During McGill’s bicentennial year, 2021, members of the university community increasingly began asking the institution to take a closer look at its complex history. From those calls emerged a conference, held that year, now followed by a book: McGill in History.
Six McGill experts are among the collaborators, including the book’s three editors: Brian Lewis, Don Nerbas and Melissa N. Shaw, all professors of History.
The editors describe the volume as a collective effort. In addition to the work of current members of the Department of History and Classical Studies, contributors include a professor emeritus, a graduate of the MA program in History and scholars from other universities.
“McGill in History seeks to open new vistas into the past of the University, ones that place the evolution of an institution in relation to its wider historical context and that move away from narration of the university’s history as a unified account of progress and achievement,” said Nerbas, associate professor in the Department History and Classical Studies.
Describing the volume as “kaleidoscopic,” he said its authors have used their diverse historical expertise to investigate distinct episodes and themes connected to the university’s history.
‘Warts and all’
In addition to documenting some the University’s lesser-known episodes and aspects, there is a desire to reach an audience beyond McGill, and to promote dialogue about everything from colonialism and slavery to sexism and homophobia.
“This is not just a McGill story. We think it will be of interest to many beyond the Roddick Gates. However, we hope that the McGill community in particular will be fascinated by the range of perspectives and will applaud our ‘warts and all’ approach,” said Lewis, professor in the Department of History and Classical Studies.
“We think it’s worth exploring the good, the bad and the ugly – the sheer messiness – of a great institution’s history. We are not looking to offend or defend, but to fulfill our duty as historians to get the story right,” he said.
A more inclusive history
Inclusivity is another objective of McGill in History. As the editors worked with the contributors, they sought to ensure each chapter would be rigorous, accessible and inclusive of histories that previously had been passed over.
Including diverse perspectives was also important in the editing of the book. For Shaw, assistant professor in the Department History and Classical Studies, it’s a call she also hears from her students.
“They remind me of the immense potential and promise that universities hold, even amidst the current skepticism surrounding higher education. As historians, we provide our expertise to place what we observe in today’s world within its historical context, helping us better understand and learn from the past,” she said.
In the hope that the new histories will help push forward current institutional work on equity, diversity and inclusion, the Office of the Provost and McGill Equity Team supported both the bicentennial conference and the new publication.
“Like many universities, both in Canada and elsewhere, McGill recognizes that knowledge of and reckoning with our past is essential to our present and future – especially if there are problematic elements,” said Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Christopher Manfredi.
“We’re proud to support the work of our experts and their peers in engaging in this important undertaking,” he added.
Those interested in McGill in History are invited to join the launch event Nov. 6. The book can be purchased through the McGill-Queen’s Press website or at Paragraph Bookstore.