Request a speaker

Many in the department are excited to give free public talks in their area of research. Below is a list of faculty and graduate students who participate in the UVic Speaker’s Bureau and have indicated their willingness to give lectures on the listed topics and should be contacted through the UVic Speakers Bureau.

To see the department's other areas of research expertise and to inquire about other possible speaking topics and get contact information, please see our faculty profiles.

Religion in India (in English or Bengali) NEW Bose, Dr. Neilesh
The Story of an African (Women's) Farm
 Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth
This talk tells the story of an inspiring farm set up during a food crisis in the early 1990s and its ongoing contributions to women's lives and their community.
Food Sovereignty and Sustainability: a South African Case Study
 Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth
This presentation uses two South African collaborative farms as examples of how local, small-scale agriculture can change lives and communities.
Micro-managing: Household Economies in Southern Africa
 Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth
This talk discusses how households in South Africa were used as case studies to examine how “the poorest of the poor” carefully manage scarce resources and diversify activities to support themselves.
The Thinking Garden: A Film About a South African Women's Farm
 Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth
This is an inspiring film about a South African women's cooperative farm; 35 minutes in length. [2016]
Why is Africa Poor and Food-insecure (and is it)?
 Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth
This presentation looks at historical and contemporary factors shaping the ongoing challenges of sub-Saharan Africa, questions standard narratives, and considers some success stories.
A History of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict (Jan-Apr) Bunton, Dr. Martin
The conflict between Palestine and Israel is one of the most highly publicized and bitter struggles of modern times. This talk examines not only the historical basis of the conflict, but also looks at how and why a resolution to the conflict has been so difficult.
Good Food, Bad Sex: Connections Between Food and Sex from the Ancient Greeks to Today NEW Cleves, Dr. Rachel Hope
This talk combines the history of sexuality and the history of food to explore how ancient ideas about the sexual risks associated with certain foods have transformed and continued throughout the centuries, with a focus on Anglo-American history.
The First Treaties: The Roots of Indigenous-Settler Relations in Canada (in English or French)
 Cook, Dr. Peter
This talk explores the 500-year history of alliances and treaties involving the Indigenous peoples of what is now Canada and settlers who arrived from Europe and elsewhere after 1500. Its focus is on the lesser-known treaties negotiated before Confederation in 1867, from the Atlantic coast to the Great Lakes.
The British Monarchy: Why Does the Royal Family Travel So Much? NEW Devereaux, Dr. Simon
The War of the Windsors: Charles and Diana, 1981-1997 NEW Devereaux, Dr. Simon
Murder and the Media in Victorian England NEW Devereaux, Dr. Simon
The Road Hill Murder of 1860: A Great Victorian Mystery  NEW Devereaux, Dr. Simon
Jack the Ripper and the Royal Family: Murder and Myth NEW Devereaux, Dr. Simon
Bad Kings: Edward VIII and the Abdication Crisis (1936) NEW Devereaux, Dr. Simon
How WWI Ended NEW Hannant, Dr. Larry D.
This talk looks at how the years 1917 to 1923 saw a revolutionary transformation of the world, ending empires, creating new countries, setting new ideologies in motion, giving unprecedented opportunities to previously ignored sections of the population such as women.
Canadians and the Spanish Civil War NEW Hannant, Dr. Larry D.
The Spanish Civil War (1936-39) galvanized a volatile world, pitting democracy against fascism in a struggle that was joined by 40,000 volunteers from 70 different places. This talk tells how Canadians distinguished themselves in the effort to defeat the advance of fascism to another country, with men and women joining the battle.
An Uncomfortable Hero—Norman Bethune NEW Hannant, Dr. Larry D.
Renowned in China and Spain but ignored in his homeland of Canada, Dr. Norman Bethune has been described as “arrogant in the service of humanity.” Few other Canadians have painted such a vibrant mark on history in such a short time. Bethune introduced medical innovations into two of the great anti-fascist struggles of the 1930s.
The Cold War in Canada NEW Hannant, Dr. Larry D.
Canada is usually seen as having avoided the eruption of paranoia and persecution that preoccupied the United States in the second half of the 20th century. In fact, Canada and Canadians fell into what Prime Minister Lester Pearson called the "dark madness" of the Cold War in a profound way, and many Canadians suffered in it, including prominent people on Vancouver Island and in Victoria.
God’s Tribunal: Execution as a Political Forum in 17th-and 18th-Century England (English or French) NEW McKenzie, Dr. Andrea
The Bloody Code: Criminal trial in 17th and 18th Century England (in English or French) NEW McKenzie, Dr. Andrea
The Great Fire of London 1666 (in English or French) NEW McKenzie, Dr. Andrea
Royal Martyr or Man of Blood? The Execution of Charles I in 1649 (in English or French) NEW McKenzie, Dr. Andrea
The Mystery of the Lost Norse Colony of Greenland (in English or French) NEW McKenzie, Dr. Andrea
Sir Edward Grey and the Balkan Wars, 1912-1914
 McKercher, Prof. Brian
The Limitations of the Politician-Historian: Winston Churchill and Appeasement
 McKercher, Prof. Brian
Issues Relating to the Origins of War in the Modern Period
 McKercher, Prof. Brian
Learn about the origins of wars in the modern period since 1815— they’re complex, involving a mixture of nationalism, imperialism, national security, and a quest to protect or expand a country's national interests abroad. The notion underlining this complexity is the view that the international system is an “anarchy” of competing national interests.
Nations and Their Strategies Since 1945
 McKercher, Prof. Brian
During and since the Cold War period, understanding differing national strategies is important for explaining how and why international relations evolved. This presentation explores how the Cold War saw the advent of a bipolar world dominated by the US and Soviet Russia. There were neutral powers—chiefly in the Third World—but Soviet-American rivalry affected all international politics. Since the end of the Cold War, a multi-polar world has emerged, making international politics more like pre-1939.
The Origins and Course of the First World War
 McKercher, Prof. Brian
This talk explores the complex origins of the First World War, which involved a mixture of nationalism, imperialism, national security, and the quest by great powers to protect or expand their national interests abroad. The war itself was devastating, seeing the collapse of four great powers—Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia and Turkey—and the problems of fighting an unexpected war of attrition.
The Origins and Course of the Second World War
 McKercher, Prof. Brian
The origins of the Second World War are less complex than other modern wars. At this presentation find out how WWII stemmed from the aggrandising and racial policies of Adolf Hitler, and how there were ultimately five wars fought within the rubric of the Second World War: an Anglo-French war against Germany (1939-1940); Britain fighting alone against the Axis (1940-1941); a Soviet-German war (1941-1942); an Anglo-American war against the Axis (1941-1945); and an American war against the Japanese (1941-1945).
The Cold War: Cause and Course
 McKercher, Prof. Brian
The Cold War was a unique period in international history. While the superpowers never fought “hot” wars against one another, they supported proxies to do their fighting or fought themselves against smaller powers. In this presentation, find out how this era was defined as much by an intense diplomatic struggle between two power-blocs of propaganda, and building armed forces to deter one another. Whether neutral or not, all countries of the world were affected.
Canadian Society and War Since 1867
 McKercher, Prof. Brian
Canada has been divided over issues of war and peace since its creation in 1867. From the Nile expedition of 1885 to modern peace-keeping under UN or NATO leadership today, the use of military power and the place of the Canadian armed forces as an expression of national strength has been the subject of great debate. In this presentation, learn how it’s not just the division between English Canada and Quebec that’s important—so too are the beliefs of pro-military Canadians and others than can be broadly categorized as pacifists.
The Anglo-American Special Relationship Since 1941 NEW McKercher, Prof. Brian
How “Race” is Made Historically NEW Vibert, Dr. Elizabeth
This presentation explores how ideas of “race” emerged and took shape historically, beginning with the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the 1600s.
BC's Ambiguous Relations with the Rest of Canada
 Roy, Dr. Patricia
From the time they first considered joining Canada, British Columbians have had an ambiguous relationship with the rest of the country. They’re proud of their province and of being Canadian but they’ve frequently felt that the rest of the country doesn’t appreciate them and exploits them. This talk is illustrated with editorial cartoons.
Boundless Optimism: Richard McBride's British Columbia
 Roy, Dr. Patricia
Learn about Richard McBride, who was premier of British Columbia from 1903 to 1915, a period of unprecedented growth. A native of the province, he became premier at age 32; brought some order to provincial politics, promoted the development of railways, encouraged British investment and immigration, and played a role on the national and imperial stage. He even had the province purchase two submarines on the eve of the First World War.
Cartoonists at Sea: Some Views of BC Ferries and Their Predecessors
 Roy, Dr. Patricia
Transportation between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia has often been a source of amusement for local cartoonists. With cartoons going back to the early years of the 20th century and carrying through almost to today, this presentation examines not only the political issues around ferries but describes imaginative suggestions for travel—and perennial complaints about the service.
A Humorous History of Highways in BC
 Roy , Dr. Patricia
With the help of several generations of editorial cartoonists, this presentation traces the development of the road system of the province and its political manifestations from 1858 to the present day.
The Birth of the English Detective Novel NEW Devereaux, Dr. Simon
Beyond Minorities: The Many Histories of Islam in India (in English or Bengali)
 Bose, Dr. Neilesh
Contemporary Indian Politics (in English or Bengali) NEW Bose, Dr. Neilesh
Islam in South Asia (in English or Bengali) NEW Bose, Dr. Neilesh
South Asian Migrations (in English or Bengali) NEW Bose, Dr. Neilesh