Andrew Smith, Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor), Liverpool University

Business and Multiculturalism: a Possible Master Narrative for Canadian Business History

Researchers from across the social sciences are now increasingly interested in the role of business in promoting the peaceful coexistence of ethno-cultural groups. Canada is an outstanding example of harmonious ethnic diversity. Business played an important role in the emergence of this successful society. The newly renascent field of Canadian business history is in need of theoretically-informed master narratives. This paper proposes that the study of the role of business in the emergence of multicultural Canada be one of the organizing themes for the field of Canadian business history.

Jason Russell, Associate Professor, History & Labour Studies, Empire State College

New Trends and Issues in Canadian Business History.

This paper will discuss how Canadian business history currently relates to other sub-fields including labour history, environmental history, and immigration history.  It will describe how social history can inform the writing of business history.