11th RCN Historical Conference: Call for Papers

The 11th Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Historical Conference will be held May 12-14, 2023, in Esquimalt, B.C., and includes a call for academic papers.

To be held at His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Venture, the conference theme will be The Centennial of the Royal Canadian Naval Reserves. The conference is expected to be the only academic gathering in Canada to examine the innumerable contributions of the Naval Reserves to the Navy and Canada, from the Provincial Marine to today.

Papers on any aspect of the Naval Reserves are welcome. Topics may include the Provincial Marine, the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve, the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Canadian Navy Fishermen’s Reserve, the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service, Royal Canadian Naval Reserve, and the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve. Comparison perspectives on reserve forces in Commonwealth and allied nations are welcome.

For those interested in attending the conference, no block accommodation booking has been made and participants are invited to make their own arrangements. A variety of options are available in the immediate area.

Coffee and light snacks will be provided. Lunches also will be available for purchase at the Work Point Galley. There is no conference fee.

The RCN has held academic historical conferences periodically since 1980 to provide an opportunity for scholars, sailors, veterans, students and interested individuals to meet and explore a wide range of topics related to the field of Canadian naval history.

These conferences have contributed greatly to a scholarly understanding of our navy, resulting in publications such as The RCN in Retrospect (1980), A Nation’s Navy (1993), Citizen Sailors (2008), and From Empire to In(ter)dependence (2010).

Paper submission guidelines:

• Submit paper proposals no later than February 28, 2023.
• Include a working title, brief abstract, and a short biographical sketch.

Contact information:

Paper submissions, general attendance, conference information, and questions:

Chris Perry
RCN Command Historian
christopher.perry6@forces.gc.ca
(343) 575-3379