A newly designed seminar in the Canadian Studies program will give students an opportunity to meet and engage in discussion with some of the country’s most prominent writers.
Led by Dr. Minelle Mahtani – a scholar-activist-journalist who was recently named the Brenda and David McLean Chair of Canadian Studies – the seminar aims to raise critical questions about what Canadian Studies means at a time when the country is reckoning with questions of reconciliation, anti-racism, and social justice. Guests will include award-winning novelist Lawrence Hill, journalist and playwright David MacFarlane, and professor and acclaimed essayist Julietta Singh.
We spoke to Dr. Mahtani about her course and what three Canadian books she considers to be essential reading.
Your seminar is built around interviews with leading Canadian writers. Why have you chosen this approach?
I have to say I did not do well at university at the undergraduate level. I found lectures to be disconnected from the real world, and while theory was interesting, I had some sincere questions about what I would do with all that knowledge: What kind of job would I get? What skills would I need to not only be successful but to feel happy and creatively fuelled? I came across a quote the other day that spoke to me about the serendipitous nature of learning:
“Because understanding is never enough by itself, it has to seep through in unpredictable ways, through chance or accidents, just being alive, and no one can do that for you. Thinking isn’t just a matter of intelligence, but of necessity.” – Sylvère Lotringer
I love this quote because it speaks to the way that we learn powerfully through serendipity and connections only we can make, by linking intimate moments in our lives with what we hear in the lecture halls. I love those moments that occur when you can actually listen to an author speak about why they wrote something when they wrote it, and what compelled them to write it in the first place. Hearing them reflect on their powerful writing, and how they feel about what they wrote has such a huge impact in the classroom. How often do we actually get to meet the authors we read in class? Too rarely! I’m lucky to have connections in the publishing world where some of the country’s greatest writers are willing to come in and speak with us.
What are the top three books you would recommend for somebody wanting to understand more about Canadian society?
I’d love to begin by asking new questions. There’s an old adage that goes something like this: to have a whole new world of answers, we need a whole new world of questions. I’d love to explore what we mean by this phrase, “Canadian society”! What freight does that term hold, particularly for systemically disadvantaged peoples? Who gets to be part of society? I am wary of the framing of “society” in relation to “Canadian” because not everyone has the privilege, nor does everyone want to identify as Canadian.
I think I might rephrase the question a bit: What texts have helped me understand the complexities of the role of the nation-state in defining and redefining political, social and economic inequality? There are so many but I’d start with Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes. A work of historical fiction,The Book of Negroes tells the story of Aminata Diallo, who is captured by slave traders in Africa and brought to the United States and then Nova Scotia. I also love the edited collection by Lynn Caldwell, Darryl Leroux and Carrianne Leung entitled Critical Inquiries – A Reader in Studies of Canada which offers a rich and critical approach to Canadian studies, framing Canada as an ongoing colonial project. It’s an important anthology. There are so many that it’s almost impossible to stop but here’s one that really is a must-read: My Conversations with Canadians by Lee Maracle (may she rest in power).
Dr. Mahtani’s seminar in Canadian Studies (CDST 450B 002) will take place in Winter Term 2, 2022. General and restricted seats are available.
