Cecil Foster
Encyclopedia
Cecil Foster is a Canadian
novelist, essayist, journalist, and scholar. Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, where he began working for the Caribbean News Agency as the senior reporter and editor (1975-1977), and Barbados Advocate News as the reporter and columnist (1977-1979). He emigrated to Canada in 1979. Foster then went on to work for the Toronto Star as a reporter(1979-1982). His work in Canada grew immensely when his career only continued to excel. Foster then began working for The Contrast as an editor (1979-1982), Transportation Business Management as an editor (1982-1983), The Globe and Mail as a reporter (1983-1989), The Financial Post as a senior editor (1989), and also served as special adviser to Ontario's Ministry of Culture, through the mid1990s. His most recent book, Where Race Does Not Matter (2004), explores the potential of multiculturalism
in Canada. It also expands on some of his earlier work that deals with issues of race in his own life as well as in the history of Canada. He is well known for exploring race through immigration, and empowers this culture and beliefs through “Blacks in Action”. Foster continues to bring his own personal experiences, and real life issues to the work that he continues to produce. “Island Wings: A Memoir” (1998) was written as an autobiography of his own life, and is often referred to as more informative, rather than entertainment. Foster completed his PhD, a phenomenological exploration of the concept of Blackness in Canada, at York University
in 2003. His philosophical influences include Hegel, Marx, Alexandre Kojève
, Will Kymlicka
, Charles Taylor
, and former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
.
Foster is currently an associate professor
of sociology
at the University of Guelph
in Ontario
, Canada
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
novelist, essayist, journalist, and scholar. Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, where he began working for the Caribbean News Agency as the senior reporter and editor (1975-1977), and Barbados Advocate News as the reporter and columnist (1977-1979). He emigrated to Canada in 1979. Foster then went on to work for the Toronto Star as a reporter(1979-1982). His work in Canada grew immensely when his career only continued to excel. Foster then began working for The Contrast as an editor (1979-1982), Transportation Business Management as an editor (1982-1983), The Globe and Mail as a reporter (1983-1989), The Financial Post as a senior editor (1989), and also served as special adviser to Ontario's Ministry of Culture, through the mid1990s. His most recent book, Where Race Does Not Matter (2004), explores the potential of multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
in Canada. It also expands on some of his earlier work that deals with issues of race in his own life as well as in the history of Canada. He is well known for exploring race through immigration, and empowers this culture and beliefs through “Blacks in Action”. Foster continues to bring his own personal experiences, and real life issues to the work that he continues to produce. “Island Wings: A Memoir” (1998) was written as an autobiography of his own life, and is often referred to as more informative, rather than entertainment. Foster completed his PhD, a phenomenological exploration of the concept of Blackness in Canada, at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in 2003. His philosophical influences include Hegel, Marx, Alexandre Kojève
Alexandre Kojève
Alexandre Kojève was a Russian-born French philosopher and statesman whose philosophical seminars had an immense influence on twentieth-century French philosophy, particularly via his integration of Hegelian concepts into continental philosophy...
, Will Kymlicka
Will Kymlicka
Will Kymlicka is a Canadian political philosopher best known for his work on multiculturalism. He is currently Professor of Philosophy and Canada Research Chair in Political Philosophy at Queen's University at Kingston, and Recurrent Visiting Professor in the Nationalism Studies program at the...
, Charles Taylor
Charles Taylor (philosopher)
Charles Margrave Taylor, is a Canadian philosopher from Montreal, Quebec best known for his contributions in political philosophy, the philosophy of social science, and in the history of philosophy. His contributions to these fields have earned him both the prestigious Kyoto Prize and the...
, and former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
.
Foster is currently an associate professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
at the University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Works
- No Man in the House - 1991 ISBN 0345388992
- Caribana, the Greatest Celebration - 1995
- Sleep On, Beloved - 1995
- A Place Called Heaven: The Meaning of Being Black in Canada - 1996
- Slammin' Tar - 1998
- Island Wings: A Memoir - 1998
- Dry Bones Memories - 2001
- Where Race Does Not Matter: The New Spirit of Modernity - 2004
- Blackness and Modernity: The Colour of Humanity and the Quest for Freedom - 2007