PUBLIC POLICY AND LABOUR HISTORY IN NEW BRUNSWICK

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Understanding New Brunswick’s present by knowing about its past is the theme of a two-day bilingual conference on public policy and labour history to be held 1-2 September 2009 at the Wu Centre on UNB’s Fredericton campus.

The conference, Informing Public Policy:  Socio-economic and Historical Perspectives on Labour in New Brunswick, brings together researchers and community leaders from all parts of the province and also features keynote speakers from Laval, Harvard and Concordia universities.
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Humphries on the Lessons of the 1918 Pandemic

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In today’s Globe and Mail, an insightful article from Mark Humphries that draws on the lessons of the 1918 Influenza to provide advice on how to deal with the contemporary H1N1 (‘swine flu’) pandemic fear. The link is here. It’s certainly worth reading and thinking about, both as a great way to see active history in motion but also because it deals with a very pressing issue.

In my opinion, this is a wonderful example of history being marshaled to provide policy prescriptions.

Database Form

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I’ve added a database form for people to fill out if they would like to support this project. If you were at our lunch meeting at the CHA you filled out a paper copy of this form already.

We are in the process of creating a database of Active Historians. When completed members of the media and public policy researchers will be able to contact us to find experts on a particular field of history. If you are a historian who is interested in joining this network please fill out the form below or contact info@activehistory.ca

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CHA Annual Meeting – Presentation

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The first annual meeting of the Active History committee was held at Carleton University on 27 May 2009, part of the Canadian Historical Association annual meeting. A fruitful discussion was had, revolving around our constitution (which was passed and is available upon request) as well about the general mandate of both the committee and the website. It has helped us refine our thinking – some of which has been incorporated in our recent CFP posted below.

For those of you who could not attend the presentation, the PowerPoint presentation is attached to this post. If you have any questions, as always, please contact us: info (at) activehistory.ca

activehistory-presentation (file is 2.1MB)

CFP

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The ActiveHistory.ca committee is pleased to announce that we are actively soliciting papers in all areas of historical inquiry, including but not limited to several specific targeted areas. We are looking for short papers on important historical topics that might be of interest to policy makers, the media or the general public. Papers (approximately 2,000 – 4,000 words in length) should engage critical issues facing Canadian society, and must be written for a general audience.

Several issues have emerged in the public eye that may benefit from historical analysis; additionally, we have raised some specific questions. Here are some suggestions, although we welcome papers on any time period or topic:

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First Paper

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We have posted our first paper in the Education sub-section of the Papers page.  Paul Axelrod and Academic Matters: The Journal of Higher Education were kind enough to allow us to link a paper on this site.  Axelrod’s short essay is a clear demonstration of the contribution historians can make to current issues.

Paul Axelrod, Universities and the Great Depression: Then and Now?

If you would like to submit a paper of your own please take a look at our editorial guidelines and contact jimclifford (at) yorku.ca.

Active History Lunch at the Canadian Historical Association Meeting

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We are happy to announce that we will be hosting a Business lunch meeting at the CHA meeting this May in Ottawa. During this meeting we will be promoting Activehistory.ca and founding an Active History committee affiliated with the CHA. If you are interested in this project please attend our meeting and our Round Table discussion the following morning.

We define active history variously as history that listens and is responsive; history that will make a tangible difference in people’s lives; history that makes an intervention and is transformative to both practitioners and communities. We seek a practice of history that emphasizes collegiality, builds community among active historians and other members of communities, and recognizes the public responsibilities of the historian.

Please contact Thomas Peace for more information: tpeace@yorku.ca

Active History Panel at the Canadian Historical Association

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We have organised a round table for this the CHA in Ottawa this Spring.  The round table is scheduled on Wednesday, May 27 at 8:30am.  The presenters include Kieth Jamieson, a Cultural Consultant, Adjunct Professor and Curator from the Mohawk of the Six Nations of the Grand River, Robin Elliott, Excutive Director of Murmur Toronto, Geoffrey Reaume, Associate Professor, York University, Jim Clifford, PhD Candidate, York University and Thomas Peace, PhD Candidate, York University.

Tom and I hope the round table will both discuss the idea of active history developed at our conference in September and begin a conversation about where we can take active history in the future.  Please attend the round table if you are in Ottawa for the CHA.