Wednesday, December 18, 2019

WCGS 2018 Book Prize announced

A message from the Waterloo Centre for German Studies

We are pleased to announce the winner of our 2018 Book Prize, Disruptive Power: Catholic Women, Miracles, and Politics in Modern Germany, 1918-1965, written by Michael O'Sullivan and published by the University of Toronto Press. The book was selected from a shortlist of eight excellent academic works on German studies published in 2018. 

Disruptive Power tells the story of Therese Neumann, a Bavarian mystic who developed a cult following that lasted through the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, and the early years of the Federal Republic. By examining the revival of belief in Catholic miracles and its role in influencing many thinkers, politicians, and other actors, O'Sullivan has painted a nuanced and many-sided portrait of the local, religious, social and political history of twentieth-century Germany.  

Jury members were impressed by O'Sullivan's ambitious analysis and attention to a variety of issues that in concert offer a refined look at the complexity of German regional and religious identities. As one juror commented, "this is an important book - it makes a person think again about the larger narratives that have so long shaped the story of German culture and history." For another juror, the book's ability to "be seen as women’s history, or as a history of political and identity struggles of rural Germany in times of upheaval" makes it a valuable contribution to German studies. A "fascinating and engrossing read," Disruptive Power asks important questions about the relationship between religion and mainstream culture.

Michael O'Sullivan teaches a broad range of courses on European history at Marist College in New York. He earned his BA from Canisius College, and his MA and PhD from the University of North Carolina. 

The WCGS Book Prize was established to raise awareness, within academia and the broader public, around the engaging and dynamic knowledge being produced by newer German Studies scholars. An international jury chaired by James M. Skidmore, Director of the Waterloo Centre of German Studies, made the selection. Other members of the jury were Ann Marie Rasmussen (University of Waterloo), Carrie Smith (University of Alberta), Karina Urbach (Institute of Advanced Study, Princeton), and Joachim Whaley (University of Cambridge). 

Nominations for next year's prize, for first books published in 2019, will open in early 2020. Visit the WCGS Book Prize page for more information.

Winter term Sustainability Certificate offerings

A message from the Sustainability Office

We are excited to offer the Sustainability Certificate once again to all University employees for the upcoming Winter 2020 term. This series of in-class courses is intended to help Waterloo embed sustainability into campus culture, one of the major goals of the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy. This series includes seven modules that cover key local and global sustainability issues, what the University is doing, and tools and resources for employees to integrate sustainability into their own departments, homes, and beyond.

In Winter 2019, the Sustainability Office was pleased to award a completed certificate to its 100^th graduate; as of Fall 2019, nearly 140 employees have completed the certificate and an additional 120 employees have started the series.    

Registration is managed through Workday. For a list of session dates and more information, please visit the Sustainability Certificate webpage.

Capture your research for the chance to win

A message from the Office of Research.

Researchers can win up to $2,000 in this year’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and l’Association francophone pour le savoir (ACFAS) Science Exposed contest.

To enter, researchers must submit a research photo with a catchy title, explanation, and comments on the technique used to create the image. Researchers from any field of study are welcome to enter the contest and can enter individually or as a group.

The contest will be open until January 13, 2020. Be sure to review NSERC’s website for full contest details and rules before entering. 

Wednesday's notes

"Thinking ahead to next term?" asks the Department of Music at Conrad Grebel University College. "Sign up for an audition now with one of our seven ensembles." Check out https://uwaterloo.ca/music/ensembles for more details. The ensembles are open to all Waterloo students, including undergraduates and graduate students.

The Turnkey Desk in the Student Life Centre has discounted tickets for Cineplex, Landmark Cinemas and Princess Cinemas. They make a great gift!