Annual Report of the Activities of

The Israel Association for Canadian Studies

January 1, 2002 - December 31, 2002

Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies

The Israel Association for Canadian Studies together with the Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies held the 9th Biennial Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies at the Mount Scopus campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem between June 30 and July 4, 2002. The conference brought together over 100 participants from Israel, Canada and other countries. The conference opened on the evening of June 30th with Prof. David Cameron of the University of Toronto delivering the key-note address entitled: "The Shifting Role of the State and Economy in Canada."

After surveying research interests of Israeli Canadianists, five themes were identified and selected for the conference: renegotiating community in Canadian literature; Canadian social policy; the future of the Canadian city; influences of Canadian law on Israeli law; and the Toronto School of communication theory. Each theme was opened with a plenary session and followed by additional parallel sessions.

On Canada Day, Ambassador Michael Bell addressed the conference participants and spoke on "The Search for Peace in the Middle East: Canadian Engagement." The participants later joined the Ambassador and his wife Linda for an evening reception in honor of Canada Day at the Ambassador's residence.

In addition to the lectures and discussions, the Travelling Book Display of Canadian Books of the International Council for Canadian Studies was opened to the public during the conference. The conference venue was adorned with new photographic portraits of Canadian writers taken by Dr. Danielle Schaub.

The conference was concluded with a field trip entitled: "Canada on the Map of Israel" which included visits to sites relating to Canadian connections to Israel among them the Azrieli Towers, Canada Forest, and sites of Canadian Jewish settlement.

Two publications will be produced from the proceedings of the conference, one on the "Toronto School of Communication Theory" and the second on the "Influences of Canadian Law on Israeli Law".

Government of Canada Grants

Two Government of Canada programs are administered by the Israel Association for Canadian Studies in cooperation with the Canadian Embassy in Tel Aviv. The Academic Committee of the IACS together with representatives from the Embassy evaluates the applications within the framework of the two programs and submits its recommendations to Ottawa.

Seven research proposals were approved under the Government of Canada,  Faculty Research Program for 2002.

        ú          Raphael Cohen-Almagor, University of Haifa, "Incitement and Hate Speech in Canada and Israel: A Comparative Analysis."

        ú          Doron Bar, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, "Pilgrimage and Holy Sites in Western Canadian Society and Culture: Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta, a case study."

        ú          Zachariah Kay, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, "Maintaining Diplomatic Prudence: Canada and Israel, 1958-1968."

        ú          Shai J. Lavi, Tel Aviv University, "The Right to Die - A Comparative Research."

        ú          Pnina Motzafi-Haller, Ben-Gurion University, "A Postcolonial Reading of Canadian Feminist Scholarship."

        ú          Moshe Salomon, Technion, "Urban Anatomy in Quebec."

        ú          Danielle Schaub, Oranim College, "Reading Writers Reading: Canadian Authors' Reflections."

Eight applications were approved under the Government of Canada Faculty Enrichment Program (for the purpose of developing courses with Canadian content) for 2002.

        ú          Ruwaida Abu Rass, ESL - Academic Arab Teachers' Training Institute, Beit Berl College.

        ú          Alexander Bligh, Political Science, College of Judea and Samaria.

        ú          Ilan Greilsammer, Political Science, Bar-Ilan University.

        ú          Mordahia Lipshitz, Medicine, Ben-Gurin University.

        ú          Ariela Lowenstein, Gerontology, University of Haifa.

        ú          Julia Mirsky, Social Work, Ben-Gurion University.

        ú          Pnina Motzafi-Haller, Behavioral Studies, Ben-Gurion University.

        ú          Shoshana Shahrabani, Management and Economics, Emek Yezreel College.

 

Advertisement of the Faculty Enrichment Program and Faculty Research Program for 2003 commenced in October 2002. The advertisement included mailings to the IACS membership, university and college research and development authorities, and other relevant bodies. The guidelines and forms for the two programs are now available on the Canadian Studies in Israel website. 

 

Israel Association for Canadian Studies Graduate Scholarships

Through funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade the Israel Association for Canadian Studies Graduate Scholarship program was established. The Canadian Embassy and the IACS started efforts to raise additional funds from the private sector in Israel and Canada.

This program is designed to assist M.A. students writing theses and Ph.D. students writing dissertations with a significant Canadian component. Students must be registered at an Israeli academic institution. Two proposals were selected for 2002 and the scholarships were presented at the opening dinner of the 9th Biennial Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies.

        ú          Itzhak Aaronovitch, Ph.D. candidate, Ben-Gurion University, "Approaches to Spatial Planning of Urban Public Spaces in Multicultural Immigrants Societies - Multicultural Approaches vs. Assimilationist Approaches."

        ú          Shlomo Gruner, M.A. student, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, "The Pathway to Rome and Beyond, Explaining Cooperation on the International Criminal Court."

 

International Council for Canadian Studies Programs

The IACS nominated Prof. David Cameron for the ICCS Governor General's Award in Canadian Studies for 2002. Prof. Cameron received the award, which was bestowed upon him in Ottawa in June 2002 in recognition to his contribution to the development of Canadian Studies in Canada, Israel and other countries.  

In October 2002 information on the different ICCS programs were advertised on the new website and various researchers and graduate students were contacted and encouraged to send in proposals.

 

Publications

One volume, based on the proceeding of the 2000 Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies, was added to the Canadian Studies series of Magnes Press. The volume entitled Community, Nation and Identity in Canadian Literature, and edited by Dr. Danielle Schaub of Oranim College, Israel and Prof. Christl Verduyn of Wilfred Laurier University was launched at the 9th Biennial Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies. Dr. Danielle Schaub, on behalf of the IACS presented a copy to Ambassador Michael Bell on Canada Day. A second volume based on the proceeding of the 2000 Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies is in the process of preparation. Metropolitan Reform in Canada and Israel, edited by Prof. Eran Razin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Prof. Patrick Smith of Simon Fraser University.

Two volumes, based on the proceedings of the 2002 Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies are now in preparation. Professors Menahem Blondheim and Rita Watson of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem are editing a volume on the Toronto School of Communication Theory. Prof. Lorraine Weinrib of University of Toronto and Prof. Allen Zysblat of the Hebrew University are editing the volume on the Influences of Canadian Law on Israeli Law. Both volumes are slated for publication by the summer of 2004.

The translation of 14 plays by Canadian playwrites into Hebrew is in preparation. The project is being organized by Prof. Shimon Levy of Tel Aviv University and is partially supported by funding from the IACS. 

   

Public Lecture Series

During the year 2002, the Israel Association for Canadian Studies in partnership with the Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies held four public lectures. The lectures detailed below were attended by audiences of 25-100 persons. The first two lectures listed below were organized especially so as to target the Israeli student population with the intention of cultivating increased interest in Canadian Studies within the student body.

        ú          Dr. Nora Gold, University of Toronto, "Sexism and Antisemitism in the Experience of Canadian Jewish Women," (January 28, 2002).

        ú          Prof. Sally Rogow, University of British Columbia, "The Disability Rights Movements: The Canadian Experience," (June 5, 2002).

        ú          Prof. John Furedy, University of Toronto, "North American Polygraph as Entrails Reading," (November 19, 2002).

        ú          Prof. Leo Davids, York University, "Honey for Immigrants: Montreal and Winnipeg Seek New Jews," (December 22, 2002).

Canadian Studies in Israel Website

The IACS together with the Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies launched a joint website in October. The site entitled "Canadian Studies in Israel" is located at http://canadianstudies.huji.ac.il. The site provides information about the IACS and its different programs including the FER and FRP. During the first two months of operation the site had over 800 visitors.

Library Collection

The Library Support Fund provided funding this year for the expansion of the Canadian Studies collection at Tel Aviv University. The books selected were mainly from the field of Canadian literature and were supplemented by general resources on Canada. This support is intended to assist the further expansion of teaching of Canadian literature and theatre at Tel Aviv University as well as research in these fields. An application from Bar-Ilan University for library support is now being processed.

Various books and journals were received from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, national Canadian Studies associations, Canadian publishers, and individuals. The IACS distributed these books to various libraries in Israel including University of Haifa, Bar-Ilan University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University. 

Varia

Dr. Danielle Schaub, a member of the IACS Executive Committee from Haifa, exhibited her photographs of Canadian writers at the David Mirvish Gallery, Toronto. The exhibition entitled "Seeing Canadian Voices, Writers in Light and Shadow" opened on May 1, 2002 and ran until the end of August 2002.