The Foundation works closely with and supports the work of the British Association for Canadian Studies (BACS), and for more than twenty years the BACS has worked to develop teaching, research and publication on Canada in the United Kingdom.
The BACS has been instrumental in developing links between Canadian and UK institutions in many fields. In architecture, for example, the BACS has established the Canada/UK Architecture Group, to make Canadian architects and their work better known in Britain, and to facilitate more and better professional and academic contacts. The Group has sponsored lecture tours and exhibitions by Canadian architects such as Jack Diamond, Arthur Erikson, Douglas Cardinal, Peter Cardew, and Mackay Lyons; BACS also publishes a regular bulletin of news and events.
The BACS also hosts an annual conference on a variety of themes. The 25th Anniversary Conference was held in Edinburgh in Spring 2000 and celebrated a quarter-century of Canadian Studies in the United Kingdom. Details of annual conferences can be found on the BACS website or enquiries should be addressed to Jodie Robson at the address below.
The Association publishes the British Journal of Canadian Studies, one of the leading scholarly publications about Canada outside the country itself, and members receive the BACS Newsletter three times a year. The BACS also advises national education bodies in the UK about teaching and research on Canada in Britain.
As mentioned above, the BACS has a number of specialist groups, which are listed below:
LIBRARY AND RESOURCES GROUP (LARG) This group acts as an advisory service, co-ordinates the provision of library and research resources for students and academics, and contributes to the BACS newsletter. It has published Canadian Studies in the UK and Ireland: A Guide to Resources by Judy Collingwood, 3rd edition (BACS and CHC, London, 1998). More recently it has established and maintains "Access Canada" a web-portal which seeks to provide a moderated, critical guide to Canadian resources on the web.
LITERATURE GROUP This group is convened by Dr Danielle Fuller at Birmingham and Dr. Susan Billingham at Nottingham, and is the largest special subject group. It supports members' work as scholars and teachers, and raises the profile of Canadian literary research and teaching within and beyond the UK. The group celebrated its 15th anniversary in September 1999 with a conference entitled "Regenerations". Among its other achievements, the group has published several essay collections and, since 1998, has produced CanText, a tri-yearly newsletter. It sponsors plenary speakers and writers at the BACS conference and provides small grants to postgraduates giving papers on Canadian literature at events outside BACS. Contact: Susan.Billingham@Nottingham.ac.uk, or Danielle Fuller on :FullerD@hhs.bham.ac.uk
ABORIGINAL STUDIES CIRCLE The ASC was set up in 1995 to foster informed understanding of Aboriginal concerns and to encourage teaching, research and other activities based upon appropriate culturally sensitive approaches, integrity and respect of First Nations peoples. Its origins lie in the recognition of the significance of Aboriginal-related aspects of Canadian Studies for the wider understanding of Canada in the past, present and future. Providing opportunities for Aboriginal perspectives and experiences to be shared among different audiences has led to ASC's involvement in the preparation of educational materials and Local Education authority liaison, encouragement of postgraduate researchers, collaborative publications, supporting visiting speakers, promotion of Aboriginal film materials, public talks, and conference organisation, as well as consultation on the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and meetings with First Nations leaders and ministerial representatives. ASC has organised events at Canada House and has strong links with other specialist groups within BACS, various regional Canadian Studies centres, and some contact with other mainland European groups. Each member of ASC's Steering Committee is involved in aspects of research or other activity on Aboriginal-related issues. CONVENOR: Dr. Heather Norris Nicholson, c/o BACS, Edinburgh.
CANADIAN BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC STUDIES GROUP The CBESG organises an annual conference on business-related topics of concern to academics in Canada and Britain. There is no formal membership and organisation of events is driven by topicality. A one-day event has been planned for 2006 on the theme of competition policy.
CANADA IN SCHOOLS GROUPUnder the direction of Ken Atkinson, Geography Department at the University of Leeds, this group promotes interest in Canada within primary and secondary schools. It also provides resources for teaching in British schools and liaises with professional societies and teacher associations. The group has produced a video and an urban studies pack for schools, and is involved with a new interactive student-run program, Youth Links.
CANADA/UK ARCHITECTURE GROUP
FORUM ON COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN CANADA AND EUROPE (FOCASICAE)
Le GROUPE DE RECHERCHE ET D'ETUDES SUR LE CANADA FRANÇAIS (LeGRECF)
UK-CANADA CITIES RESEARCH GROUP
HISTORY AND POLITICS GROUP The revival of the group is occurring in 2006 and conferences will be planned including promotion of the study of Canadian hsitory in Britain. Its members regularly participate in conferences at Edinburgh and London and at the annual meeting of BACS. Contact Dr. Tony McCulloch at tkm2@canterbury.ac.uk
UK/CANADIAN LEGAL STUDIES GROUP The Legal Studies Group fosters legally-related discussion of matters of comparative or common interest between Canadian and UK law. Within this remit, it adopts a braod view of its mandate, and encourages participation not only by scholars working within traditional legal paradigms, but also those working within socio-legal, law and society, theoretical, interdisciplinary and critical legal frameworks. Members from disciplines other than law are also extremely welcome. The main activity of the group is its annual one-day conference, which usually takes place in February. Members of the groups also receive email notification of other matters of potential interest, and the Executive Committee welcomes suggestions from members about future activities. Membership of the Group is free:to join, please email the Membership Secretary, Jane Wright on: jeaw@essex.ac.uk
For more information on the British Association for Canadian Studies, please contact:
Jodie Robson
Administrative Secretary
British Association for Canadian Studies
31 Tavistock Square
London WC1H 9HA
Tel: 020 7862 8687
Fax: 020 7117 1875
email: info@canadian-studies.net