Dr. Rob Wilson gives a presentation entitled "Philosophy, Eugenics & Disability in Alberta & Places North"

October 25, 2008. Dr. Rob Wilson of the University of Alberta's Department of Philosophy gave a presentation entitled “Building Inclusive Communities Through Practices of Collective Memory: The Case of Eugenic Sterilization in Alberta.” Dr. Wilson’s presentation was given at a public symposium about “Philosophy, Eugenics & Disability in Alberta & Places North” at the University of Alberta. The symposium was sponsored by the Canadian Association for Community Living, the Alberta Association for Community Living and the What Sorts Network.

Wilson begins the presentation by introducing the practice of collective memory and communities in the activity of remembering, most notably done in reference to the Holocaust. Wilson explains the concept of collective memory as social recognition being used to work with a community to get through a traumatic past with a constructive outcome. This practice is generally worked through with individuals, but he sees the benefits of applying it to a larger, social context. Wilson identifies two examples of events and projects that fit into the model of collective memory, being the apology to the First Nation population of Canada for residential schools and a project in New York called ACTUP. Wilson sees the case of the history of eugenics as another topic that could fit this model.

There has been much less research done on history of eugenics in Canada than there has on other countries around the world and Wilson recognizes that there is a lot of information to know. He discusses what has been done, specifically in Alberta, since the repeal of the sterilization law, including the creation of What Sorts Network, and what could be done in the future. With that, he presents the idea of using collective memory for building what he calls a Living Archives, which would include traditional archival materials and digitized materials on the history of eugenics in Western Canada.

This Living Archive became a reality in 2010 when the Living Archives on Eugenics in Western Canada project was launched in association with and funded by the Community University Research Alliance (CURA) and the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). A team of research scholars, sterilization survivors and community partners worked together to make resources on the topic of eugenics available to the public, to open a community space for talking about disability and the connection between historic and modern policies and practices and to create this website.

Video of Dr. Wilson’s lecture can be found here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

-Laura Shaw

  • Wilson, D. R. (2008, October 25). Building Inclusive Communities Through Practices of Collective Memory: The Case of Eugenic Sterilization in Alberta. Presented at the Philosophy, Eugenics & Disability in Alberta & Places North, University of Alberta.

Dr. Rob Wilson gives a presentation entitled "Philosophy, Eugenics & Disability in Alberta & Places North"

October 25, 2008. Dr. Rob Wilson of the University of Alberta's Department of Philosophy gave a presentation entitled “Building Inclusive Communities Through Practices of Collective Memory: The Case of Eugenic Sterilization in Alberta.” Dr. Wilson’s presentation was given at a public symposium about “Philosophy, Eugenics & Disability in Alberta & Places North” at the University of Alberta. The symposium was sponsored by the Canadian Association for Community Living, the Alberta Association for Community Living and the What Sorts Network.

Wilson begins the presentation by introducing the practice of collective memory and communities in the activity of remembering, most notably done in reference to the Holocaust. Wilson explains the concept of collective memory as social recognition being used to work with a community to get through a traumatic past with a constructive outcome. This practice is generally worked through with individuals, but he sees the benefits of applying it to a larger, social context. Wilson identifies two examples of events and projects that fit into the model of collective memory, being the apology to the First Nation population of Canada for residential schools and a project in New York called ACTUP. Wilson sees the case of the history of eugenics as another topic that could fit this model.

There has been much less research done on history of eugenics in Canada than there has on other countries around the world and Wilson recognizes that there is a lot of information to know. He discusses what has been done, specifically in Alberta, since the repeal of the sterilization law, including the creation of What Sorts Network, and what could be done in the future. With that, he presents the idea of using collective memory for building what he calls a Living Archives, which would include traditional archival materials and digitized materials on the history of eugenics in Western Canada.

This Living Archive became a reality in 2010 when the Living Archives on Eugenics in Western Canada project was launched in association with and funded by the Community University Research Alliance (CURA) and the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). A team of research scholars, sterilization survivors and community partners worked together to make resources on the topic of eugenics available to the public, to open a community space for talking about disability and the connection between historic and modern policies and practices and to create this website.

Video of Dr. Wilson’s lecture can be found here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

-Laura Shaw

  • Wilson, D. R. (2008, October 25). Building Inclusive Communities Through Practices of Collective Memory: The Case of Eugenic Sterilization in Alberta. Presented at the Philosophy, Eugenics & Disability in Alberta & Places North, University of Alberta.

Dr. Rob Wilson gives a presentation entitled "Philosophy, Eugenics & Disability in Alberta & Places North"

October 25, 2008. Dr. Rob Wilson of the University of Alberta's Department of Philosophy gave a presentation entitled “Building Inclusive Communities Through Practices of Collective Memory: The Case of Eugenic Sterilization in Alberta.” Dr. Wilson’s presentation was given at a public symposium about “Philosophy, Eugenics & Disability in Alberta & Places North” at the University of Alberta. The symposium was sponsored by the Canadian Association for Community Living, the Alberta Association for Community Living and the What Sorts Network.

Wilson begins the presentation by introducing the practice of collective memory and communities in the activity of remembering, most notably done in reference to the Holocaust. Wilson explains the concept of collective memory as social recognition being used to work with a community to get through a traumatic past with a constructive outcome. This practice is generally worked through with individuals, but he sees the benefits of applying it to a larger, social context. Wilson identifies two examples of events and projects that fit into the model of collective memory, being the apology to the First Nation population of Canada for residential schools and a project in New York called ACTUP. Wilson sees the case of the history of eugenics as another topic that could fit this model.

There has been much less research done on history of eugenics in Canada than there has on other countries around the world and Wilson recognizes that there is a lot of information to know. He discusses what has been done, specifically in Alberta, since the repeal of the sterilization law, including the creation of What Sorts Network, and what could be done in the future. With that, he presents the idea of using collective memory for building what he calls a Living Archives, which would include traditional archival materials and digitized materials on the history of eugenics in Western Canada.

This Living Archive became a reality in 2010 when the Living Archives on Eugenics in Western Canada project was launched in association with and funded by the Community University Research Alliance (CURA) and the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). A team of research scholars, sterilization survivors and community partners worked together to make resources on the topic of eugenics available to the public, to open a community space for talking about disability and the connection between historic and modern policies and practices and to create this website.

Video of Dr. Wilson’s lecture can be found here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

-Laura Shaw

  • Wilson, D. R. (2008, October 25). Building Inclusive Communities Through Practices of Collective Memory: The Case of Eugenic Sterilization in Alberta. Presented at the Philosophy, Eugenics & Disability in Alberta & Places North, University of Alberta.