Annual Graham Lecturer challenges historians accounts of the War of 1812
Author: Communications
Posted on Sep 24, 2014
Category: UNB Fredericton
Major John R. Grodzinski will deliver the 14th Annual Dominick S. Graham Lecture, "Mind the Crap: Coping with the Bicentenary of the War of 1812," on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Carleton Street Armoury in Fredericton.
Dr. John Grodzinski will offer a commentary on the use and abuse of history during the Bicentenary of the War of 1812. He will consider how the attainment of national and regional goals resulted in commemoration that centred on a single region, a select group of 'heroes' and poor history.
He will also critique the rival claims of who won the War of 1812 and discuss the potential implications on the future of Canada had Britain been defeated.
This is a free and public lecture and all are welcome to attend.
Grodzinski is an assistant professor of History at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. He is author of The 104th (New Brunswick) Regiment of Foot in the War of 1812 (Goose Lane, 2014), Defender of Canada: Sir George Prevost and the War of 1812 (University of Oklahoma Press, 2013), and editor of The War of 1812: An Annotated Bibliography (Routledge, 2007).
Between 2011 and 2013, Dr. Grodzinski was historical advisor to the St. Lawrence War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance and also assisted Historica Canada in the preparation of War of 1812 education packages and video vignettes. He also appeared in the PBS documentary on the War of 1812 (2011), four episodes of “Canada 1812: Forged in Fire” (2012), an episode of “Finding the Fallen: Trench Detectives,” (2008), and has been a commentator on the War of 1812 for the Discovery Channel and CBC Radio.
He has contributed articles to a number of journals, authored entries for military encyclopedia and has also authored chapters for several books (including two that will be published in 2014).
The Graham lecture will be preceded by the launch of the latest in the New Brunswick Military Heritage Book Series, The 104th (New Brunswick) Regiment of Foot in the War of 1812.
About the lecture series
The Annual Graham Lecture in War and Society was inaugurated in 2000 in honour of Professor Dominick S. Graham. After serving with distinction in the British Army in the Second World War, Graham came to UNB in the 1960s during which time he completed his PhD and became an assistant professor with the history department. His focus soon shifted to war and society issues. In 1971 Graham established the military and strategic studies program and in 1980 was one of the founding members of UNB’s Centre for Conflict Studies (both precursors to The Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society).
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