Richmond, B.C. – From multiculturalism in Richmond, to charting the social landscape of the Georgia Straight, and the clam and pork wars that helped define B.C. trade – this week’s 2015 BC Studies Conference will offer three days of history, research and stories of life in British Columbia.
Hosted by Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in Richmond’s Melville Centre for Dialogue, dozens of academics from throughout Canada and abroad will present topics that span centuries of history on the West Coast. Featured panel discussions will open up conversations on a diverse set of issues, including Japanese-Canadian experiences, race and criminal justice in B.C., and accessibility to education and the open textbook movement.
“2014 was a momentous year for British Columbians coming to terms with exclusionary aspects of their history. Both the 100th anniversary of the refusal to admit the passengers of the Komagata Maru and the Lower Mainland gathering of the residential school Truth and Reconciliation Commission prompted scholars from many disciplines to look once more at British Columbia’s troubled history of exclusionary policies,” says Dr. Tracey Kinney, chair of KPU’s Department of History, and a member of the conference organizing committee.
“The 2015 BC Studies Conference examines British Columbia’s past, present and future in light of these and many other issues facing the province today.”
Themed From Exclusion to Inclusion: Forging a Multicultural Identity in British Columbia, the conference aims to highlight, celebrate and critically examine some of the best and worst moments of B.C. history that continue to define the province today.
This year’s keynote will be delivered by Dr. Patricia E. Roy, professor emeritus from the University of Victoria. Her “From Exclusion to Inclusion” talk will offer an informal memoir of East Asian history in British Columbia.
BC Studies is a quarterly publication dedicated to the exploration and understanding of B.C.’s cultural, economic and political life, past and present. The publication supports a conference by the same name every two years, which is spearheaded by a host institution.
The three-day program for the 2015 BC Studies Conference at KPU is available here.
2015 BC STUDIES CONFERENCE
WHEN: May 7-9, 9:30 a .m.-4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Melville Centre for Dialogue, KPU Richmond (8771 Lansdowne Rd.)
INFO: Advanced registration is recommended. For more information, visit kpu.ca/bcstudies.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been serving the Metro Vancouver region since 1981, and has opened doors to success for more than 250,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts, science, design, health, trades and technology, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 19,000 students annually have a choice from over 124 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates citations and apprenticeships. Learn more at www.kpu.ca.
Historical photos available here.
Media contact:
Hayley Woodin
Media Specialist
t: 604.599.2883
c: 604.364.1288
hayley.woodin@kpu.ca
For more KPU news:
@KPUmedia
kpu.ca/newsroom
Flickr