Indulge me, I have a purpose
Sep. 17th, 2009 11:50 pm![[personal profile]](http://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
troubleOpen to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 53
Demographics: I am
Canadian.
9 (17.0%)
living in Canada, but not Canadian. 1 (1.9%)
living in Canada, not Candian, but working towards becoming Canadian. 0 (0.0%)
not Canadian at all, but I admire your country's lovely tradition of maple syrup and toques. 43 (81.1%)
Demographics: I am [Define "historian" as broadly as possible.]
an historian who lives in Canada, or a Candian historian who lives outside of Canada 2 (3.8%)
a non-Canadian historian. 14 (26.4%)
not an historian. 37 (69.8%)
Demographics: I am
The Actual Freaking Question: Have you ever heard of the "Canadian History Wars"?
Yes! They were brutal! All those essays talking about what the "meaning" and "purpose" of Canadian history was! 1 (1.9%)
... Bwah? 39 (73.6%)
They kind of sound familiar, but I'd be hard-pressed to dig into the details 13 (24.5%)
What do we want?
Pictures of cute kittens! 31 (62.0%)
Cat Macros! 22 (44.0%)
The next Doctor Who special! 14 (28.0%)
Ice cream! 30 (60.0%)
Stuffed bunnies! 20 (40.0%)
One of the things I think one does in Canada when studying history at the beginning of every advanced year is read something from or about the History Wars. This describes a bit of time in Canada, about 10 years, when people started having fights about what Canadian history was, what it could do, it's importance, how it influenced things, blah blah blah. The big arguments were between Jack Grananstein and
Basically, Grananstein's argument is that, by not focusing on military and political history, we're ruining Canadian's sense of nationalism. We're focusing too much on the "others". He also thinks that Steven Harper is ace.
The reason for my poll is really because I'm bored to death of this, and it's only been a couple of years of reading such things. I was getting that first, exciting history degree back when this was all going down, and it didn't affect my education in any way that I can perceive. I don't know anyone who knows anything about it outside of historians who read these essays and debate the true meaning of Canadian history and if we really are ruining the country by writing about the history of "housemaids' knee in Belleville".
I have never lived in a world where historians have such power, so I admit to being envious of Grananstein's past, since he obviously did.
My biggest irritation about all this is that it seems to me (and this is likely unfair - I really don't know what people are doing and how busy they are) the answer is not to spend a lot of time talking to other historians about how tragic it is that Canadians don't care about their history and history books are not flying off the shelves. To me, the answer is to take the history to the people. To make radio documentaries if t.v. documentaries are too expensive; to give a guest talk at a local high school or elementary school or library; to give that talk tied into something specific. (I've been waiting eagerly for the Robin Hood movie to come out because I want to give a talk about the Historic Robin Hood at the library.)
I mean, I'm all for the necessity of talking things out, of writing them in poorly-read
[Which is why I'm going to the local indy radio station on Saturday to learn how to be a radio station person. I want to propose a history half-hour show, and get various people I know who are studying Nova Scotian history to come talk about it. Because I wasn't busy enough.]
Here, have some Kate Beaton Comics. Actually, this one in particular basically sums up the whole Canadian History Problem, with bonus Sir John A.
I had never heard of the History Wars before. Interesting stuff!
What I love about Grananstein is that mentioning is name is certain to get you a reaction of some sort. I spent my afternoon typing up some oral histories for the Pier 21 Immigration Museum-y thing, and we got into The Talk We All Have about Grananstein's works. Because everyone has an opinion.
Or has never ever heard of him. One or the other.
That makes me laugh about Grananstein. *g*
My Dad hated history as a schoolkid, because they taught him kings and wars and dates and made him memorise boring lists, but he is actually a HUGE social history nerd. He just doesn't think of it as history, but as "general knowledge" and "an interest in the world around you". I got dragged around museums and historical sites and ghost towns and cemeteries incessantly as a kid, and Dad still loves that stuff as long as you don't say the H word. Hurrah for social history, I say! I always start learning a period that way, then fill in the political/military background as needed, usually much later on.
Although I'm certain Grananstein thinks we talk about it WAY too much, since it's not about dead white dudes. *sigh*
But yeah, so many people I know get really enthused about history right up until I say "history". Then they get all "BORING."
Cool! If there's anything I can do to help, let me know!
I might pick your brain on how to make a talk-show more engaging and interesting.
You mean there are places where history-as-taught isn't all about politics and war? It mostly was when I was at school, but then that was last century some-time, and we used to have an Empire, don't'cha'know.
Which is, I think, part of why "Canadian History is Boring". I think I learned the same three things (Confederation! The Last Railway Spike! Louis Riel!) for five or six years in a row.
1) Granatstein and his ilk.
2) Many of the other teachers and educators are not historians, or not historians of Canada. So all they remember about Canadian history is
And they expect to teach those subjects, and have those subjects represented in their teaching materials, and will get very upset if you "replace" those subjects with, for example, a discussion of rural electrification, or history from the perspective of First Nations people (and genocide), or slavery in New France, or the emergence of middle classes in Canada's towns and the effect that had on ... a lot of things (the role of women, the emergence of social services, public education, blah blah blah).
Regardless, I'm not Canadian enough to have heard of the History Wars. Crazy stuff!
Don said he wasn't Canadian, and he was born he and lived here most of his life. He just has dual citizenship with Holland, and is irritated with Canada in general, so he just goes around telling people he's Dutch.
Sometimes I feel like an impostor, but I do fully intend to move to Canada after I graduate. Hopefully to Vancouver, but we'll see how jobs go. It's a while away yet, but it's important to me. For one thing, I can get married in Canada! To another woman, even!
Also, I love telling people I'm Canadian when they're trying to explain how something Canada already does would clearly destroy the universe. For example: healthcare! It leads to anarchy! Or, in the case of Canada... moose!
Vote how you feel!
*laughs nervously*
I thought such people were fictitious.
To me, the answer is to take the history to the people.
What? Are you sure you're an academic?
I'm with you on the quit whining and take action. Sheesh.
Is there a line for "irked by 'an historian'"?
THE H IS A CONSONANT IT DOES NOT TAKE A PRECEDING "AN".
Usually I just twitch hideously and ignore it, but it's possible I'm a little extra cranky right now.