Graduate Liberal Studies Program SFU

11/20/2025

Join GLS' graduate chair Emily O'Brien on Dec 11th @ 6:30pm for a talk on "The Renaissance of Roman Ruins and Their Lessons for Today." Registration required. Reception to follow.

ABOUT THE TALK

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Rome’s ancient ruins were excavated, examined, and elevated as symbols of a past to be both honoured and understood. Yet while some Roman ruins were protected and preserved, others were torn down, stripped of their marble, and reduced to rubble. The Renaissance fascination with antiquity was fraught with tensions, which surfaced most sharply when respect for the past collided with contemporary needs. From President Trump’s demolition of the White House’s East Wing to the rise of Vancouver’s new towers, the same question persists: how can we reconcile respect for history with the demands of the modern world?

The Dante Alighieri Society of British Columbia

See details and RSVP instructions: https://ow.ly/K4Un50XtIYx

05/23/2025

We’re delighted to share that GLS student Ellen Vaillancourt Obiedzińska will be unveiling her MA Creative Project, "ReWorlding: Weaving a Thread of Resistance in the Fabric of Consumer Culture," at the Slice of Life Gallery and Studios in Vancouver on Saturday, May 24th, at 1–8PM!

Explore how creative practice can disrupt the status quo, evoke joy, and transform how we value clothing—not as product, but as story, kin, ceremony, and as a revolutionary act of love and resistance.

Learn more and get free tickets: https://ow.ly/XMvQ50VY1BX

02/18/2025

Join Graduate Chair Emily O'Brien in the virtual classroom on Thursday, March 13th, 6:30–8:30PM PDT, for a taste of what Graduate Liberal Studies at SFU has to offer. Sign-up now to participate in the lively discussion of Machiavelli’s famous, satirical play, “The Mandrake Root”!

To attend the Zoom seminar, please RSVP to [email protected] by March 11th.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/tcMb50UZ33o

02/04/2025

GLS, in collaboration with The Dante Alighieri Society of British Columbia in Vancouver, is proud to present an upcoming lecture by Graduate Chair Emily O'Brien on "Rescuing Florence: Stories of a Renaissance City Under Siege."

The talk, on February 27th @ 6:30PM, explores this pivotal event, highlighting Michelangelo’s efforts to defend Florence and its treasures, the sacrifices of its citizens, and the enduring memory of the siege in art, literature, and history.

Learn more and RSVP: https://ow.ly/At8f50USUCL

12/12/2024

You are invited to an upcoming GLS sample seminar on Euripides’ Greek tragedy, "The Bacchae," with program director, Sasha Colby! Join us online on Feb 11th for a taste of what the GLS program has to offer! Please RSVP by Feb 7th.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/6MUY50UoMiM

11/09/2024

BC Review Annual Fundraiser
A note from Richard Mackie, publisher, The British Columbia Review.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board of The British Columbia Review, I must mention our pressing need for continuing financial support from our reading community. We make this request for private donations annually to keep the review in a healthy state. We are most grateful to the 117 donors who [contributed in 2023]. Thank you, everyone!”

Clickable Link in Bio: https://thebcreview.ca/2024/10/19/2328-fundraiser-2024/

10/25/2024

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled soon. Apologies for any inconvenience.

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing - SFU Graduate Liberal Studies Babcock Series in Writing presents Elleke Boehmer in conversation with Kate Kennedy!

Join us on October 26th at 10AM on Zoom for a discussion on ‘Writing Fiction; Writing Life’. Their discussion will focus on Elleke’s novel "The Shouting in the Dark" (2015) and her short stories, in particular her second collection, "To the Volcano" (2019), and will explore questions of writing across borders and giving voice.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/qrng50TGhzY

10/16/2024

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing - SFU Graduate Liberal Studies Babcock Series in Writing presents Elleke Boehmer in conversation with Kate Kennedy!

Join us on October 26th at 10AM on Zoom for a discussion on ‘Writing Fiction; Writing Life’. Their discussion will focus on Elleke’s novel "The Shouting in the Dark" (2015) and her short stories, in particular her second collection, "To the Volcano" (2019), and will explore questions of writing across borders and giving voice.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/qrng50TGhzY

10/09/2024

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing - SFU Graduate Liberal Studies Babcock Series in Writing presents Michael Ignatieff in conversation with Hermione Lee!

Join us on October 19th at 10AM on Zoom for a talk about biography, autobiography, the challenges of life-writing, and the relations between creative non-fiction and fiction.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/iP3v50TGh8X

10/03/2024

The Oxford Centre for Life-Writing - SFU Graduate Liberal Studies Babcock Series in Writing presents Margaret MacMillan in conversation with Kate Kennedy!

Join us on October 5th at 10AM on Zoom for a discussion on academic writing and the question of its intended audience. Drawing examples from history and showing the ways in which it can be used and abused, the lecture will show why understanding the past can be helpful for the present.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/xGtp50TBP6I

09/28/2024

The Oxford Centre for Life Writing - SFU Graduate Liberal Studies Babcock Series in Writing presents Jen Sookfong Lee in conversation with Sasha Colby!

Join us on October 2nd at 6PM on Zoom for a discussion on what it means to combine research and imagination in writing Vancouver, particularly through Jen’s Chinatown trilogy (The End of East, The Better Mother, The Conjoined). Some consideration will also be given to the place of local writing within the broader context of writing and publishing in Canada.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/ZYog50TxJ8i