Schedule, March 2019

Don’t Throw Your Sword at the King’s Feet: Medieval Memory and Records of Landholding

Throwing a sword at the king’s feet to prove one’s right to certain lands and privileges is not the best way to win a legal case in medieval England. Producing a charter (a document that records a grant of lands and/or privileges) was ideal.

But what could people do if they no longer or never had a charter? This was a problem that people faced in 13th century England, especially between 1278-1294. During this period, King Edward I (1272–1307) required everyone to show by what right they held their lands and privileges from the crown. A powerful magnate reportedly threw a sword – which his ancestor had used at the battle of Hastings in 1066 – at the king’s feet, claiming that that sword was his right. Other people opted for less aggressive (and certainly less risky) methods.

This lecture will discuss the means by which both minor and great landholders ensured that rights to lands and privileges were communicated to and remembered by a large group of people in 13th century England.

There can be only one champion.

Join us for the second annual Virtual Ninja tournament at the Digital Scholarship Commons, located in UVic’s Mearns Centre for Learning in McPherson Library. This year, competitors will be facing off over Dragon Ball FighterZ on our Sony PS4 consoles. The popular video game series is based on the manga and anime series of the same name created by Akira Toriyama. Last year, 16 UVic students and staff competed for the crown of UVic's top ninja in StreetFighter. Come claim your title this year as UVic’s Dragon Ball champion!

A $100 gift card and trophy will be awarded for first place.

Ever wondered how databases work or how to create your own database for research and teaching? Join UVic Libraries the Faculty of Humanities for a free, two-day workshop introducing databases to humanities and social sciences students. Dr. Harvey Quamen from the University of Alberta, will deliver a two-day version of his week-long "introduction" course to the UVic community.

At the end of the course, you will be able to laugh at this joke:

An SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables.

It saunters over to them and asks, “May I join you?”

Dr. Quamen is Associate Professor of English and Humanities Computing at the University of Alberta. His scholarly and teaching work is best described as Digital Humanities, although that encompasses science and technology studies, 19th- and 20th-century literary studies, as well as cyberculture. He has written and published on HG Wells, on the open source software movement, and on the implications of "database culture" for the humanities. He has participated in several digital humanities projects, including Editing Modernism in Canada (EMiC), Implementing New Knowledge Environments (INKE), and the Canadian Writers' Research Collaboratory (CWRC). He is currently at work on a book tentatively entitled Database Concepts for Digital Humanists.

Space is limited; register here:

Ever wondered how databases work or how to create your own database for research and teaching? Join UVic Libraries the Faculty of Humanities for a free, two-day workshop introducing databases to humanities and social sciences students. Dr. Harvey Quamen from the University of Alberta, will deliver a two-day version of his week-long "introduction" course to the UVic community.

At the end of the course, you will be able to laugh at this joke:

An SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables.

It saunters over to them and asks, “May I join you?”

Dr. Quamen is Associate Professor of English and Humanities Computing at the University of Alberta. His scholarly and teaching work is best described as Digital Humanities, although that encompasses science and technology studies, 19th- and 20th-century literary studies, as well as cyberculture. He has written and published on HG Wells, on the open source software movement, and on the implications of "database culture" for the humanities. He has participated in several digital humanities projects, including Editing Modernism in Canada (EMiC), Implementing New Knowledge Environments (INKE), and the Canadian Writers' Research Collaboratory (CWRC). He is currently at work on a book tentatively entitled Database Concepts for Digital Humanists.

Space is limited; register here:

Victoria City Hall

For many, the tone and content of public discourse today appears to have plummeted to new lows. Fake news and personal attacks seem to have replaced the respectful pursuit of truth and shared human dignity. In such times, it can feel intimidating or even frightening to enter into public debate. But in such times, responsible, open public discourse is more important than ever.

Join Chris Goto-Jones (Dean of Humanities at UVic and mindfulness teacher), Lisa Helps (Mayor of Victoria and UVic alumna), Audrey Yap (Associate Professor in Philosophy at UVic), Paul Bramadat (Director of UVic’s Centre for Studies in Religion and Society), and guests to discuss the challenges and requirements of creating, defending, and servicing an open, healthy, and civil environment for public debate. How we talk is a reflection of how we are – who do you want to be? This event is part of Humanities Literacy Week, a celebration of the values of UVic’s Faculty of Humanities.

Space is limited. Seating will be first come first serve.

All Humanities graduate students are invited to a free evening of food and drink (free drink ticket for first 100 registrants, then cash bar) in the Digital Scholarship Commons, Mearns Centre for Learning-McPherson Library as part of Humanities Literacy Week.

This mixer is a rare opportunity to meet colleagues from across disciplines and mingle with librarians/archivists and graduate advisors in an informal, friendly atmosphere. Chat with friends, or learn about various free services offered to you through the library at various display tables and enjoy a special pop-up exhibit from Special Collections and Archives. Register now,

A ceremony and celebration will be held at First Peoples House for the launch of the Indigenous Studies major. To be followed by a symposium on Friday.

The full schedule can be viewed here.

As part of their program launch Indigenous Studies will hold a symposium at First Peoples House highlighting two new books, Indigenous Academic and Community Engagement Director Robina Thomas's Protecting the Sacred Cycle: Indigenous Women and Leadership and an anthology containing work by Assistant Professor of Gender Studies Christine Sy, Keetsahnak / Our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Sisters.

The symposium speakers will focus on Indigenous women's leadership, anti-violence and resurgence work from Indigenous women's perspectives, and dismantling gender violence.

The full schedule can be viewed here.

Join Drs. Stephen Ross and Nicole Shukin, UVic Professors of English, for a podcast interview by UVic Digital Scholarship Librarian, Dr. Matt Huculak. Delving into Le Guin’s critically acclaimed short fiction The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, interviewees will discuss the "ethics of walking away" from societal problems. We invite you to join this engaging discussion on this work and Le Guin’s literary legacy.

This interview will be recorded.

Romeo Dallaire. Photo: St Josephs Health Care Foundation, London Ontario.

Come celebrate three people who embody the spirit of the Humanities and strive to change the world for the better at our inaugural Humanitas Awards. Public Humanist winner Roméo Dallaire, retired lieutenant-general, former Canadian senator, and best-selling author, is our keynote speaker for the evening.

Late American science fiction and fantasy writer Ursula K. Le Guin, who died last year at age 88, will be honoured with the Historic Humanist Award for her visionary work as a novelist and thinker. And UVic alumna Ashli Akins, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2009 with a double major in Latin American Studies and Environmental Studies and a minor in Professional Writing, will receive the Emerging Humanist Award.

Tickets are available for $65 online.