History Education in Canada: A Profoundly Immodest Proposal

Does history matter? Historians certainly think so, but sometimes it can seem like we’re in the minority. History departments across the country are struggling to meet enrolment targets, and the common mantra that the future of our society depends primarily on science, technology, engineering, and mathematic graduates remains popular in Canada and around much of the developed world

Qu’est-ce que l’Institut d’histoire de l’Amérique française ?

Consider the following: two instructors offer a history course that is designed to improve students’ research skills. The course culminates in an independent project. That project is assessed based on the quality of the research, writing, and analysis. In cases when those results are consistently good (and perhaps also when student evaluations are positive), the instructors conclude that their course was a success and, it follows, that the learning experience has improved their students’ historical research skills.L’Institut d’histoire de l’Amérique française est la principale association des historiennes et des historiens du Québec, du Canada francophone et de l’Acadie, ainsi que des spécialistes de l’Amérique française. Fondé en 1946 par Lionel Groulx, l’Institut regroupe professeurs, professionnels et amateurs d’histoire provenant de toutes les régions du Canada et de l’étranger. Cependant, le plus gros des effectifs de l’association vient du Québec, où il est naturel que davantage de personnes s’intéressent à ses activités qui sont celles d’une société savante bien impliquée dans son milieu et largement sollicitée par celui-ci

Chapter II. Refashioning Humane Internationalism in Twenty-First-Century Canada

The recent merger of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has been framed by Canada’s Conservative government as an effort to better align international development policy with Canadian national interests (Savage 2013). While some within and outside of Ottawa have praised the decision as long overdue, others have criticized it for all but disregarding the moral or ethical obligations that many typically associate w..

Are the Risks Real? Contemporary Opposition to the ICC

In spite of the overwhelming global support for the international criminal court (ICC) upon its inception in July 1998, a significant number of states, led by the US, have hesitated in ratifying the Rome Statute. After reviewing the benefits and drawbacks of a fully­functioning ICC, this paper addresses the implications of the ICC in the context of global power politics. We conclude that, while accession to the ICC indeed affects state sovereignty, on the whole, the risks articulated by opponents in the US and elsewhere are more perceived than real. Accepting the ICC will have little to no impact on Great Power security or influence in the international arena

Situating Canada in a Changing World: Constructing a Modern and Prosperous Future

The late Canadian diplomat and commentator John Wendell Holmes believed that the best public policy emerged out of an appreciation of history and context. This essay series, sponsored by the Holmes Trust, reflects on six contemporary themes in Canadian foreign and security policy, with historians considering the background of each issue and practitioners responding with a view to the future. Together, the essays demonstrate the value of history to a decision maker's analytical calculus and offer practical suggestions to inform Canada's response to the challenges ahead. An English and French print version will be available in late spring