News

In "Teenage Feminists: High School Students and the Women's Movement in Ontario, 1968-1980," Dr. Megan Blair explored the ways in which teenagers engaged in feminism during the upsurge of feminist activism during the late 1960s and 1970s. Her dissertation argues that girls participated in feminism in a multitude of ways such as challenging their exclusion on sports teams, wearing pants to school, or taking industrial arts classes. Girls also engaged in more explicit forms of feminism such as advocating for reproductive rights or joining women's liberation groups.

Congratulations to History faculty member Matthew Wiseman for being shortlisted for this year’s Canadian Historical Association's Best (English-Language) Scholarly Book in Canadian History prize along with the following other authors.

• Crystal Gail Fraser, By Strength, We Are Still Here: Indigenous Peoples and Indian Residential Schooling in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. University of Manitoba Press, 2024.
• Gregory M.W. Kennedy, Lost in the Crowd: Acadian Soldiers of Canada’s First World War. McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2024.
• Mark G. McGowan, Finding Molly Johnson: Irish Famine Orphans in Canada. McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2024.
• Shannon Stunden Bower, Transforming the Prairies: Agricultural Rehabilitation and Modern Canada. University of British Columbia Press, 2024.
• Matthew S.Wiseman, Frontier Science: Northern Canada, Military Research, and the Cold War, 1945-1970. University of Toronto Press, 2024.

Congratulations to all the authors! The winning book will be announced at the CHA’s prize ceremony on June 3^rd, 2025.

The Awards of Excellence, inaugurated in 1983, are intended to recognise outstanding contributions by individuals, institutions and organizations to heritage preservation in Waterloo Region, in such areas as archaeology, archives, culture, education, genealogy, history, literature, media, natural history and others.

The Government of Canada has just announced that Dr. Talena Atfield has been named a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Tentewatenikonhra'khánion (We Will Put Our Minds Together). Dr. Atfield is of Kanien'kehá:ka of the Grand River and mixed settler backgrounds and is an assistant professor in the Department of History.

The Department of History welcomes two new leadership roles today: Professor Dan Gorman is the new Chair, and Professor Andrew Hunt is the new Associate Chair – Undergraduate. Professor Susan Roy continues in her role as the Associate Chair – Graduate.

Congratulations to Rebecca MacAlpine, PhD Candidate in History, for earning an Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching! Rebecca is a dedicated, disciplined, and thoughtful student, and she brings those same characteristics to her roles as TA, instructor, and most recently departmental TA Mentor and Coordinator.

Read about how our students and faculty are honouring the sacrifices of Canadians in war through research.

History Grad Student raising funds to help preserve 140-year-old Stratford building

Last week the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) named Distinguished Professor Emerita of History, Wendy Mitchinson, as the recipient of the 2019 Jason A. Hannah Medal, which is awarded for works that advance Canadian research in the history of medicine.