Hockey and Canada's Identity

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer discusses what being "Canadian" means. In other words, the writer looks at the essence of the Canadian national identity. The writer notes that this is a surprisingly difficult question to answer and that it will not suffice to say that being Canadian means not-being-American! In this essay, the difficulties inherent in defining Canadian national identity are discussed. Furthermore, the paper argues that hockey has gained even greater symbolic currency in recent years as one of the few institutions that one still imagines to be truly Canadian.

From the Paper:

"There are not many countries in the world where people wonder as much about their national identity as in Canada. Most Iraqis, for example, seem pretty clear about who they are, as do most South Africans, most Americans, most Brits, etc. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Canada maintains allegiance to the British queen, despite the fact that most Canadians will never see her Majesty, or stand under the grey skies of Great Britain - and at the same time, we are neighbours to the greatest, most dominant empire ever seen on the planet, i.e. the USA. Perhaps it is this that leads Canadians to their sense of confusion - we're no longer British, we definitely don't want to be American - so what are we? Moreover, it does not help that NAFTA, globalization and a spreading global mono-culture are clouding the issue further."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Ferguson, Will. Why I Hate Canadians. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1997.
• Gruneau, Richard and David Whitson. Hockey Night in Canada: Sport, Identities and Cultural Politics. Toronto: Garamond Press, 1993.
• Lee, John B. The Hockey Player Sonnets: Overtime Edition. Manotick: Penumbra Press, 2003.
• Shubert, Irwin. Hockey in Canadian Popular Culture. Canadian Studies 390-3 Study Guide. SFU, 2007.
• Silver, Jim. Money, Politics and the Demise of an NHL Franchise. Halifax: Fernwood Publishing, 1996.

More papers on Hockey and Canada's Identity:

• Analytical Essay # 89593 : "Hockey and Canada's Cultural Identity"
• Article Review # 131574 : "Hockey and the Politics of Culture" - An Analysis"
• Article Review # 120368 : "Hockey and Canadian Indentity"

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