Liberal Universities are known for their avant-garde style classes like hers (in social sciences). Looks like she teaches only 2 classes:
"English 450: Modern Canadian Novels:
This course looks in depth at canonical fiction from the modernist period, with the goal of investigating the dynamic relationships between nationalist aesthetics, colonialist politics, and globalized networks. How did Canadian authors respond to the international call to “make it new” in the early twentieth century, and to the rise of anti-capitalist movements in the thirties? What was the role of fiction in promoting the aims of the Canadian state as it consolidated power over indigenous peoples in the post-war period? Did novelists develop an approach to modernist aesthetics that was “uniquely Canadian,” as they claimed, or were they just bad writers?
English 250: Literature and Motorcycle Cultures:
While many non-riders think of motorcycling in terms of speed, noise and gas fumes, enthusiasts defend their pastime with reference to history, literature, personal crisis, and even meditation. This course utilizes interdisciplinary methodologies from cultural studies, history, film studies, and literary studies to examine a variety of representations of motorcycling from literature, film, popular music and commercial culture. We consider topics such as motorcycling and the tourist gaze, motorcycling and gender, motorcycling and gang culture, motorcycling and modernism. Students become familiar with the methodology and terminology of the study of popular culture, and increase their proficiency in textual analysis and written self-expression. They also become familiar with a variety of popular texts and concepts of motorcycling culture."
uvic.ca/humanities/english/ … -misao.php
This is probably an idea that is discussed in her Eng. 450 class (an advanced level class)
Her published book on this topic:
Inheriting a Canoe Paddle: The Canoe in Discourses of English-Canadian Nationalism
“If the canoe is a symbol of Canada, what kind of Canada does it symbolize? Inheriting a Canoe Paddle looks at how the canoe has come to symbolize love of Canada for non-aboriginal Canadians and provides a critique of this identification’s unintended consequences for First Nations. Written with an engaging, personal style, it is both a scholarly examination and a personal reflection, delving into representations of canoes and canoeing in museum displays, historical re-enactments, travel narratives, the history of wilderness expeditions, artwork, film, and popular literature.
Misao Dean opens the book with the story of inheriting her father’s canoe paddle and goes on to explore the canoe paddle as a national symbol – integral to historical tales of exploration and trade, central to Pierre Trudeau’s patriotism, and unique to Canadians wanting to distance themselves from British and American national myths. Throughout, Inheriting a Canoe Paddle emphasizes the importance of self-consciously evaluating the meaning we give to canoes as objects and to canoeing as an activity.”
amazon.com/Inheriting-Canoe … 1442612878
Looks like she’s a literary critic who has been reading historic Canadian novels and noticed the use of canoes as a Canadian symbol. Is she upset that Canadian national symbols were appropriated form Native culture?
I think if it did happen it was a matter of necessity (transportation) for the early settlers. Of course it became part of their lives and identities, but they also used Western technology to help them survive. Other things, like ceremonial masks, carvings, totems, religious ritual, traditional medicine, etc. are still considered part of Native culture. Conversely, American Natives in US have appropriated horses as part of their culture and identity. But she may bring up one interesting point, does Canada have a unique invention that is uniquely Canadian (and not British or Native)?