Dr. Sara Spike
Email: sspike@dal.ca
Research Topics:
- Canadian Histories
- Atlantic Canadian Communities and Culture
- Coastal and Ocean Studies
- Visual Cultures
- Environmental History
- Community-engaged Research and Local Histories
Education
- BA (Ottawa)
- MA (Concordia)
- PhD (Carleton)
Bio
Dr. Sara Spike is a cultural historian of rural communities and coastal environments in Atlantic Canada. Her current research considers the role of fog in the everyday life of Atlantic Canadian communities from the early colonial period to the present. Her book "Modern Eyes: Cultural Histories of Vision in Rural Nova Scotia, 1880-1910," is being revised for publication. As a complement to her scholarly research, Sara has worked closely with museums, archives, and community groups in Nova Scotia to research, interpret, and present local stories. SShe is the Executive Chair of the Network in Canadian History & Environment (NiCHE).
Recent Publications
- “‘a salubrious, saline exhalation’: Fog and Health in Colonial Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.” NiCHE, August 27, 2020. https://niche-canada.org/2020/08/27/a-salubrious-saline-exhalation-fog-and-health-in-colonial-newfoundland-and-nova-scotia/. Editor of the NiCHE series on Canadian Coastal Histories.
- “Mayflowers and Sleeping Johnnies: Nature-Study, Local Knowledge, and A. H. MacKay’s Phenological Research in Rural Nova Scotia, 1892-1925.” Scientia Canadensis 42, no. 1 (2020): 29-53. Winner of the Jarrel Prize for best article in Scientia Canadiensis, 2020-2021
Office Hours
- Thursdays 1:15-2:15 in McCain 2131
- By appointment online