Canada and the World since 1867

(Paperback)

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This book is a history of Canadas role in the world as well as the impact of world events on Canada. Starting from the countrys quasi-independence from Britain in 1867, its analysis moves through events in Canadian and global history to the present day. Looking at Canadas international relations from the perspective of elite actors and normal people alike, this study draws on original research and the latest work on Canadian international and transnational history to examine Canadians involvement with a diverse mix of issues, from trade and aid, to war and peace, to human rights and migration. The book traces four inter-connected themes: independence and growing estrangement from Britain; the longstanding and ongoing tensions created by ever-closer relations with the United States; the huge movement of people from around the world into Canada; and the often overlooked but significant range of Canadian contacts with the non-Western world. With an emphasis on the reciprocal nature of Canadas involvement in world affairs, ultimately it is the first work to blend international and transnational approaches to the history of Canadian international relations.

Reviews

Asa McKercher has written a very contemporary history of Canada's place in the world for a 21st century readership. The contentious issues of imperialism and colonialism lie at the heart of this thought-provoking text - not least the paradox of the Canadian self-image as a peace-loving, anti-colonial nation, and the reality of the treatment of its own indigenous peoples. The author adopts a wide-ranging and multi-dimensional approach to Canada's international history that should be welcomed by Canadians and non-Canadians alike. * Tony McCulloch, Senior Fellow in North American Studies and Canadian Studies Programme Director, UCL Institute of the Americas, University College London, UK *
Asa McKercher asks fresh and incisive questions about the history of Canadas international relations. He examines the evidence through multiple lenses, including diplomacy, settler colonialism, race, gender, and culture. The result is a critical study that dispenses with traditional narratives and comfortable assumptions and reveals the many ways in which Canadas engagement with the world played out within and beyond national borders. * Francine McKenzie, Professor of International History, Western University, Canada *

Author Bio

Asa McKercher is Assistant Professor of History at McMaster University, Canada. He has held research fellowships at the University of Oxford, UK, Queens University, Canada and Boston University, USA. In addition to over a dozen articles in major academic journals, he is the author of Camelot and Canada: Canadian-American Relations in the Kennedy Era (2016).