Grant Dawson, a sessional lecturer in history at the University of Ottawa and sessional lecturer in political science at Carleton University, has recently published "Here is Hell": Canada's Engagement in Somalia with the University of British Columbia Press. Part political science, part history, the publisher describes the book as follows:
"For many Canadians, events during the mission ot Somalia in the early 1990s remain a stain on our reputation as one of the world's most respected peacekeeping nations. Grant Dawson's analysis of political, diplomatic, and military decision making avoids a narrow focus on the shocking offences of a few Canadian soldiers, deftly investigating the broader context of the deployment.
"Dawson draws on interviews with key participants and documents made available under the Access to Information Act. He shows how media pressure, government optimism about the United Nations, and the Canadian traditions of multilateralism and peacekeeping all helped to determine the level, length, and tenor of the country's operations in Somalia. His findings will undoubtedly play a seminal role in informing scholarly debate about this important period in Canadian diplomacy and military engagement.
"One of the first scholarly examinations of the Somalia operation, Here is Hell will interest military and Canadian historians, policy analysts, political scientists, and those concerned with Canadian foreign, defence, and diplomatic history."
For those of you in Ottawa, Grant will be speaking on his book at the Centre for Security and Defence Studies at Carleton University on Monday, January 8. RSVPs were requested by today (perhaps there's still room) at csds@carleton.ca or 613-520-2600 ext. 6671.
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