Friday, January 27, 2012

Good News

It's been one of the worst-kept secrets around the department, but I'm finally at liberty to reveal some good news now that OCN has issued the official notice.  Congratulations to Frank Klaassen on his success in the Canadian Foundation for Innovation grant competition! Frank is a co-investigator with Peter Robinson (English) and Brent Nelson (English) on the Textual Communities project.
 
This grant will in turn support the development of an international website and transcription project on Recipes and Secrets.  More on that later this spring!

Missed Opportunities!

Our recent alumna Dr. Merle Massie was interviewed Thursday afternoon on CBC Radio's Afternoon Edition to discuss her work on Saskatchewan Ghost Towns. Sounds like it would have been fun!

Alas, I didn't find out in time to give you all a heads-up about this interesting radio interview... and worse yet, there doesn't appear to be a podcast available.  But congratulations to Merle -- I hope it went well.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Annual Michael Swan Honours Colloquium


The Department's annual colloquium will be held on Friday, January 20th at the newly renovated Diefenbaker Centre (Prairie Room). Our honours students will be presenting their work over the course of the day -- and what a great line up it is!  Please feel free to join us: all are welcome to attend
 
Welcome (9:00-9:05 a.m.)

Session One (9:05—9:40 a.m.)

First Nations’ History
(Ryan Buhay, Chair)

Claire Thomson. “The Cowboy Way: Lakota Ranching and Rodeo Participation at Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan.”

Regan Flaherty. “The Role of Alcohol in Native-Newcomer Relations in 18th century Illinois Country.”

Session Two (9:45—10:40 a.m.)

Sex, Drugs and Eugenics
(Logan Richards, Chair)

Gina Trapp. “Art in the Time of Aids: Gay Art and Gay Rights in New York.”

Ryan Buhay. “A Tale of Two Campuses: LSD and the University of Saskatchewan in the 1960s.”

Amanda Shea.When the Conversation Shifts: An Examination of Changing Discourse in the British Eugenics Review 1909-1968.”

Break (10:40 a.m.—11:00 a.m.)


Session Three (11:05 a.m. —12:00 Noon)

Conflict and Diplomacy
(Claire Thomson, Chair)

Tyler Reimer. “To Fight a King: Legitimate Violence in the Magna Carta and deditio.”

Kevin Sexsmith. “The Long and Winding Road to a Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.” 
 
Damian Braun. “The Trent Affair: A Popular Crisis in 19th century Anglo-American Relations.”


Lunch in the Foyer (12:00 Noon—1:00 p.m.)


Session Four (1:05—2:00 p.m.)

History of Ideas and Historiography
(Sarah Vela, Chair)

Johnathan Brammall. “Comparative Epistemology: Ockham and Augustine on Knowledge.”

Dallas Posavad. “The Venerable Bede: The Intellectual World of a Doctor of the Church.”

Chris McGarrity. “The Persistence of Tradition: Why the Tide of the Enlightenment has not Submerged   Tradition.”

Session Five (2:05—3:00 p.m.)

The World Wars
(Damian Braun, Chair)

Matthew Kerr. “Turning Points: Intelligence and the Battle of Britain.”

David Siebel. “Trench Newspapers and Canadian Soldiers’ culture in WWI.”

Randy Knight. “The American Victory at Midway: Five Factors.”


Break (3:00—3:15 p.m.)

Session Six (3:15—4:10 p.m.)

Society and Culture in Renaissance and Early Modern Europe
(Matthew Kerr, Chair )

Bronwyn Craig. “‘Rosemunda Avenges her father’: Paul the Deacon’s Account of King Alboin in The History of the Lombards.”

Sarah Vela. “The Ripley Scroll and Early Modern Alchemical Manuscripts.”

Logan James Richards. “Boccaccio’s Decameron: A Bawdy Picture of Daily Life in Early Renaissance Italy.”

Closing Remarks (4:10-4:20 p.m.)

Fifth Annual After-Colloquium Beverage Gathering (at Louis’)

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Conference Workshop

Interested in learning how to apply to give papers at conferences? Write a conference paper? Or what might come afterwards?  The History Department is hosting a workshop aimed at senior undergraduate and graduate students.  Speakers include Merle Massie, Liz Scott, Keith Carlson, Jim Miller, and Simonne Horwitz.

Date: January 13
Time: 1:30-3:30
Place: Grad Commons

As an added incentive: refreshments are provided!

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Whiling Away Time

Before term gets too busy, you might be interested in checking out some top-notch history blogs to while away your time.  At the American Historical Association meeting, the winners of the Cliopatria Awards for best history blogging have been announced.  There is some great stuff out there!

And if you check out the award-winning group blog Wonders and Marvels, you just might spot a member of our own department.

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Richard Gwyn: The Great Canadian Tragedy

An exciting start to the new year -- Richard Gwyn, author and political columnist, will be speaking on "The Great Canadian Tragedy: John A. vs. Louis Riel" on January 16.  For a very lucky few, he will also be visiting Bill Waiser's new graduate class on Writing!

Gwyn is an officer of the order of Canada and author of the award-winning two volume biography of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first Prime Minister.

Date: January 16
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Place: Convocation Hall

A book sale and signing will follow.