MU Canadian Studies Center opens

The University of Missouri Canadian Studies Center officially opened March 11, 2009, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Chicago Consul General Georges Rioux, Arts and Science Dean Michael J. O'Brien and invited guests during the campus' annual celebration of Canada Days. The Center, located in the Professional Building, is hosted by the Department of Political Science.

James Endersby, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the department and coordinator of Canadian studies, greeted the attendees by handing out hockey pucks.

"The Canadian Studies program has been in the works for several years," Endersby says. "I am appreciative of the support of the dean, the faculty and the staff who have helped develop this program."

The Canadian Studies Program is a new, growing and vibrant organization intended to promote awareness of Canada throughout the university, state and region. With more than $8 billion worth of goods exchanged during 2007, Canada is Missouri's largest international trading partner, and an understanding of Canadian culture, history and politics is advantageous to Missourians. With the implentation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), it is easier to move goods between the borders because of the absence of taxes on purchases.

"Programs like this perpetuate our relationship with our neighbor to the north," O'Brien says. "We can show our students how seamless business is between our countries. That is what this center will do."

The Canadian Studies Program has the support of the Canadian government in the form of monetary donations each year. That money helps the program secure reputable speakers and assists with student involvement.

John Petrocik, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science, expands on the importance of this center, "The Canadian Studies Center, provides an institutional forum in which faculty across campus can meet and share a common interest in Canada, as each finds colleagues in other departments who can talk over ideas, respond to research findings, and comment on papers and articles that we write. Of course, the center will also enrich the curriculum by facilitating courses about Canada that might otherwise never be offered without the support and encouragement of interested colleagues who interact throughout the new center."

"This department plays a big role in the community, state and region and is a magnet for the state," Rioux says. "It is good to be seen as a magnet."

Several MU professors research issues related to Canada. Endersby’s research is primarily on Canadian politics, specifically on elections, voter participation and public opinion. Marvin Overby, associate professor of political science, focuses on legislative procedures in federal and provincial legislatures as well as minority representation in Canada. Craig T. Palmer, assistant professor of anthropology, focuses on applying evolutionary theory to cultural behavior through studying small fishing villages in Newfoundland, Canada. Thomas Johnson, Frank Miller Professor of Agricultural Economics, is interested in assessing Canadian policies affecting rural areas.

Links:

Canadian Studies
Canada Days @ MU
Department of Political Science
James Endersby
L. Marvin Overby
Craig T. Palmer
Thomas Johnson