Prairie Metropolis

New Essays on Winnipeg Social History

Esyllt W. Jones (Editor), Gerald Friesen (Editor)

At the turn of the twentieth century, Winnipeg was the fastest-growing city in North America. But its days as a diverse and culturally rich metropolis did not end when the boom collapsed. Prairie Metropolis brings together some of the best new graduate research on the history of Winnipeg and makes a groundbreaking contribution to the history of the city between 1900 and the 1980s. The essays in this collection explore the development of social institutions such as the city’s police force, juvenile court, health care institutions, volunteer organizations, and cultural centres. They offer critical analyses on ethnic, gender, and class inequality and conflict, while placing Winnipeg’s experiences in national and international contexts.

Awards

  • Carol Shields City of Winnipeg Book Award (2009)

Reviews

“The publication of these eleven essays examining Winnipeg’s social history is very encouraging. While they reflect a range of writing styles and a diversity of topics, this well-edited volume contributes considerably to the depth of research and analysis available to students of Winnipeg history and a broader public audience.”

Greg Thomas, Manitoba History

About the Authors

Esyllt W. Jones is a history professor at University of Manitoba and is the author of the award-winning Influenza 1918: Death, Disease and Struggle in Winnipeg.

Gerald Friesen is the author of The Canadian Prairies, the most influential and widely read history of western Canada, and A Guide to Manitoba Local History (with Barry Potyondi). His articles have been published in newspapers, journals, and books, and he has lectured internationally. Currently professor of history at the University of Manitoba, he was the first Seagram Chair at the Institute for the Study of Canada at McGill University (1996-97).

Other contributors: Dale Barbour, Crista Bradley, Angela E. Davis, Lesley Hall, Kurt Korneski, Megan Kozminski, Marion McKay, Tamara Miller, Jody Perrun, Ed Rea, Janis Thiessen, Cassandra Woloschuk.

Book Details

  • Prairie Metropolis: New Essays on Winnipeg Social History
  • Esyllt W. Jones (Editor), Gerald Friesen (Editor)
  • Published September 2009, 264 pages
  • Paper, ISBN: 9780887557132, 6 × 9, $29.95
  • Topic(s): History, Social History, Urban Studies

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