Sounds of Ethnicity

“This first book by Concordia University historian Barbara Lorenzkowski offers a new and creative model for thinking about the creation of ethnic identity in North America.”

– Marlene Epp, University of Waterloo, Labour

“Lorenzkowski’s focus on the role of language in the formation of ethnic identities complicates the simplistic assimilation-resistance dualism of other studies. Her transnational approach illustrates the creation of an ethnic community that spanned the Canadian-American border, while paying attention to the particularities of immigrant lives in each developing nation.” –

– Mario Nathan Coschi, McMaster University, Histoire Sociale / Social History.

“Sounds of Ethnicity is a major contribution to ethnic history, and not just to that of German immigrants or the Great Lakes region.”

– Stan Nadel, University of Portland Center, Michigan Historical Review

“Lorenzkowski’s focus on language and sound provides a very creative approach to the history of immigration and identity in Canada. While her juxtaposition and linkage of German immigrants in the U.S. and Canada make a major contribution to the field, the attention she pays to language and soundscapes makes this a serious advance in the art of research in the field.”

– Cecilia Morgan, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto

“Lorenzkowski’s fine study of soundscapes makes an important contribution to our understanding of the complex constructions of ethnicity. The study moves away from an assumption of broader group identifications into a far more flexible and volatile field of identity switches based on particular situations and personal perceptions.”

– Christian Lieb, H-Net (Humanities and Social Sciences Online)