History and Culture

Upper Canadian War Resisters in the War of 1812

May 9, 2012

This is the second in a weekly series of posts leading up to the mini-conference The War of 1812: Whose War was it Anyway? being held at the University of Waterloo on May 30th. By Jonathan Seiling It is widely recognized that many Upper Canadians did not demonstrate utmost loyalty toward the British Crown on the [...]

Read the full article →

Mad Men and Wonder Years: history, nostalgia, and life in The Sixties

May 7, 2012

By Jay Young Like many people, I anticipated the return of Mad Men (AMC, Sundays, 10 pm EST), one of television’s most acclaimed series of the past decade. Now in its fifth season, the show looks at the life of Don Draper and other workers in the New York advertising industry during the 1960s. At [...]

Read the full article →

The Popularity of Remembrance

April 11, 2012

By: Laura Piticco The week of April 9-13 is important for marking two major events in history: the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, and the 95th anniversary of the battle at Vimy Ridge. Both events have as of late been dominating the media coverage, one in particular, the Titanic, more than the [...]

Read the full article →

Where’s the History? The absence of history on History Television

April 2, 2012

I love watching History Television! I’ve spent hours watching M*A*S*H with my father, and programs like Digging for the Truth are part of the reason I decided to get involved with public history and archaeology. But another part of me is sad to see History Television’s emphasis on ‘reality TV’ programming lately.

Read the full article →

Keeping the Peace or Keeping a Myth?

March 1, 2012

By Dan Macfarlane The federal government’s recent initiatives in foreign policy and glorification of Canada’s military past (particularly in light of the bicentennial of the War of 1812) have given rise to plenty of complaints, including suggestions that the country needs to return to its peacekeeping roots. While I agree with many of the criticisms, [...]

Read the full article →

The Shafia Murders, Immigration, and Misrepresenting Canadian Violence Against Women

February 16, 2012

Public debate and media coverage of the Shafia family murder trial has obscured and misrepresented patriarchal violence against women in Canada, mistakenly implying that violence against women and misogyny are not endemic throughout all of Canadian society. Violence against women and spousal violence are not unique to the Canadian Muslim community, they are systemic throughout Canadian society. In a country with a long, brutal history of violence against women, it is absurd to suggest otherwise.

Read the full article →

OYSTERS, PISTACHIOS, AND AVOCADOES: A CURSORY GLANCE AT EATING FOR LOVE

February 8, 2012

Lubricating relationships with an eye to the past, historian Britt Luby looks at eating for love.

Read the full article →

Revisiting Past Places: Google’s ‘Memories for the Future’ Project in Japan

February 2, 2012

Next month will mark one year since the people of Japan experienced a devastating series of natural disasters. The earthquake and tsunami that hit parts of Japan on March 11, 2011, resulted in tremendous loss for the Japanese people. Many Japanese lost their lives while survivors lost homes, a sense of stability, and sense of [...]

Read the full article →

Music as a Gateway to Understanding Historical Practice

January 16, 2012

Popular culture serves as an easy way to capitalize on students’ everyday experience. Music can teach about the past in at least seven overlapping ways.

Read the full article →