The New Huck Finn
A new edited version of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will be published with the most offensive terms edited out. What are the merits and problems of this approach to difficult classic literature?
Category Archives: American History
Bigness, Bureaucracy and Schools: What Can We Learn from History?
Bigness and bureaucracy are not always good for students, teachers, or schools. It is not a matter of turning back the clock, but rather one of regaining control over our schools, rebuilding “social capital”, and revitalizing local communities. That’s a theme connecting history with public policy and one worthy of further serious research and discussion.
Reflecting on Kan’s “Shamanism and Christianity”: Making Sense of Family Conversion Narratives
Brittany Luby reflects on how her studies, particularly Sergei Kan’s “Shamanism and Christianity” inspired critical reflection of her own family’s conversion narratives.
The “War on the Car” has a long history
Last week, newly-elected Toronto Mayor Rob Ford continued his campaign rhetoric by proclaiming that “the war on the car is over.” On the first day of his mayoralty, Ford announced he intends to halt construction of a light rail transit line on Sheppard Avenue. The mayor says a subway under Sheppard Avenue should be built instead of the surface light… Read more »
This is Not About Cinnamon Toast
A discussion of the importance and possibilities of storytelling, oral history and personal memories.
Can Facebook Get You Fired?
A discussion of recent labour board decisions in Canada and the United States on Facebook firings.
The Sound of History
http://download.publicradio.org/podcast/americanradioworks/podcast/arw_4_3_john_biewen.mp3?_kip_ipx=972215519-1283174810Podcast: Play in new window | Download A few months ago the American Radio Works posted a very interesting podcast on the art of making radio documentaries. The podcast included a live presentation given by Stephen Smith and John Biewen about a new book Reality Radio: Telling True Stories in Sound. While the whole discussion is very interesting, the second… Read more »
Reflection: 9/11
Today I write this on 12 September 2010, one day after 11 September 2010, and 9 years after 11 September 2001. In the midst of my first year of living in New York City, this date has caused me special occasion to pause and to take note of the nine year anniversary as I get to know the neighbourhoods and… Read more »
Time Machine Being Built South of the Border
The first steps towards building a historical time machine are underway south of the border. A group of American history educators have founded an ambitious plan to create the “Civil War Augmented Reality Project.” This first time machine will be a literal window into the past. By taking advantage of smart phone and tablet computer technology, as well as their… Read more »
Can We Redeem File-Sharing After the Download Decade?
The term “download decade” is an effective description of the first ten years of this infant century and the first rising chapter of the so-called Information Age. It accurately distills the blind conspiracy between the exponential availability of high-speed Internet, the gradual decrease in the cost of personal computers, the rise of peer-to-peer file-sharing networks and websites like Napster and… Read more »