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Leadership Message
Literature in Times of Crisis
When I was interviewed by New York Times journalist Elisabeth Egan in October 2023 about the post-World War I novel Emily of New Moon, I was struck by the international craving for Canadian cultural heritage, especially during times of high conflict.
In periods of crisis and upheaval, literature and art serve as important sources of solace and escape, as well as tools of criticism. At the Modern Literature and Culture (MLC) Research Centre, we advocate for literature’s powerful agency in reconstructing our increasingly complicated world with empathy and care.
In 2023-2024, we ramped up our research program’s triple focus on (1) Operation Canada with focus on Canada’s cultural heritage; (2) Storytelling, Crisis, and Upheaval; and (3) Archives and Community.
Our team delivered 40 international conference papers across five countries—Australia, England, Spain, the United States, and Canada—and published 20 scholarly articles and book chapters, all while engaging with cutting-edge technological disruptions like Generative AI.
Moreover, the year has marked a bold step forward in amplifying the global impact of the MLC scholarship. We hosted 35 prominent international speakers, including Pulitzer Prize winner Susan Chira, editor-in-chief for the Marshall Project; post-9/11 novelist Amy Waldman, author of the haunting novel The Submission; and scholars across the world from Canada to Uzbekistan.
As a powerhouse for hands-on learning, the MLC Research Centre has trained 37 highly qualified personnel (HQP) this past year, in addition to supporting experiential teaching innovations in nine courses across the Faculty of Arts and the Creative School, involving 220 students. Backed by our international advisory board of 6 global thought leaders, we organized numerous workshops and an open house featuring 20 World War II quilts donated to the Centre’s archive in 2023.
Confronting&mdashp;and creatively navigating&mdashp;the current austerity surrounding university education, we forged new partnerships locally with the City of Toronto for the upcoming Threads of History exhibition, and globally with the prestigious Hemingway Society to bring the annual conference to Toronto in 2026, a first for Canada. We forged internal partnerships with TMU Library Collaboratory on sharing our high-tech equipment and we supported the Creative School’s SSHRC-funded Fashion Studies journal, co-edited by long-time MLC Research Associate Alison Matthews David.
I am thrilled to report on the Obama Fellowship award. Being the first Canadian woman scholar to receive this honour is momentous, representing a significant opportunity to forge connections between the MLC Research Centre and the Obama Institute in Germany. As we chart our future, we take inspiration from our achievements, our values, and collective mission.
I extend my deepest gratitude to those who support us, including the Tri-Council granting agencies, Toronto Metropolitan University via the Dean of Arts, the Provost, the Vice-President Research and Innovation, and our donors, stakeholders, and media partners. We share a passionate belief in the power of globally impactful research on cultural heritage and the value of experiential learning for the next generation.
Your support is invaluable for our success.
Irene Gammel, Executive Director
MLC Annual Impact Report Executive Summary
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