“Absolutely Incapable of ‘Carrying On:’” Shell Shock, Suicide, and the Death of Lieutenant Colonel Sam Sharpe

This article examines Canadian social and medical responses to nervous breakdown and suicide in the First World War through the case study of Lieutenant Colonel Sam Sharpe, a Member of Parliament and commander of the 116th Battalion. An historical analysis of Sharpe’s experiences and reaction to war trauma provides wider insights into how shell shock and military suicide represented a potential threat to prewar masculine ideals. Medical and political interpretations of Sharpe’s breakdown initially aimed to preserve social stability and validate the war’s moral justifications but contradictory understandings of shell shock ultimately made for a complicated and unstable process of commemoration

The de Finetti theorem for test spaces

We prove a de Finetti theorem for exchangeable sequences of states on test spaces, where a test space is a generalization of the sample space of classical probability theory and the Hilbert space of quantum theory. The standard classical and quantum de Finetti theorems are obtained as special cases. By working in a test space framework, the common features that are responsible for the existence of these theorems are elucidated. In addition, the test space framework is general enough to imply a de Finetti theorem for classical processes. We conclude by discussing the ways in which our assumptions may fail, leading to probabilistic models that do not have a de Finetti theorem.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, revtex

Involuntary Retirement and the Resolution of the Retirement-Consumption Puzzle: Evidence from Australia

A substantial body of international research has shown that household expenditure on food and non-durables significantly decreases at the time of retirement -- a finding that is inconsistent with the standard life-cycle model of consumption if retirement is an anticipated event. This fall in expenditure has become known as the `retirement- consumption puzzle.' We analyze rich Australian panel data to assess the Australian evidence on the puzzle. We find strong evidence of a fall in expenditures on groceries, food consumed at home and outside meals with retirement. The observed decline in expenditure is explained by a subset of households experiencing an unanticipated wealth shock, such as a major health event or long-term job loss, at the time of retirement. This finding is corroborated by an analysis of alternative measures of household well-being, including indicators of financial hardship, and self-reported financial and life satisfaction. For the majority of households retirement is anticipated and there is no decline in economic welfare at retirement. However, for an important minority, retirement is `involuntary' and these households experience a marked decline across all indicators of economic well-being.Consumption Smoothing, Household Expenditure, Retirement

Involuntary Retirement and the Resolution of the Retirement-Consumption Puzzle: Evidence from Australia

A substantial body of international research has shown that household expenditure on food and non-durables significantly decreases at the time of retirement - a finding that is inconsistent with the standard life-cycle model of consumption if retirement is an anticipated event. This fall in expenditure has become known as the `retirement-consumption puzzle.' We analyze rich Australian panel data to assess the Australian evidence on the puzzle. We find strong evidence of a fall in expenditures on groceries, food consumed at home and outside meals with retirement. The observed decline in expenditure is explained by a subset of households experiencing an unanticipated wealth shock, such as a major health event or long-term job loss, at the time of retirement. This finding is corroborated by an analysis of alternative measures of household well-being, including indicators of financial hardship, and self-reported financial and life satisfaction. For the majority of households retirement is anticipated and there is no decline in economic welfare at retirement. However, for an important minority, retirement is `involuntary' and these households experience a marked decline across all indicators of economic well-being.Consumption Smoothing; Household Expenditure; Retirement

Historical Thinking and Visual Literacy: Exploring the Canadian War Museum with Graphic History

This article investigates how graphic history, a visual process which uses different artistic styles, illustrated narratives and comic-page sequential drawing, can contribute to our study and understanding of the past. I examine the theories and practices that underpin this visual approach to scholarship and overview how some academic historians are beginning to embrace graphic histories when conducting historical inquiry, analysis and interpretation. I also address important critiques about the academic rigour, pedagogical value and intellectual foundation of graphic history. I conclude with a graphic article to show how drawing, perspective and artistic techniques can be used to unpack historical concepts and relate historical narratives. This work is supported by SSHRC postdoctoral funding hosted by the Canadian War Museum. Résumé: Cet article examine comment la bande dessinée historique peut contribuer à notre étude et à notre compréhension du passé. Ce sous-genre du 9e art fait appel à divers styles artistiques qui combinent récits illustrés et images séquentielles. Je débute par une analyse des théories et des pratiques qui sous-tendent cette approche visuelle de la recherche, accompagnée d’un aperçu de la façon dont certains historiens universitaires commencent à inclure les bandes dessinées historiques dans leurs recherches, analyses et interprétations historiques. J’aborde ensuite les remises en question légitimes qui portent sur la rigueur académique, la valeur pédagogique et le fondement intellectuel de la bande dessinée historique. Je termine en incluant un article illustré afin de démontrer comment le dessin, la perspective et les techniques artistiques peuvent être utilisés pour vulgariser les concepts historiques et rassembler les récits historiques. Cet article s’appuie sur des recherches financées par le Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines et hébergées par le Musée canadien de la guerre

“He would be expected to crack:” Battle Exhaustion, Desertion and the Court Martial of Lieutenant R. J. Woods

This article examines psychological breakdown, combat stress and military justice through the 1945 general court martial of Lieutenant Reginald James Woods. During his first day in combat with the Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) on 17 August 1944, the twenty-five-year-old platoon leader disappeared. Woods remerged nearly two months later in London where he claimed to suffer from amnesia. The subsequent medical investigation and legal proceedings forced Canadian authorities to grapple with assumptions about combat leadership, mental responsibility and criminal culpability. This article adopts a graphic history approach to illustrate the subjective and contingent nature of memory and truth through the fog of war

Review of “E. J. Hughes: Canadian War Artist” by Robert Amos

Review of E. J. Hughes: Canadian War Artist by Robert Amo