UNews - Elizabeth Galway

Board of Governors appoints Tier I Board of Governors Research Chairs

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 May 2021 22:23:11 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors appointed four new Tier I Board of Governors Research Chairs recently.

“It is my great pleasure to announce these appointments,” says Dr. Robert Wood, interim vice-president research. “Without exception, each of these colleagues is recognized as an exemplary and innovative researcher in their respective field. The programs of research and student training that they have each proposed for their term as a Board of Governors Research Chair will further elevate our reputation and impact as a comprehensive academic and research university.”

Tier I Board of Governors Research Chairs

Dr. Carly Adams is a founding member of the Centre for Oral History and Tradition and Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. As a social historian and advocate for oral history, her research explores community, resiliency and gender with a focus on sport, recreation and leisure experiences. Adams, in collaboration with Dr. Darren Aoki at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth, UK and several community partners including the Galt Museum, Nikka Yuko Japanese Canadian Garden, and Nikkei Cultural Society of Lethbridge and Area launched the Nikkei Memory Capture Project in 2017. In 2019, they were awarded a SSHRC Insight Grant in support of this research.

Dr. Theresa Burg is a leader in avian molecular ecology. She received her BSc and MSc from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, her PhD from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Cambridge, and was a NSERC postdoctoral fellow at Queen’s ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Chateaubriand Fellow at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique in France. In 2006, she started at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and is currently a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. She has served on the editorial board for four international journals, numerous scientific committees and results from her research have been used in developing conservation and management policies.

Dr. Elizabeth Galway is co-director of the Institute for Child and Youth Studies and a faculty member in the Department of English, where she teaches courses in children’s literature, nineteenth-century literature, and Canadian literature. She is the author of From Nursery Rhymes to Nationhood: Children’s Literature and the Construction of Canadian Identity (Routledge 2008), which examines literature for young readers from 1867-1911. Her most recent work focuses on children’s literature from the First World War, and she has published widely on this topic.

Dr. Claudia Gonzalez, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology, investigates the mechanisms and origins of sex differences in cognitive function. Born and raised in Mexico City, Gonzalez obtained a bachelor’s in psychology from the National Autonomous ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Mexico (UNAM) and completed a MSc and a PhD in Neuroscience at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. She continued with four years of postdoctoral training at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario. In 2009, she returned to the U of L as a Canada Research Chair in Sensorimotor Control (renewed in 2014). Her research is aimed at understanding sensorimotor and cognitive functions throughout the lifespan with particular interest in sex differences. The ultimate goal of her research is to develop programs to enhance cognitive and motor abilities that improve quality of life for everyone.

All terms begin on July 1, 2022 for a five-year period.

Three U of L professors examine Western Canada during the First World War

caroline.zentner — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 17:14:42 +0000

In addition to the scholarly work that has been done on Canadian soldiers who served in the First World War, three ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professors have focused their research on the war’s effects on those who were on the home front.

On Wednesday evening, Drs. Kristine Alexander, Amy Shaw and Elizabeth Galway reveal their findings and insights during a presentation called Western Canada at War.

“I’m going to be talking about young people’s experiences on the home front,” says Alexander, a history professor. “In 1914, attending school was compulsory for young people in every province except Quebec, and the war changed what children learned in their classrooms. Across the country, provincial Departments of Education and individual teachers developed new war-related assignments and teaching materials. In mathematics classes, for example, young people were regularly asked to calculate interest rates of Victory Bonds and to solve problems featuring Allied soldiers and German prisoners of war.”

From left to right are Drs. Amy Shaw, Kristine Alexander and Elizabeth Galway.

Canadian children also learned about the war in less formal ways: at home and in the press, they often heard talk that demonized the enemy and extolled the virtues of patriotism. They also played with war-related toys, like toy soldiers and toy guns, played war-themed board and card games, and some collected cards featuring weapons or generals that came in cigarette packages.

Alexander will also talk about her latest research project, which involves examining letters written between soldiers and their families back home, to better understand how the war affected wives and children of soldiers.

“Studying the war using personal documents like letters reminds us that war always has a heavy human cost. Even for kids living far from the front lines, the Great War still shaped their lives in ways that could be quite traumatic,” she says.

Dr. Amy Shaw has studied conscientious objectors during the First World War. The government’s conscription law provided an exemption from military service for members of churches, such as Mennonites and Quakers, with proscriptions against violence.

“When you’re trying to understand wartime society, the people who don’t fit in properly are sometimes a good way of understanding the rest of society,” says Shaw. “This was a time, especially during the war but also at the turn of the century generally, when duty was a big part of the way people saw their relationship to the state and to each other.”

Conscientious objectors were often ridiculed, told they weren’t real men, or were over-intellectual or stupid in their blind following of church doctrine. Shaw estimates about 26,000 men were conscientious objectors, which required them to appear in front of a tribunal and state their reasons for objecting.

“Our memory of the First World War tends to be about soldiers fighting and this was a total war that affected people at home and affected people in a lot of different ways. This is a way of looking at the evolving relationship between the citizen and the state,” says Shaw.

Dr. Elizabeth Galway, an English professor, is writing a book about children’s literature during the First World War and has published articles on representations of boy soldiers and depictions of Canadian-American relations. Often, children’s literature was overtly pro-war but Galway’s research has revealed it is more complex than first meets the eye.

“The war influenced every genre of children’s literature, making its presence felt in alphabet books, craft books, school textbooks and more,” says Galway. “In addition, war, national identity and children themselves were depicted in diverse ways.”

While some writers softened images of warfare for young readers, others were more explicit in their accounts of violence. Similarly, some authors saw children as innocent victims of war while others portrayed them as empowered contributors to the war effort.

Canada, as a nation, was portrayed both as a loyal imperial subject and as a fully-fledged nation that proved its strength through achievements on the battlefield. Children’s literature had the power not only to influence attitudes towards warfare, but to shape how readers understood the Canadian nation and the state of childhood.

The Western Canada at War session on Wednesday, Nov. 30 begins at 7 p.m. in the Dr. Foster James Penny Building, PB200, located at 324 5 St. S. Admission is free and a cash bar and appetizers are available at 6 p.m.

5 Questions with Dr. Elizabeth Galway

trevor.kenney — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 21:25:16 +0000

Dr. Elizabeth Galway has been a faculty member in the Department of English since 2003 where she teaches courses in Canadian literature, children's literature and nineteenth-century literature. She is the author of From Nursery Rhymes to Nationhood: Children's Literature and the Construction of Canadian Identity (Routledge 2008), and is currently working on a book about children's literature and the First World War.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

I have a variety of different research interests but my primary research areas are children's literature and Canadian literature. I became interested in these subjects while I was completing work for my master's degree in English literature. I was studying at Durham ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in the north of England at the time and I was conscious of the fact that the English literature that I had read as a Canadian child had shaped my expectations about life in England, and had led directly to my desire to live and study in Britain. These thoughts about the continuing resonance of children's literature in my own life were the first step towards my reconsideration of the apparent simplicity of the genre. I became interested in exploring what one might call "adult themes" in children's literature, and started to consider how literature for children is inextricably bound up with issues of concern to adults.

Dr. Elizabeth Galway believes that children's literature has a profound effect on the attitudes we carry as adults.

Living in England gave me a better understanding of British literature and culture, but it also heightened my awareness of my own status as a Canadian. I began to consider the extent to which the literature read in childhood influences how Canadians perceive themselves, and how others perceive them. I have been able to combine my interests in nineteenth and early twentieth-century Canadian and British literature and to explore how children's literature reflects and influences attitudes towards nationalism, imperialism, gender and citizenship.

How is your research applicable in "the real world?"

We should not consider scholarly research as something separate from "the real world," since the work being conducted across different disciplines is applicable to many aspects of everyday life. Although my current project about WWI has me studying literature written nearly one hundred years ago, it has direct relevance to events taking place today. I recently published an article on the portrayal of child soldiers in WWI literature that can help us understand current debates about the use of underage fighters. Exploring literary portrayals of child contributions to the First World War can help us understand contemporary definitions of childhood that simultaneously include a longing to protect children, a need to shape them into "good citizens", and a desire to give them a sense of confidence and agency.

First World War children's literature may have also had a lasting impact on how Canadians viewed the nation, its role in the world, and concepts of citizenship and patriotism. Canada has not ceased to be engaged in military activity in different parts of the globe, so understanding earlier attitudes towards armed conflict can help us better comprehend our current place in the world.

What is the greatest honour you have received in your career?

Every time that I accomplish something that is part of the job, whether it be receiving a grant, generating a great class discussion, or receiving a copy of one of my publications, I feel a sense of excitement. The most recent achievement that I am very proud of is my role in helping to establish the Institute of Child and Youth Studies (I-CYS) at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. This institute represents a major step forward in facilitating interdisciplinary relationships between scholars working in different areas related to childhood studies.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

My desire to become a university professor arose directly from my own love of being a student; so creating a positive experience for students is something that is very important to me. There is a direct link between my research and my teaching and I am often able to include readings on my courses that stem directly from my research trips. For example, on my reading list for Canadian Literature 1867-1914, I have included a number of stories and articles that are long out of print, but which provide students with a more complete picture of what early Canadians were reading. The SSHRC grant for my project on WWI has also enabled me to hire several students as research assistants. They've been a real help to me, and have had the opportunity to conduct hands-on research by visiting libraries and museums, and working with primary source material from the war period. The study of literature can be a very solitary pursuit, so it has been wonderful to have this opportunity to work with students outside of the classroom and to share ideas about the material that is being studied.

If you had unlimited funds, which areas of research would you invest?

If I had unlimited funds, I would invest in every area of research! The real question is how to decide what projects to support when the funds are limited. The short answer is that we need to strike a balance. After all, what good would it do to invent an iPod or a Kindle, if there was no music to listen to and no literature to read?

Each month, the Legend will present 5 Questions With . . . one of our researchers. For a look at the entire catalog of 5 Questions With . . . features, check out the Office of Research and Innovation Services website at www.uleth.ca/research_profiles.

This story first appeared in the June 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

5 Questions with Dr. Elizabeth Galway

trevor.kenney — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:13:37 +0000

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

Dr. Elizabeth Galway believes that children's literature has a profound effect on the attitudes we carry as adults.

How is your research applicable in "the real world?"

What is the greatest honour you have received in your career?

How important are students to your research endeavours?

If you had unlimited funds, which areas of research would you invest?

This story first appeared in the June 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Childhood studies the basis for new research institute

trevor.kenney — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 22:06:50 +0000

The study of childhood issues from a multi-disciplinary perspective is at the essence of a new research institute established by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The Institute for Child and Youth Studies will bring together researchers from several disciplines who are increasingly adding child and youth studies projects to their research portfolios. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors approved the new research institute at its October 11, 2012 meeting.

The Institute for Child and Youth Studies (I-CYS) formalizes a concept developed by a multi-disciplinary group of faculty members who hosted the successful Childhoods Conference at the U of L in May 2011.

Their efforts attracted researchers, professional practitioners and guests from around the world to consider the state of child studies. This was the start of a number of discussions, research partnerships and joint projects that eventually led to the establishment of I-CYS.

"Virtually every academic discipline touches on children and youth, but the information and the expertise is not often connected," says Dr. Janay Nugent, a history researcher and one of the six U of L faculty members involved in the process to launch the institute.

"We are aiming to bring people together for research collaborations, and to contribute to the broader community through partnerships with local agencies and policy-making organizations," Nugent adds.

"Our long-term plans include establishing a multi-disciplinary workshop series and a triennial conference devoted to understanding the role of children and youth in society, developing undergraduate and graduate degrees in Child and Youth Studies, as well as encouraging post-doctoral research."

This is the ninth Research Institute to be established at the U of L. David Hill, the U of L's recently-appointed Director of Centres and Institutes, says the Child and Youth Studies group will be a welcome addition to the cross-campus collaborations that are already taking place.

"In order to grow our research profile and move new ideas forward, we are encouraging our people to work together in different ways. There are many positive outcomes I see in bringing this group – and the people they attract – into the U of L family to further research in this very critical area, and I look forward to working with them to establish this institute."

An advisory committee is also to be established, with input from researchers, community agencies, First Nations, Metis and Inuit groups as well as undergraduate and graduate students. There is also a provision in the organizational structure for affiliate researchers from other universities in Canada, international scholars and professional practitioners working with children and youth.

Six U of L researchers from the U of L will form the initial directorate. They include: Dr. Louise Barrett, Psychology; Dr. Elizabeth Galway, English; Dr. Heidi Macdonald, History; Dr. Jan Newberry, Anthropology; Dr. Janay Nugent, History; Dr. Amy von Heyking, Education.

McGeough is taking archaeology to the masses

trevor.kenney — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:00:12 +0000

Popular cinema loves to delve into the world of archaeology for fantastical storylines that tease our fascination with history and titillate our sense of discovery. But is archaeology similarly enamored with film and its portrayal of historical science? And if not, how can archaeology, and the rich historical information it gleans, be accurately presented to the general public?

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professor Dr. Kevin McGeough (geography) has studied these questions in the past, researching the relationship between popular cinema and archaeology and, along with his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Galway (English), how it is manifest in children's literature. Now, McGeough is involved in a far-reaching project that attempts to present academic archaeological/historical information to the general public.

The ABC-CLIO Encyclopedia of World History is due to be published this year and McGeough has played a significant role in its production, editing four of its volumes.

"This encyclopedia represents the combined efforts of literally hundreds of historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, art-historians, and other scholars (including about 20 faculty and graduates of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge) to present world history to a non-specialist audience," says McGeough. "Our goal has been to create a trustworthy source for high school and undergraduate history instructors and students, which provides up to date information that can be readily understood."

McGeough adds that the project intends to, "present a coherent and inclusive exploration of world history while avoiding the Eurocentric biases and progress narratives that have been typical of previous world history approaches."

Connecting with the general public is something that McGeough sees as a priority, and this manifests in another project on which he is working; editing The Intimate Lives of Ancient People series. Here, experts of various regions and time periods explore what they know of the close relationships between people in a variety of world cultures.

"To my mind, this type of public outreach is an important component of archaeological work and one that is often left to documentary filmmakers and journalists rather than the specialists themselves," says McGeough.

His current work on how archaeological information has been disseminated and used by non-archaeologists stems out of a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Research Fund (ULRF) research grant, titled Navigating Identity on the Nile.

"I am researching what 19th century non-specialists would have known about the ancient Near East and how they made sense of that knowledge in relationship to their own identities," says McGeough.

He describes how the re-discovery through archaeology and philology of the cultures of the ancient Near East was destabilizing to European conceptions of the world.

"The recognition that once mighty empires, like those of the Egyptians and Assyrians, had long ago collapsed, led to the realization that the British and French empires might one day share the same fate," says McGeough.

By examining intellectual and popular culture of the 19th century, McGeough gains a whole new perspective on the role archaeology played in reconstructing the past.

"Archaeology became a key component of the colonial enterprise and the 'rescue' of artifacts of ancient civilizations from the control of the Ottoman and Muslim inhabitants of the Near East became an important justification of imperialism," says McGeough.

Through the exploration of a variety of media, such as stage performances, panoramas, fairs, museums, periodicals and popular novels, for example, he gains a greater understanding of how non-specialists may have interacted with ideas about the ancient Near East. Many of the extraordinary storylines involving archaeologists in today's popular culture grow out of these 19th century traditions and carry with them various Victorian presuppositions about ancient societies.

"By examining the cultural roles that Near Eastern archaeology played in its formative years, I hope to gain a better understanding of the cultural roles of Near Eastern archaeology in its present practice."

Galway delves into the power of literature

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:03:37 +0000

Never underestimate the power of the written word – especially when it's used in children's literature.

English professor Dr. Elizabeth Galway has focused her research interests on the written word and how it is used in children's literature from the nineteenth century and early twentieth century.

She has discovered that while children may be marginalized and their literature passed off as trivial, many profound themes are often woven into children's works and they can have a strong and lasting impact on a young reader.

"There has been a tendency to view the literature written for children as less important than literature for adults," says Galway.

"This dual status of children's literature – the fact that it can have a strong impact on its readership but is often assumed by adults to be trivial – is one of the characteristics that makes it such an interesting genre."

Her current SSHRC-funded project, Young Canada Goes to War, examines a variety of children's literature from 1914-1925, with a view to understanding how Canadian participation in WWI was portrayed by children's writers from Canada, Britain and the United States.

"There is, for example, the question of how the violence of the war is portrayed," says Galway. "In some children's stories the horrors of war are displayed in full for children to see, while in others the violence is downplayed. In the latter case, this can occur for a variety of reasons, which may include softening depictions of warfare for younger readers to protect them from these traumatic events, to help encourage boys to enlist once they come of age, or to downplay the casualties suffered by Canadians in order to promote national pride and enthusiasm for the war effort."

She also found interesting the relationship depicted between Canada and Britain as our young nation begins to exert its independence from the "motherland".

"The war also had an impact on the nation's attitudes towards its other allies, like the United States, and its enemies," says Galway. "Depictions in children's literature of Germans, for instance, along with discussions of immigrants from war-torn Europe, shed light on how the war affected ideas about citizenship, race, and immigration in Canada."

It's an especially timely subject to review, given the current political climate and the lingering debates about Canada's role in international affairs.

"Given the great potential of children's literature to educate, socialize, and indoctrinate its readers, the study of this genre can give us important insight into how the Canadian identity, including attitudes towards peacekeeping and militarism, developed in the early twentieth century."

UNews - Elizabeth Galway

Board of Governors appoints Tier I Board of Governors Research Chairs

Related Topics

Three U of L professors examine Western Canada during the First World War

Related Topics

5 Questions with Dr. Elizabeth Galway

Related Topics

5 Questions with Dr. Elizabeth Galway

Related Topics

Childhood studies the basis for new research institute

Related Topics

McGeough is taking archaeology to the masses

Related Topics

Galway delves into the power of literature

Related Topics