Opuscula

Frank Klaassen of our department is the editor of new journal Opuscula: Short Texts of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This peer-reviewed and open-access journal, which is published by CMRS, specialises in developing small scholarly editions of pre-modern texts, ranging from letters and notebooks to court documents and literary works.

And you can check out the very first -- and entirely fascinating -- issue ("Three Early Modern Magic Rituals to Spoil Witches") from the comfort of your own home.

The secrets of charming a witch into confession can now be yours ... for free!

Click now for these secrets and more: http://opuscula.synergiesprairies.ca/ojs/index.php/opuscula/index .

Image: Witches flying on broomsticks, from The History of Witches and Wizards (1720)
Credit: Wellcome Library, London

Snitch! A History of the Modern Intelligence Informer

Snitch! by Steve Hewitt, alumni of the department and Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham, comes out for sale on February 1st -- and it can be pre-ordered through fine booksellers like amazon.ca and chapters.indigo.ca.

Book Description

This is a vivid account of how some citizens actively assist state surveillance by 'informing' on others, such as during the Cold War and the current campaign against terrorism. With "Snitch!", Steve Hewitt provides a thorough study of human informers, i.e., people who secretly supply information to a domestic security agency (a spy provides information to a foreign intelligence service.) The work begins with an examination of the rise of the modern security state through the Cold War to today's ongoing 'long war' on terror.

Using a unique comparative approach, Hewitt analyzes the practical and political aspects of informing, drawing on past and present examples from the United States, United Kingdom, former Soviet Union, and other countries. He argues that although the scale of the use of informers by domestic security agencies differs from nation to nation, the nature of their use and the impact on those targeted by this form of surveillance do not. An engaging read that combines scholarly research and specific case studies, "Snitch!" will appeal to anyone interested in security and intelligence as well as in issues surrounding the use of informers, especially in democratic societies.

HGSC Steak Night

The HGSC is hosting a Fundraiser Steak Night at Winston's English Pub, downtown Saskatoon (243 21st St E) on Tuesday, February 2nd at 6pm (dinner at 6:30).

(There is also a meat-free stir-fry option available as an alternative to steak.)

Tickets are $15 each and ALL proceeds go to help subsidize student travel to the 2010 Keewatin Conference to be held this year in Manitoba at Riding Mountain Park.

To purchase your ticket, please see Nadine in Arts 721. Tickets are also available from HGSC members in McLean Hall (Mandy Fehr, Mat Mossey, and Kelly Butler).

For more information on Winston's, http://www.winstonspub.ca.
Questions may be directed to Kelly Butler, kelly.butler@usask.ca.

Professor Chris Kent's Retirement

Professor Kent's students are invited to his retirement celebration, which will be held on Thursday, February 4 in the Faculty Club, Fireside Room (3:30-5:30).

If you are interested in attending, please R.S.V.P. to Nadine Penner by email (nadine.penner@usask.ca) or by telephone (966-5797).

Thirteenth Annual Michael Swan Colloquium

The Department of History will be hosting the annual Honours colloquium on Friday, January 22 , from 10:00 until 4:00 at the Diefenbaker Centre. The sessions show our students' wide-ranging research interests.

Session 1 (10:00-10:15): Totalitarian Policy in Practice
Session 2 (11:00-11:45): Science and Medicine
Lunch 11:45-1:00 -- Served in the Foyer
Session 3 (1:00-2:00): Marginalized Populations
Session 4 (2:15-2:50): Crime and Punishment
Session 5 (3:00-3:45): War and Peace

It looks like an interesting day ahead. Faculty, friends and family, graduate students and undergraduate students are all very welcome to attend!

The Great Trek

On January 5, from 12:30 to 1:00, grad student Merle Massie will be chatting to Garth Materie on CBC Radio's Blue Sky. The topic of the show will be The Great Trek -- migration in Saskatchewan during the 1930s. This follows on from her earlier Blue Sky appearance in October (see previous What's Up entry), when Merle discussed northern freighting.

Update: The podcast is now available!

Professor Chris Kent Retires

After 39 years in our department, Professor Kent taught his final class last week. He is well-known for his work on social, intellectual and gender history in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Britain, as well as historiography. Suitably, Professor Kent's final class was on "Approaches to History".

If you would like to join the department in celebrating Professor Kent's career at the University of Saskatchewan, please join us at a retirement party on February 4th, 3:30 to 5:30 at the Faculty Club. Former students are very welcome to attend.

Pictured at top: Chris Kent, discussing future fishing trips
Pictured below: Chris Kent and his "Approaches to History" class
Image Credits: Nadine Penner and Valerie Korinek

Waiser on CBC National

On November 21, The National on CBC did a great segment (http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/The_National/ID=1338602146) on Howdy McPhail's aerial photography and (of course!) interviewed Bill about his new book on McPhail. For more information on the book itself, check out the publisher's website.

(If the link to the segment isn't working, just open it in a new window or cut and paste the address.)

Movie Night: Gallipoli

On Nov. 18, HUSA will be presenting Gallipoli as part of its annual film series. Professor John McCannon will introduce the movie.

This excellent movie looks at the ill-fated (not to spoil the ending!) World War I battle. Besides looking at the mistakes of the Australian and New Zealand military commanders, the film focuses on the friendships between the soldiers. A very young Mel Gibson stars.

Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: Arts 241

(Image: "Australian Despatch Rider who rode through a hail of bullets", Wellcome Library)

Graduate Poster Session

Well done to the eight graduate History students who participated in the University Graduate Poster Session on October 13.

Last year's winners Heather Stanley and Merle Massie held a workshop on how to do academic posters earlier this autumn, which encouraged Marc MacDonald, Liam Haggarty, Jonathon Clapperton, Laura Larsen, Leslie Baker, Amy Samson and Stephanie Danyluk to try their hands at posters this year -- and very successfully too!

The department came in third for most entries from across the University. Leslie Baker (Ph.D. student) took first prize, while Stephanie Danyluk (M.A. student) came in second in the Arts Division.

Top Picture: Winner Leslie Baker (left) and Laura Larsen (right).
Bottom Picture: Marc MacDonald (left) and Second-place winner Stephanie Danyluk (right).

(Photo Credit: Valerie Korinek)

Remembrance Day Ceremony

On November 11 at 1:00 p.m., the University of Saskatchewan will host a Remembrance Day ceremony at the Memorial Gates. In addition to the University President, the Lutheran Chaplain, and other dignitaries and guests, the ceremony will also feature Scouts from Geoff Cunfer's troop and Cubs from Keith Carlson's pack. Additionally, immediately following the ceremony, the Student Union will host a reception at Browsers where Mike Hayden will provide a short lecture on the significance of both the WWII names on the wall in Browsers and the WWI names in the College Building.

(Image Credit: Wellcome Library, London)

Congratulations to Our Recent Graduates

On October 31, the Department saw six of its graduate students graduate. Congratulations to Dr. Jason Zorbas and Masters Jennifer Hamel, Amanda Harrigan, Alice Glaze, Taiki Kato and Carla Fehr!

In the last couple months, we have also had a number of students defend their theses on a number of fascinating subjects -- from the history of women at the University of Saskatchewan to French missionaries in Tonkin. Congratulations to Kevin Gambell, John Greenshields and Victoria Drover Lamb, as well as our new alumni.


List of Recent Theses

Kevin Gambell (M.A. thesis) "Cemetery Spaces of Sto:lo Shxwowhamel and the Ile-a-la Crosse Metis".

John Greenshields (M.A. thesis) "Republican Universalism and Racial Inferiority: Paul Bonnetain and the French Mission to Civilize in Tonkin".

Victoria Lamb Drover (M.A. thesis) "A Place for Everyone, but Everyone in Their Place: The Inclusivity of Female Students, Staff and Faculty at the University of Saskatchewan (1907-1920)".

Carla Fehr (M.A. thesis) "The Apostle of Capitalism: The Economist from 1843-1863".

Taiko Kato (M.A. thesis) "To Endure and Become Humble: Myth and Reality of the Climate of the Prairies".

Portraits of An Era

Bill Waiser's latest book, Potraits of an Era: The Aerial Photography of Howdy McPhail, has just been published. This book not only tells a good story, but it is filled with beautiful reproductions of McPhail's aerial pictures. After perusing Portraits during a recent department meeting, I can heartily recommend the book if you are thinking about presents for family members, aviation buffs, or photography fans.

Susan Blake

It is with tremendous sadness that we inform the What’s Up community of the death of Susan Blake, beloved wife and partner of Professor Gordon DesBrisay. Susan died peacefully in the Palliative Care Ward of St. Paul’s Hospital on October 28, 2009 from pancreatic cancer. Susan and Gordon faced Susan’s diagnosis (in May 2009) bravely and they sought to maximize her time here, continuing their passions for friends and family, community, gardening, dog-walking, literature and movies. As many of you will know, Susan commuted between Easton, PA where she was a Professor of English at Lafayette College to Saskatoon from 1993 (when Gordon was appointed in the History Department) until 2006 when she took early retirement. Susan was an accomplished scholar and teacher, an expert in African-American literature and travel literature, and a former Department Head at Lafayette. She will be remembered for her wit, her passion for life and learning, her intellect and her desire to forge community wherever she went. The History community will miss Susan dearly and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to Gordon at this time. Those who wish to do so are welcome to attend the Celebration of Susan’s life, which will take place on Saturday, November 7 at 2p.m. at the Acadia-McKague’s Funeral Centre, 915 Acadia Drive, Saskatoon. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Canadian Harambee Education Society or the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation.

History Events on Campus This Week

The final event to celebrate wrestling at the University of Saskatchewan will be held on October 29. Nathan Hatton will speak on "Thrashing Seasons: Roughness, Respectability and Professional Wrestling on the Canadian Prairies before 1930" (sponsored by the College of Kinesiology and the Department of History). The talk starts at 7:30 in Room 246 at the Physical Activity Complex (PAC).

If you haven't yet had a chance to see the exhibition on "Ring-a-Ding-Dong-Dandy: Glimpses of Wrestling History", it's not too late. The exhibition is on until November 5 at the Murray Library's Link Gallery.

Also on October 29, Sharon Wright from the Department of History at St Thomas More College will be giving a lecture to the CMRS Colloquia Series on "Women, Conflict & Community After the Great Mortality". Refreshments are at 4:00 and the talk begins at 4:30 (Room 344B St Thomas More College).

Remembering Jackie Bates Report

On October 17, the community of Glidden gathered to remember young Jackie Bates, who was murdered by his own parents in 1933. Bill Waiser was invited to give a talk (and to sign books) about the Bates tragedy. Forty people attended the placement of the gravemarker and sixty came to the talk. The community raised $1000 for a new recreation centre.

Picture Above: Bill Waiser and the two event organizers by the grave marker for Jackie Bates.

Human Experimentation Workshop

Historians Larry Stewart and Erika Dyck will be hosting a workshop on the history of human experimentation on Friday, October 23 from 8:30 to 4:00 in the Diefenbaker Centre (Theatre Room 129).

Topics include: electric shock and pornography in the eighteenth century (Paula Yates); galvanic experiments (Joan Steigerwald); medical research during the American Civil War (Shauna Devine); the 'other' Tuskagee study (Paul Lombardo); Nazi experimentation (Paul Weindling); and Albertan eugenics (Erika Dyck).

For more information and to register, contact Marc MacDonald (jmm328@mail.usask.ca).

Remembering Jackie Bates

In 1933, eight year old Jackie Bates was killed by his parents. This Saturday (Oct. 17), two special events will commemorate his short life: a marker placement ceremony and a reading and book signing by Bill Waiser.

The marker placement ceremony will be held at Madison Cemetery at 1:30. Participants should meet at the Glidden Community Hall at 1:15, before proceeding as a group to place a nameplate on Jackie's unmarked grave.

At 2:30 (Glidden Community Hall), Bill Waiser will talk about the significance of the Bates tragedy and read from his book Who Killed Jackie Bates?. There will also be music provided by Jack Humeney and a charity auction for the Glidden Recreation Board Riding Arena.

For more information about the events or to make a donation, please contact Carla Motz of Glidden (463-3576).

The Long Trek to Northern Saskatchewan

This morning, grad student Merle Massie interviewed live on CBC Radio's Blue Sky with Garth Materie. To hear her on the subject of overland freighting in northern Saskatchewan and how people braved the elements, you can access the audio file at: http://www.cbc.ca/bluesky/2009/10/the_long_trek_to_northern_sask.html . An appropriate topic given our current weather!

HUSA Meet the Profs Night

The History Undergraduate Students' Association is hosting the annual Meet the Profs Night. Anyone -- not just HUSA members -- who has an interest in history is encouraged to attend.

Date: Tuesday, October 13
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Location: The Hose and Hydrant Brew Pub
Address: 612 11th Street

The HUSA executive hopes to see you there!