Warrior or Peacemaker?

The Battle over Canada’s Identity, 1914-2014 

2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, a conflict in which several hundred thousand Canadians participated and 60,000 lost their lives. Governments around the world, including Canada's, will be actively looking to commemorate key battles and other moments of the war. In the Canadian case, these efforts follow after an extensive campaign by the government of Stephen Harper to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.

Controversy, criticism and contestation have abounded over not just the specific commemoration of the War of 1812, but around the place of war and the military within dominant definitions of Canadian identity. Emphasizing Canada's military heritage and involvement in past conflicts directly challenges a strong element within a version of the Canadian identity that has emerged since the 1950s. In this identity, Canada is viewed as a "peacekeeping nation" involved in ending conflicts and ensuring peace, not participating in conflicts. Are these identities fundamentally in conflict with each other or is there room for both to coexist? And do internal conflicts such as the October Crisis or the Oka Crisis fit within either dominant definition?

The British Association for Canadian Studies for its 39th annual conference in London invites papers with direct relevance to the conference theme or the wider field of Canadian studies. Potential topics could include the politics around commemoration and identity, the history of commemoration in Canada, the relationship between Canadian identity and Canada's foreign policy, gender and constructs of national identity, differences in perceptions of national identity between Quebec and English-speaking Canada or First Nations and non-indigenous Canadians, the impact of multiculturalism on definitions of Canadian identity, literature and cultural depictions of war, peace, and identity, spatial depictions of conflict and identity, and comparisons of Canada with other nations in terms of how conflicts are commemorated.

The conference will take place in London over three days beginning with an opening evening reception and keynote address. The second and final days will feature additional keynotes and panels related to the conference themes or to the wider field of Canadian studies.

The deadline for paper or panel proposals is Tuesday 31 December 2013.

Enquiries and proposals should be sent to:

Jodie Robson
Email: bacs@canadian-studies.org
BACS Website: www.canadian-studies.net