Category Archives: Canadian Studies Program UC Berkeley

End-of-term announcements; Hildebrand Fellow updates

Leave a reply

An item from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.
Canadian Studies Announcements
Last week, spring classes wrapped up for the semester at Berkeley. Students are now finishing final papers and preparing for exams. Undergraduates (and the faculty who teach them) should remember to submit final papers and projects to the Rita Ross Prize (see below for details).
We wish everyone the best as they finish their course work!
Summer Research Continues for Hildebrand Fellows
The Edward E. Hildebrand Research Fellowship provides funding to graduate students undertaking research on a Canadian topic. The coronavirus pandemic has put some of our current Hildebrand Fellows’ summer research plans on hold, but they continue to analyze the data already collected and write up their research results.
New Hildebrand Fellow: Sophie Major
Canadian Studies is pleased to welcome Sophie Major, our newest Hildebrand recipient. Ms. Major is a Ph.D. candidate in the interdisciplinary Energy and Resources Group, studying political theory, environmental politics, and Indigenous studies. She will be researching Indigenous political theory among First Nations peoples in British Columbia, and how political theorists ought to engage with Indigenous political thought. Her dissertation introduces a number of case studies, illustrating the strengths of an ethnographic, historicist, genealogical, and interpretive approach to the study of Indigenous political theory.
Ms. Major holds a B.A.&Sc. in interdisciplinary political studies from Quest University Canada, and has previously worked in the fields of climate change education and science communication for government.
Former Fellow Dr. Brendan Shanahan in the News
The Canadian Studies Program is also proud of our former fellows, who continue to make advancements in their fields year after year. One remarkable Hildebrand alumnus, Dr. Brendan Shanahan (Ph.D., History, right), is currently finishing his first year of a two-year postdoctoral associate position at Yale University, and recently published an op-ed in the Washington Post on the historical importance of the US Census on apportionment. The Canadian Studies Program previously sat down with Dr. Shanahan for an interview here.
You can read our interview with another former Hildebrand Fellow, Dr. Kimberly Richards (Ph.D., Performance Studies), here, or see the full roster here.
We want to hear from you!
Are you an alumnus/a or former affiliate of the Canadian Studies Program? We’d love to hear what you’ve been up to! Please send your updates to canada@berkeley.edu and we may feature you in a future newsletter.
Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize In Canadian Studies Accepting Applications
The Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies was established to honor Dr. Rita Ross, longtime associate director of the UC Berkeley Canadian Studies Program, and supports undergraduate students pursuing a research topic related to Canada in a UC Berkeley class or independent study project. The prize is awarded annually to the student who has written the best undergraduate research paper or produced the best original project that engages with topics, people or events related to Canada. Decisions about awards are made by the Thomas Garden Barnes Chair in Canadian Studies in consultation with other faculty affiliated with the Canadian Studies Program.
Eligibility: The prize competition is open to any UC Berkeley undergraduate student in good academic standing, in any college or discipline.
The prize is awarded at the end of the Spring semester. The recipient receives a certificate and an award of $250.
Application for 2019-2020
Deadline: May 22, 2020
The Canadian Studies Program invites applications from undergraduate students in good standing at UC Berkeley for the Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies. Applicants should upload the following to the Canadian Studies Program through the official application form on the Canadian Studies homepage.
  • A copy of an original paper or project produced in a UC Berkeley class or independent study during the 2019-2020 academic year.
  • A cover letter providing information about the class for which the work was produced, including course name, number, and instructor’s name, and how the work relates to Canada.
  • A letter of support by the course instructor or faculty mentor highlighting the strengths of the work.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308 WEBSITE | EMAIL
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720

 

Important travel update; faculty award; colloquium recap; Ross Prize accepting applications

Leave a reply

An update from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.
Canadian Studies Announcements
IN THIS ISSUE:
Important COVID-19 update: Canadian airlines suspend US-bound flights; new guidelines for air travel to Canada
In the News: CAN affiliate Dan Kammen elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Event Recap: Student Research Roundtable
Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize now accepting applications
COVID-19 Update: Canadian Airlines suspend travel to US; New Guidelines for Anyone Returning to Canada
As of today, April 27th, 2020, all Canadian air carriers will suspend scheduled services to the United States. Please consult the websites of the various Canadian airlines to see when regular services will resume. Currently, some US air carriers still have scheduled flights between Canada and the US. If you are planning to return to Canada by air, it is recommended that you finalize your arrangements now and do not delay your return.
As part of the Government of Canada’s efforts to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19, new guidelines were released last week that apply to any person returning to Canada by air, including the following of key importance:
  1. Travelers experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 must enter a mandatory 14-day isolation.
  2. Travelers not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 must enter a 14-day quarantine.
  3. Non-medical masks or face coverings are now required while in the airport and travelling by plane.
It is critically important to adhere to the new guidelines. The slower the spread of COVID-19, the faster we can get back to restaurants and concerts, sporting events and spending time with family and friends.
Further information on COVID-19 for Canadians in the US can be found here.
Canadian Studies Faculty Affiliate Daniel Kammen Elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences
Canadian Studies sends our congratulations to faculty affiliate Professor Daniel Kammen, who was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. The Academy, founded in 1780, honours distinguished leaders in a variety of scholarly and artistic disciplines.
Professor Kammen is a professor of energy and resources, public policy and nuclear engineering and director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory. His research focuses on energy supply and transmission, smart grid and low-carbon energy systems, life-cycle impacts of transportation options and energy for community development in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Professor Kammen has previously served as a member of the Canadian National Advisory Panel on Sustainable Energy Science and Technology Strategy.
Read more at Berkeley News.
Event Recap: Student Research Panel
Canadian Studies ended our spring events lineup last week with a student research panel. The event highlighted original projects undertaken by UC Berkeley students who received research funding from Canadian Studies. The panel was our third event this semester held online, and one of our most successful overall, drawing both longtime Canadian Studies community members and others interested in the specific research projects displayed. Our thanks to everyone who attended!
First to present was Boróka Bó, a doctoral candidate in sociology and demography. Boróka received a Hildebrand Fellowship to conduct research in Toronto on how socioeconomic status affected perceptions of “time scarcity” among retired people. Using a combination of survey data and in-person interviews, she discovered that while individuals from both ends of the economic spectrum experienced time-pressure, lower-income people experienced it more negatively due to quality-of-life issues caused by problems such as dangerous neighborhoods, financial stress, and caregiver responsibilities. Boróka will present her findings to the American Sociological Association this summer.
Our second speaker was Fallon Burner, an undergraduate history major and descendent of the Wendat Nation. Fallon conducted her research on language revitalization efforts on the Wendake Reserve in Québec. She argued that language plays a vital role in Indigenous communities, and suggested that revitalization projects could alleviate transgenerational cultural trauma. As a historian, she stressed the importance of increasing Indigenous voices in the field, and advocated for Native people to reclaim agency over their own narratives. After Fallon graduates next month, she will continue her research at a master’s program at the University of Saskatchewan.
Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize In Canadian Studies Open
The Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies was established to honor Dr. Rita Ross, longtime associate director of the UC Berkeley Canadian Studies Program, and supports undergraduate students pursuing a research topic related to Canada in a UC Berkeley class or independent study project. The prize is awarded annually to the student who has written the best undergraduate research paper or produced the best original project that engages with topics, people or events related to Canada. Decisions about awards are made by the Thomas Garden Barnes Chair in Canadian Studies in consultation with other faculty affiliated with the Canadian Studies program.
Eligibility: The prize competition is open to any UC Berkeley undergraduate student in good academic standing, in any college or discipline.
The prize is awarded at the end of the Spring semester. The recipient receives a certificate and an award of $250.
Application for 2019-2020
Deadline: May 22, 2020
The Canadian Studies Program invites applications from undergraduate students in good standing at UC Berkeley for the Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies. Applicants should upload the following to the Canadian Studies Program through the official application form on the Canadian Studies homepage.
  • A copy of an original paper or project produced in a UC Berkeley class or independent study during the 2019-2020 academic year.
  • A cover letter providing information about the class for which the work was produced, including course name, number, and instructor’s name, and how the work relates to Canada.
  • A letter of support by the course instructor or faculty mentor highlighting the strengths of the work.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308 WEBSITE | EMAIL
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720

 

Student Research Panel tomorrow (RSVP required); research prizes & grants now open

Leave a reply

A reminder of this online event tomorrow from a fellow Canadian organization in the Bay Area.
Canadian Studies Announcements
IN THIS ISSUE:
Event Tomorrow, April 21: Student Research Roundtable (RSVP required)
Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize now accepting applications
Fulbright Canada now accepting applications
COVID-19 Podcast feat. Canada’s consul-general in SF
EVENT TOMORROW
Student Research Roundtable
Colloquium | April 21 | 12:45 p.m. | Online | RSVP required
Learn about some of the fascinating student research Canadian Studies is fostering at UC Berkeley thanks to support from our donors. This live presentation will showcase projects from two recent fellowship recipients. Please RSVP at canada@berkeley.edu. If you require an accommodation for effective communication, please let us know with as much advance notice as possible.
Good Time, Bad Time: Socioeconomic Status and the Cultural Repertoires of Time Scarcity in Retirement
Boróka Bó, doctoral candidate in sociology and demography
We tend to think of retirement as a great equalizer when it comes to relief from the pernicious time scarcity characterizing the lives of many individuals in the labor force. Puzzlingly, this is not the case. Using established research, long-term participant observation, and in-depth interviews with Toronto residents, I show that socioeconomic characteristics are important determinants of retiree time scarcity. Neighborhood disadvantage gets under the skin via time exchanges that are forged by both neighborhood and peer network characteristics. For the advantaged, the experience of time scarcity is protective for well-being in later life, as it emerges from managing a relative abundance of choices. For the disadvantaged, the later life experience of time scarcity is shaped by cumulative inequality, further exacerbating inequalities in well-being. The final section of my talk offers an analysis and interpretation of my findings, putting retiree time scarcity in conversation with the broader literature on socioeconomic status and well-being.
Healing Through Language: Revitalization in the Wendat Confederacy
Fallon Burner, undergraduate history major
Language is at the core essence of identity. My honors thesis examines the history of the languages of the Wendat Confederacy (Huron), showing the vital role that language plays in the Indigenous community, how its history is tied to issues of erasure and survival, and the role that language revitalization projects have in addressing transgenerational trauma. The Wendat Confederacy straddles the US-Canada border with nations in Québec, Ontario/Michigan, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Distance and multiple language barriers provide challenges for language revitalizers.
There is a strong need in the field of history for narratives which are from an Indigenous perspective. This can be achieved through a methodology utilizing the languages themselves and oral histories. I spent the summer of 2019 conducting oral history interviews with Wendat and Wyandot(te) language revitalizers, in order to create an archive of Wendat perspectives on language revitalization. I also conducted archival research on the Wendake reserve in Québec, and had one-on-one language instruction in the Waⁿdat and Wendat languages. Part of my mission is to erase the erasure of Indigenous voices by contributing more Indigenous perspective primary sources to the historical narrative for future scholars.
Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize In Canadian Studies Now Open
The Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies was established to honor Dr. Rita Ross, longtime associate director of the UC Berkeley Canadian Studies Program, and supports undergraduate students pursuing a research topic related to Canada in a UC Berkeley class or independent study project. The prize is awarded annually to the student who has written the best undergraduate research paper or produced the best original project that engages with topics, people or events related to Canada. Decisions about awards are made by the Thomas Garden Barnes Chair in Canadian Studies in consultation with other faculty affiliated with the Canadian Studies program.
Eligibility: The prize competition is open to any UC Berkeley undergraduate student in good academic standing, in any college or discipline.
The prize is awarded at the end of the Spring semester. The recipient receives a certificate and an award of $250.
Application for 2019-2020
Deadline: May 22, 2020
The Canadian Studies Program invites applications from undergraduate students in good standing at UC Berkeley for the Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies. Applicants should upload the following to the Canadian Studies Program through the official application form on the Canadian Studies homepage.
  • A copy of an original paper or project produced in a UC Berkeley class or independent study during the 2019-2020 academic year.
  • A cover letter providing information about the class for which the work was produced, including course name, number, and instructor’s name, and how the work relates to Canada.
  • A letter of support by the course instructor or faculty mentor highlighting the strengths of the work.
2021/22 Fulbright US Scholar Program Now Open
Join the more than 600 Fulbright Canada alumni by applying for one of our awards! For 2021/2022, Fulbright Canada is offering close to 50 Research opportunities at top Canadian Institutions in more than 10 different fields. Our grants support research with colleagues across Canada for a 4 to 9 month period. Applications will be accepted through September 15th, 2020.
To be eligible for a Fulbright Grant, you must fulfill the following criteria:
  • Be a U.S. citizen (permanent residence is not sufficient).
  • Hold a Ph.D. (except for the Business Chair) or equivalent professional/terminal degree.
  • Applicants who have resided abroad for five or more consecutive years in the six-year period preceding the application deadline are ineligible. A period of nine months or more during a calendar year constitutes a full year.
  • Recipients of a Fulbright Scholar award are eligible to apply for another award two years after the date of completion of the previous award.
Please see here for detailed eligibility requirements, or click here to apply. For more information, we invite you to see a 4-minute video presentation about our opportunities and a 10-minute video on the different awards.
COVID-19 Across Borders Podcast with Canada’s Consul General in San Francisco
Canada’s Consul General in San Francisco, Rana Sarkar, recently gave a podcast interview with Ottawa-based The 2020 Network to discuss how the pandemic is affecting his work and day-to-day life in Northern California. The in-depth discussion also touched on Canada-U.S. collaboration on recent border restrictions, emergency preparedness, supply chain management and the rescue and repatriation of citizens from cruise ships. Canadians in the U.S. can get the latest COVID-19 related info here.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308 WEBSITE | EMAIL
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720

 

External event: COVID-19 forum with Consul-General Rana Sarkar, this Thursday

Leave a reply

An event from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.
SPECIAL EVENT
Online Live Forum with Consul-General Rana Sarkar On COVID-19 For Bay Area Canadians
Forum | April 16 | 4:00 p.m. | Online
We are pleased to share that this Thursday, Consul General Rana Sarkar will be participating in an online live forum hosted by the Bay Area’s Digital Moose Lounge. In a conversation moderated by Canadian Immigration Attorney Pavan Dhillon, the consul-general will discuss current updates from Canada and address efforts made by the Government of Canada to fight the effects of COVID-19 both at home and abroad. Senior Consular Officer Marni Kellison will be available during the event to answer any consular-specific questions about visas, passports, immigration, and logistical protocols affecting Canadian citizens in the Bay Area.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP to programs@digitalmooselounge.com to receive the Zoom meeting details.
We hope that you will be able to join this informative community event. If you would like more information, please contact the Digital Moose Lounge directly.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308 WEBSITE | EMAIL
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720

 

News and events – Student Research Panel, COVID-19 resources, & more

Leave a reply

Note these upcoming events from a fellow Canadian organization in the Bay Area.
Canadian Studies Announcements
IN THIS ISSUE:
Upcoming event: Student Research Roundtable, April 21 (RSVP required)
Updated safety and travel resources from the Canadian Consulate
External Event Tomorrow: Covid-19 and the Northern Border (hosted by the Wilson Center, Washington, DC)
In the News: Faculty affiliate Beth Piatote interviewed by the Los Angeles Review of Books
UPCOMING EVENT
Student Research Roundtable
Colloquium | April 21 | 12:45 p.m. | Online | RSVP required
Learn about some of the fascinating student research Canadian Studies is fostering at UC Berkeley thanks to support from our donors. This live presentation will showcase projects from two recent fellowship recipients. Please RSVP at canada@berkeley.edu. If you require an accommodation for effective communication, please let us know with as much advance notice as possible.
Good Time, Bad Time: Socioeconomic Status and the Cultural Repertoires of Time Scarcity in Retirement
Boróka Bó, doctoral candiate in sociology and demography
We tend to think of retirement as a great equalizer when it comes to relief from the pernicious time scarcity characterizing the lives of many individuals in the labor force. Puzzlingly, this is not the case. Using established research, long-term participant observation, and in-depth interviews with Toronto residents, I show that socioeconomic characteristics are important determinants of retiree time scarcity. Neighborhood disadvantage gets under the skin via time exchanges that are forged by both neighborhood and peer network characteristics. For the advantaged, the experience of time scarcity is protective for well-being in later life, as it emerges from managing a relative abundance of choices. For the disadvantaged, the later life experience of time scarcity is shaped by cumulative inequality, further exacerbating inequalities in well-being. The final section of my talk offers an analysis and interpretation of my findings, putting retiree time scarcity in conversation with the broader literature on socioeconomic status and well-being.
Healing Through Language: Revitalization in the Wendat Confederacy
Fallon Burner, undergraduate history major
Language is at the core essence of identity. My honors thesis examines the history of the languages of the Wendat Confederacy (Huron), showing the vital role that language plays in the Indigenous community, how its history is tied to issues of erasure and survival, and the role that language revitalization projects have in addressing transgenerational trauma. The Wendat Confederacy straddles the US-Canada border with nations in Québec, Ontario/Michigan, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Distance and multiple language barriers provide challenges for language revitalizers.
There is a strong need in the field of history for narratives which are from an Indigenous perspective. This can be achieved through a methodology utilizing the languages themselves and oral histories. I spent the summer of 2019 conducting oral history interviews with Wendat and Wyandot(te) language revitalizers, in order to create an archive of Wendat perspectives on language revitalization. I also conducted archival research on the Wendake reserve in Québec, and had one-on-one language instruction in the Waⁿdat and Wendat languages. Part of my mission is to erase the erasure of Indigenous voices by contributing more Indigenous perspective primary sources to the historical narrative for future scholars.
From the Canadian Consulate:
COVID-19 Resources for Canadian Citizens
Last week, the Canadian Studies Program hosted a town hall with Consul-General Rana Sarkar of the Canadian Consulate in San Francisco-Silicon Valley, covering Canada’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and what it means for Canadians abroad. For those of you who couldn’t make it or wanted additional information, the consulate has shared these helpful tips to help Canadians living in the San Francisco Bay Area navigate this crisis:
TOMORROW: COVID-19 and the Northern Border (external event)
Panel | April 14 | 11:00 a.m. PT | Online
The Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC will host an expert panel discussion tomorrow to give an update on the novel Coronavirus, and how Canada and the United States are working together during this crisis. In the wake of the novel outbreak, Canada and the United States agreed to temporarily restrict all non-essential travel across their shared border for the first time since September 11, 2001. This new agreement, enacted in order to protect the health and safety of their citizens, restricts travel for tourism and recreation and allows for the continuation of business travel crucial to our integrated supply chains.
Currently, $2.7 billion worth of goods crosses the Canada-U.S. border every day; yet, with markets plummeting, business closures, and an increase in unemployment, we may be headed for continued economic downturn. How is COVID-19 affecting businesses on both sides of the border? How long can we expect this to last? And what else can be done to maintain our strong economic ties? During the call, speakers will discuss the details of the temporary border agreement and the impact COVID-19 has on trade between the two nations. This event will be broadcasted via teleconference on the event’s website.
Learn more and RSVP for the panel here.
IN THE NEWS
“Language Is A Casualty of War”: Canadian Studies Faculty Affiliate Beth Piatote Discusses Her Writing and Indigenous Language Revitalization
Beth Piatote, a Canadian Studies faculty affiliate and professor of Native American studies at UC Berkeley, was featured in an interview in the Los Angeles Review of Books this week. Dr. Piatote, who is Nez Perce and is enrolled with Colville Confederated Tribes, published her début short story collection, The Beadworkers, last year. She is also involved in the revitalization of the Nez Perce language, and the stories, poems, and play included in The Beadworkers interweave Nez Perce language and form to tell the diverse stories of Native people facing conflicts that stretch back generations.
Read the full interview in the Los Angeles Review of Books.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308 WEBSITE | EMAIL
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720