CFP: Crossing the Bridge Mackay Built: 150 years of Canada in East Asia and East Asia in Canada International Symposium

George Leslie Mackay (1844–1901) began Canadian engagement with Asia when he founded the Canada Presbyterian mission in north Formosa on 9 March 1872 Mackay’s missionary career and contributions to Taiwan have long been celebrated. After 150 years, we want to widen the focus to what has happened in this century and a half of Canadian engagement with Asia that Mackay started.

This event is organized by the Canadian Mackay Committee with support from the Centre for Asian-Canadian Theology and Ministry at Knox College, University of Toronto and the York Centre for Asian Research, York University.

The symposium will take place on Friday, 24 June 2022 at Knox College, University of Toronto. We expect that the symposium will have both in-person and virtual participation, but this is dependent on local and provincial COVID-19 guidelines.

We welcome papers, panels and creative presentations sharing stories of Canadians in East Asia and people from East Asia in Canada. This is not limited to missionaries or public figures. Recognizing the wide social distribution of these memoires outside of the academic gaze, we welcome non-academic talks and community stories. The unique role played by non-political exchange in Taiwan-Canada relations is also a welcome topic. Papers may be written in English or Chinese, but oral presentations must use English.

The deadline for abstract submission is Friday, 18 February 2022 at https://laps.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=1326959.

Questions can be directed to ycar[at]yorku.ca  or or michaelpayas[at]gmail.com.

We are in discussion with the Royal Ontario Museum to arrange a private viewing of selected artifacts from the unexhibited Mackay collection.