Department of History - Western University

10/02/2026

Join us on Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 12:30pm to hear Prof. Maya Shatzmiller speak on, Don’t let the evidence interfere with your theory’: How did the economic history of the Middle East become the paradigm of global underdevelopment. All are welcome! RSVP to [email protected]

09/30/2026

09/21/2026

In HIST9808B: Digital Public History this past winter we partnered with Arva Flour Mill to develop an historical timeline for their website. It's now 'live': https://history.arvaflourmills.com/
Congratulations to our recent MA Public History graduates for this fabulous work!

09/17/2026

Coffee. CEOs. Celebrities. What do these things have in common?

They’re all part of the classroom at Western.

University is about building a strong foundation in your field — but it’s also about discovering unexpected questions, exploring new ideas and making connections across disciplines.

That’s why Western offers courses that go beyond the traditional classroom experience and invite students to look at familiar things in completely new ways.

Want to explore chemical engineering concepts through coffee? There’s a course for that.

Interested in learning how to navigate change in the business world from CEOs who have experienced it firsthand? There’s a course for that, too.

And if you’ve ever wondered why some people become celebrities while others don’t, Western’s Department of History has a fascinating new course for you.

📚 The History of Celebrity asks a deceptively simple question: what is it about certain individuals that elevates them to star status?

Taught by History professor Aldona Sendzikas, the course explores how our fascination with celebrities can reveal something about ourselves — and about the societies we live in.

Students examine changing definitions of celebrity throughout history and compare people from very different time periods and circumstances.

That includes Annie Edson Taylor, who in 1901 became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. What motivated her to take such a remarkable risk? And how does her story compare with more recent celebrity daredevils like Evel Knievel or Johnny Knoxville?

It’s history, but perhaps not quite the history you expected.

And that’s the point.

At Western, learning can begin with something familiar — a celebrity, a cup of coffee, a business challenge — and lead somewhere much bigger.

As Western Registrar Marisa Modeski puts it, innovative courses and curriculum are part of creating a “transformative learning experience” where students can think big, make meaningful connections across fields of study and develop the adaptability they’ll need in a rapidly changing world.

Because sometimes, the most memorable learning starts with a question you never expected to ask.

✨ Discover the courses that are doing things differently at Western:
https://news.westernu.ca/2026/09/cool-courses-2026/

Department of History - Western University

09/09/2026

Join us on Thursday, September 24th at 12:30pm as we welcome Prof. Eric Story to our Research Seminar Series. Prof. Story will be speaking on, Searching for the Disability Rights Movement in Canadian History. RSVP to [email protected]

09/03/2026

Shout out to Prof. Jonathan Vance and his involvement on the creation of this bank note.

Introducing the new vertical $20 bank note!

A new portrait of the monarch on the front, a new image of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and brand new security features never seen before in Canada.

You’ll start seeing this $20 bill in circulation early next year.

👉Learn all about it: https://bit.ly/4xx4wtj

08/24/2026

Mark the 250th anniversary of our American neighbour by attending the 2026 Joanne Goodman Lectures. Professor Eliga Gould (University of New Hampshire) will be our guest from October 6–8. Please see the poster & website for more details. https://history.uwo.ca/about-us/events/the-joanne-goodman-lectures.html