Canadian Studies Announcements

In This Issue:

Canadian Studies News

• New Hildebrand Fellow Alex Chow studies politics of Canada’s Hong Kong diaspora

• Photos from our 8th Annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

Upcoming Events

• The 51st State? Canadian Resistance to American Annexationism since 1775

External Events

• Exploratorium After Dark: Dancing in the Sky

• San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show

• Annual Pancake Breakfast Hike at Mt Tam

PROGRAM NEWS

New Hildebrand Fellow Alex Chow Studies Politics of Canada’s Hong Kong Diaspora

The Canadian Studies Program is pleased to announce that Alex Yong-Kang Chow has received an Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowship for Fall 2025.

Alex is a PhD candidate in the Department of Geography. His research examines the political economy of Hong Kong and its diaspora, focusing on the interplay of emotions, institutions, and decolonization in shaping contested ideals of freedom, fairness, and justice. His dissertation traces how successive generations of Hong Kong activists and communities – from the Cold War era to the present-day diaspora – have redefined freedom under shifting geopolitical and economic conditions.

Alex’s Hildebrand Fellowship project, “Affective Politics and Shifting Alliances: The Hong Kong Diaspora in Canada”, explores how waves of Hong Kong immigrants since the 1970s have shaped and been shaped by Canadian society. Through oral histories with community leaders and activists in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary, along with archival research, the project investigates how memories of colonial Hong Kong and experiences of Canadian multiculturalism inform divergent political stances within the diaspora. It highlights the affective and institutional forces behind debates on Canadian domestic issues, foreign policy toward China, and Canada-U.S. relations.

This research contributes to Canadian studies by providing a nuanced account of how diasporic communities engage democracy not as a unified bloc, but through diverse and sometimes divided visions of belonging, solidarity, and resistance. It sheds light on how historical traumas and contemporary geopolitical tensions resonate in the Canadian political landscape, offering new insights into migration, identity, and transnational politics.

Alex holds an MSc in City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a BA in Comparative Literature from the University of Hong Kong.

Yesterday, Canadian Studies and our friends at the Digital Moose Lounge celebrated our annual Canadian Thanksgiving dinner with friends from around the Bay. Nearly 100 Canadians and friends of Canada joined us for a fun evening celebrating all things Canadian, including representatives from the Consulate, the Royal Canadian Legion, and Air Canada. Notably, this year we had many Berkeley students attend!

After opening remarks, guests enjoyed a delicious turkey dinner. We then held a much-anticipated raffle. Prizes included gifts bags donated by the Canadian consulate and Digital Moose Lounge; tickets to Kim’s Convenience; sports tickets; curling lessons; and a grand prize of two Air Canada tickets! Next, we hosted with a panel where members of our Canadian Studies community shared what Canada means to them, and what the US can learn from Canada. We closed out the evening with Nanaimo bars, pumpkin pie, and Tim Horton’s coffee direct from Toronto. We’re already looking forward to next year!

Top right: We had a high number of UC Berkeley students attend this year’s dinner!

Bottom left: Guests listen to opening remarks while waiting for dinner.

Bottom right: Panelists discuss their favorite things about Canada.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The 51st State? Canadian Resistance to American Annexationism since 1775

Tues., Oct. 14 | 12:30 pm | 223 Philosophy Hall | RSVP

Since their founding era, Americans have periodically tried to convince their northern neighbors to join them in a continental union, sometimes by force. This talk will offer a sweeping survey of the prospect – or threat – of the American annexation of Canada (and its colonial antecedents) over the past 250 years. It will highlight major turning points in the cross-border relationship and the responses of government officials, the press, and Canadians more broadly. Extending the focus through the 2025 Canadian federal election, it will examine how generations of politicians and opinion-makers have harnessed opposition to annexation for political purposes.

About the Speaker

Dr. Gregory Wigmore is an associate teaching professor in the Department of History at Santa Clara University, where he teaches early US and Canada history. He received his bachelor’s in journalism and history from Carleton University, and his PhD in history from UC Davis. His research and teaching focus on the intersection of social and political history and foreign relations in North America, especially the role of frontiers and borders. He is currently working on a book manuscript based on his dissertation, “The Limits of Empire: Allegiance, Opportunity, and Imperial Rivalry in the Canadian-American Borderland.” His op-ed articles have appeared in The Globe and Mail and the National Post.

EXTERNAL EVENTS

Exploratorium After Dark: Dancing in the Sky

Thurs., Oct. 9 | San Francisco, CA | Buy tickets

The Exploratorium invites you to buckle in for an evening of mystery, adventure, and airborne entertainment! Prepare to be dazzled by a performance from Earth Circus, where jaw-dropping moves from acrobatic dancers will have you questioning gravity. Uncover the secrets behind aerobatics with the Snowbird squadron, Canada’s iconic flight demonstration crew. And don’t miss a special cabaret co-hosted with our friends at KQED, where stories of flight – from the world of winged arthropods to the death of a daredevil aviator – will inspire your curiosity to soar.

San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show

Oct. 10-12 | San Francisco, CA | Learn more

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the acrobatic squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force, will be participating in this year’s SF Fleet Week Air Show! Held annually between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, the air show attracts fans from all over the globe. The waterfront event, sponsored by United Airlines, is headlined by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and is the only air show in the United States with a commercial airliner, the United 777, to perform a fully choreographed act. The Snowbirds will join this awe-inspiring performance to showcase the exceptional teamwork, skill, and dedication that defines members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Annual Pancake Breakfast Hike at Mt Tam

Sun., Oct. 12 | 9:00 am | Stinson Beach, CA | RSVP

The San Francisco Canadian Expat Meetup Group invites you to join them for <4-mile hike and pancake breakfast on beautiful Mt. Tam! What could be more Canadian than pancakes with maple syrup?

West Point Inn on Mt. Tamalpais is famous for its pancake breakfast fundraisers! Great views, group exercise and pancakes starting at $13 per plate. All are welcome – friends, family, dogs, etc. Attendees will meet at the Rock Springs Trailhead in Stinson Beach.

Please RSVP on Meetup for more information.

Canadian Studies Program

213 Philosophy Hall #2308

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