SUCCESSFUL UNDERGRADUATE HISTORY SYMPOSIUM

SUCCESSFUL UNDERGRADUATE HISTORY SYMPOSIUM AND JOURNAL PUBLICATION

In early April, Department of History students hosted their Undergraduate History Symposium. Over the course of a successful afternoon, students presented their research to their peers, professors, and supporters. Topics covering a range of geographical and chronological areas included:

·       “Instability and the Struggle for Democracy in Myanmar”

·       “The Type of Person who will go after Moby Dick in a Rowboat – An Exploration of Trans Joy and the Power of the Historical Narrative”

·       “Procurement of the Nineteenth Amendment in the United States”

·       “Aspirin and the Birth of the Analgesic Industry”

·       “The Shadow of Grief in Post-War Canadian Collective Memory – An Analysis of the Double Purpose of Post-First World War Commemorative Techniques”

·       “Indoctrination, Discipline, and Necessity: A Critical Book Analysis of Hitler’s Army by Omer Bartov”

·       “The Final Frontier: The Implications of the Space Race on Modern Space Exploration.”

The papers have been published in The Endnote, the TMU undergraduate history journal and may be read  (PDF file) here.

The conference and its associated journal celebrate excellence in undergraduate writing and research at TMU. They also help students build confidence in their abilities through the experiences of submitting work for publication, receiving and integrating feedback on their efforts, and presenting their findings in academic settings. As well, the organisers hope to lower barriers for students interested in pursuing careers in academia as well as stimulate increased interest in the discipline of History. 

Undergraduate students Katie Carson, Neea Jacklin, and Paige Parsons led the year-long process of organizing the symposium and publishing the papers. Along the way they received help from History professors, as well as MA students from the Academic Support Coach program who copy-edited the papers. Financial assistance came from the Department of History; the Society of Arts, Social Science, and Humanities; and a Student Project Grant from the Faculty of Arts.