The Network in Canadian History and Environment (NiCHE) is pleased to announce plans for its seventh annual summer school to be held 25 - 27 May 2012 (prior to the annual meetings of the Canadian Historical Association and Canadian Association of Geographers in Waterloo) in Guelph, Ontario.
The theme for CHESS 2012 is “Bees to Beef: Farm(ed) Animals in Environmental History.” From sheep and pigs to mink and honey bees, domesticated animals have played an important role in transforming local environments, agricultural practices, human diets and consumer cultures in Canada. In this workshop, we will explore the changing place of these animals in rural economies and global commodity chains. Home to the country’s oldest agricultural college, the University of Guelph provides a fitting location to explore these themes. The university’s internationally-renowned research facilities, including the Ontario Veterinary College and the Honey Bee Research Centre, offer a starting point to our discussions of food production, animal welfare, and the science and practice of animal husbandry. With its diverse farming community and its resurgence of interest in local and sustainable foods, the larger Guelph area will provide us with an opportunity to meet local practitioners, and to take in the tastes, sights and smells of Wellington County. Speakers, field trips, and group discussions will explore the role of science, history, and environment in breeding, raising, transporting, and processing “farmed” animals—both domesticated and wild—in rural environments.
Flickr Photo by Danny Perez Photography
To apply for CHESS 2012: Send a one-page CV and a brief statement (not to exceed 100 words), indicating the relevance of your intellectual interests to this year’s theme and how you hope to benefit from participation, by email to Jennifer Bonnell (jbonnell@uoguelph.ca) by 17 FEBRUARY 2012.
Please note that space is limited. As CHESS is intended to provide a forum for interaction between graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty members and others interested in historical approaches to the environment, we will seek to ensure appropriate representation from each of these categories. Everyone is warmly encouraged to apply, but preference will be given to applicants who have never participated in CHESS. Decisions will be communicated by mid-March.
NiCHE will cover the costs of two nights’ accommodation on campus for all participants. Limited funds are available for partial contributions to transportation costs to Guelph for those in need, with up to $500 for those travelling long distances. However, as these funds are limited, participants should also seek other sources of travel funding (e.g, from the CHA).
We look forward to welcoming you to Wellington County!
Factory Chicken Farm in Florida (Wiki Commons)
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