on its own!