BACS 50TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE, EDINBURGH, 24-26 APRIL 2025
‘Canada: Past, Present, Future’
Co-sponsored by the Centre of Canadian Studies, the British Association for Canadian Studies (BACS) returns to Scotland for the first time in 25 years to celebrate its 50th anniversary. This is a joint celebration, as the Centre also celebrates 50 years.
BACS 2025 explores the challenges and the opportunities facing Canada at the beginning of the 21st century. The past 50 years, for instance, have been pivotal in Canada: multiculturalism is now entrenched and a defining Canadian characteristic, sovereignty referenda in Québec have changed the political landscape, and Indigenous resurgence places Canada’s first peoples at the heart of the national conversation. More, the very real challenges of climate change for all Canadians, but most especially for Arctic peoples, and Canada’s settler-colonial legacies continue to shape contemporary realities.
With a view to exploring these, among other social, political and cultural realities, ‘Canada: Past, Present, Future’ invites reflections not only historical, but also on how Canada will move forward in the coming decades in response to challenges and opportunities – domestic, climactic and geopolitical.
Contributions from all disciplines are most welcome. We especially invite papers that engage with the following themes:
· Indigeneity and Arctic governance
· Multiculturalism, Immigration and the Post/decolonial
· Multilevel governance and federalism
· Race, ethnicity and religion
· Language Policies/Language Laws
· 2SLGBTQI+ Communities
· Families, friendships, communities
· History and knowledge practices
· Art, literature and landscape
*Canada's international relations, especially Canada-UK relations
Papers that address other themes in the study of Canada are also very welcome.
The British Journal for Canadian Studies is publishing a special issue to mark the 50th Anniversary. All presented papers will be considered for publication.
We especially encourage doctoral students and early career academics to submit. BACS will be awarding a number of prizes for original contributions from doctoral students and early career scholars. Please indicate if you wish to be considered.
Deadline for proposals: 22 December 2024. Please submit proposals of up to 250 words, or propose a panel of 3 or 4 papers, with a brief CV, to: