Archive: J.S. Woodsworth Chair in the Humanities/Resident Scholar

For current news and activities related to the J.S. Woodsworth Chair in the Humanities/Resident Scholar initiative, please visit the Woodsworth section of the main Institute website.

J.S. Woodsworth was a clergyman, social reformer, member of parliament, and founder of the Canadian Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and a remarkable Canadian. Early in his career he broke from the conventional role of the clergy and devoted himself to action in the world around issues of social justice, peace and equality. His contribution to Canada continues today not only in the form of public benefits such as pensions and unemployment insurance, but more importantly in Canadian political traditions based on equity, social obligation and civic responsibility.

An endowment fund in the name of J.S. Woodsworth was established in 1984 as part of the Humanities Department and the Institute for the Humanities to:

  • support educational and community development efforts by individuals and groups within communities;
  • offer undergraduate courses that centre on social justice, community development and civic responsibility;
  • fund the J.S. Woodsworth Chair position in the Department of Humanities;
  • initiate in-depth and long-term research into social and cultural issues that are of central concern to the Woodsworth Program;
  • build strong ties with the community through scheduled series of symposia, workshops and conferences funded by the Endowment;
  • address directly the place of a humanistic, liberal arts education in the 21st century university and in the 21st century world of work.

J. S. Woodsworth Endowment Activities

  • 1988 J.S. Woodsworth Conference
  • 1988 Wolf Dieter-Narr, 1988 JS Woodsworth Distinguished Visiting Speaker in Peace, Justice and Human Rights, "Are Human Rights Obsolete? Towards a Materialist Theory of Human Rights," seminar.
  • 1989 J.S. Woodsworth Resident Scholar: Alan Rudrum, SFU Department of English.
  • 1990 Sir Keith Thomas, author of Man and the Natural World and Religion and the Decline of Magic, JS Woodsworth Visiting Scholar, series of public presentations.
  • 1990 Stephen Lewis, Keynote Speaker, Inauguration of the J.S. Woodsworth Chair.
  • 1990 Karlene Faith, SFU School of Criminology, 1990 J.S. Woodsworth Resident Scholar.
  • 1990 Derek Freeman, Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University, Canberra, Woodsworth Visiting Scholar, series of public presentations.
  • 1990 Nancy Fraser, Philosophy, Northwestern University, 1990 J.S. Woodsworth Visiting Scholar.
  • 1991 Paul Budra, Department of English, SFU, 1991 J.S. Woodsworth Resident Scholar
  • 1992 J.S. Woodsworth Colloquium on the Bible
  • 1994-96 J.S. Woodsworth Chair in the Humanities: Dr. Alan Whitehorn (interview)
  • 1995 J. S. Woodsworth - Special Labour Collection Fund established at SFU in 1995 to accept donations in support of the purchase of a portion of the special collection, A Western Canadian Labour and Social Party, 1895-1930, and archival material from both the CCF and the NDP. (see labour archive)
  • 1995 "The Future of Social Democracy" (JS Woodsworth Chair conference)
  • 1996 "The NDP in Power: Social Democratic Governments in Canada" (JS Woodsworth Chair conference)
  • 1997 Ed Broadbent, JS Woodsworth Chair Inaugural Lecture
  • 1998 Ed Broadbent, JS Woodsworth Chair, "Citizenship and the Welfare State: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?" Respondents: Marjorie Griffin Cohen, Chair, Women's Studies/Political Science, SFU; Ian Angus, Sociology and Anthropology/Humanities, SFU; Stephen McBride, Chair, Political Science, SFU.
  • 1998 "Equality and the Democratic State:" a J.S. Woodsworth Conference
  • 1999 Chief Joe Gosnell, "Aboriginal Rights and the Nisga'a Treaty"
  • 1999 Ed Broadbent, "At the End of the Millennium: Which Way Ahead?" a J.S. Woodsworth Conference

For a list of more recent Chairs and Resident Scholars, please visit the Woodsworth section of the main Institute website

Interviews with Past Chairs

Dr. Alan Whitehorn, Chair (1994-96)
Interview

The Hon. Edward Broadbent, Chair (1997-99)
SFU News Release, Oct 17, 1996
SF News: "Former NDP leader embraces new SFU role"

photo of J.S. Woodsworth

J.S. Woodsworth
1874–1942