Café historique: The Traveller's Guide to History

Our 2017-18 season is based on a popular UVic course called The Backpacker’s Guide to European History. Of course, you don’t need to strap a backpack on to enjoy travel – but it helps to know a little bit about the history of the places you’re going! This year six speakers will take you to six “Great Cities”, starting with Dr Tom Saunders whose talk is entitled, “Divided Berlin: The Cold War’s ‘Great Wall’.” In the course of the year, the other five members of our scholar-traveller team will take you to Venice, Montreal, London, Amsterdam and Washington DC. Start making those travel plans now for summer 2018!

We’re happy to report that Hermann’s is doing well and is once again opening its doors to us. All talks will be on the first Tuesday of the month (October, November, December, February, March, April) with the exception of December, when our talk will be the 2nd Tuesday (December 12th). As in previous years, doors open at 5, and the talk begins at 6:30; this year, there will be a regular musical event starting at 8:30 – more details soon!

Upcoming Talk Titles

Tickets are reservable through Eventbrite. Links within the titles below will appear once the Eventbrite sites are live; please also check our Facebook site for updates.

October 3rd
“Divided Berlin: The Cold War's ‘Great Wall’”, Dr. Tom Saunders, Department of History

November 7th
“Venice: Shifting Foundations of a Renaissance Powerhouse”. Dr Jill Walshaw, Department of History

December 12th
“Montreal: The Bloody Origins of Canada's First Metropolis”, Dr. Peter Cook, Department of History

February 6th
“Mexico City:  From Tenochtitlan to Modern Metropolis”, Dr. Beatriz de Alba-Koch, Department of Hispanic and Italian Studies.

March 6th
“London: Global and Local”, Dr. Warren Magnusson

April 3rd
Washington, D.C.: Race and Space in the American Capital ”, Dr Jason Colby, Department of History