Public Record
2008 McGill Institute for the Study of Canada Conference
McGill Institute for the Study of Canada annual conference, Montreal, Que., February 14, 2008. The 2008 conference is entitled “Are We American?” This conference session focuses on cultural branding. Nathalie Cooke (Faculty of Arts at McGill University) makes opening remarks and introduces a panel of speakers. Michele Byers (associate professor of sociology and criminology at St. Mary’s University) speaks about the emphasis placed on social issues in Anglo-Canadian television. Serra Tinic (Department of Sociology at the University of Alberta) also discusses Anglo-Canadian television, focusing on compromises made in Canadian content policies to fuel success in international markets. Michel Lafleur (Quebec Ministry of Culture, Communications, and the Status of Women) discusses the Quebec government’s approach to the promotion and protection of Quebec culture. Melissa Aronczyk (Department of Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University) explains the phenomenon of “nation branding” consultants and their role in the promotion of a country’s identity. Following the speeches, panellists field questions from audience members.
