Sandra Djwa
Encyclopedia
Sandra Djwa, FRSC, is a Canadian
writer, critic and cultural biographer.
Originally from Newfoundland
, she moved to British Columbia
where she obtained her PhD from the University of British Columbia
in 1968. In 1999, she was honored to deliver the Garnett Sedgewick Memorial Lecture in honor of the department's 80th anniversary. She taught Canadian literature in the English department at Simon Fraser University
from 1968 to 2005 when she retired as J.S. Woodsworth Resident Scholar, Humanities. She was part of a seventies movement to establish the study of Canadian literature and, in 1973, cofounded the Association for Canadian and Québec Literatures
(ACQL). She was Chair of the inaugural meeting of ACQL. She initiated textual studies of the poems of E.J. Pratt in the eighties, was editor of Poetry, "Letters in Canada" for the University of Toronto Quarterly
(1980-4), and Chair of Canadian Heads and Chairs of English (1989).
She is best known for articles on Canadian poets like Margaret Atwood and for her biographies of distinguished Canadians including F.R. Scott
, and Roy Daniells
. An upcoming biography of the poet PK Page, Journey With No Maps, is to be released in 2012. Djwa's biography of Scott was shortlisted for the Hubert Evans Prize
in 1988 and a French translation, "F.R. Scott: Une vie," was shortlisted for the Governor-General's Award in French Translation in 2002. That same year, the biography of Roy Daniells was awarded the Lorne Pierce
Gold medal for literature from the Royal Society of Canada.
She has also edited and introduced other books, including the memoirs of Carl F. Klinck, first editor of "The Literary History of Canada". In 1981 she was awarded a Killam Senior Fellowship
, in 1994 elected to the Royal Society of Canada
, and in 1999 the Trimark Award for Mentoring. In 2002, Djwa was awarded an honorary degree from Memorial University, Newfoundland. She is now a general editor of the "Collected Works of P.K. Page". She lives with her husband in Vancouver and has an adult son, Phillip Djwa.
1964 B.Ed. Honours English (First Class), University of British Columbia, Canada
1981 - 2002 Professor, Department of English, Simon Fraser University
1986 - 1994 Chair, Department of English, Simon Fraser University
1973 - 1980 Associate Professor, Department of English, Simon Fraser University
1968 - 1973 Assistant Professor, Department of English, Simon Fraser University
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...
writer, critic and cultural biographer.
Originally from Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, she moved to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
where she obtained her PhD from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in 1968. In 1999, she was honored to deliver the Garnett Sedgewick Memorial Lecture in honor of the department's 80th anniversary. She taught Canadian literature in the English department at Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
from 1968 to 2005 when she retired as J.S. Woodsworth Resident Scholar, Humanities. She was part of a seventies movement to establish the study of Canadian literature and, in 1973, cofounded the Association for Canadian and Québec Literatures
Association for Canadian and Québec Literatures
The Association for Canadian and Québec Literatures is a learned society that supports research about Canadian and Québec literatures...
(ACQL). She was Chair of the inaugural meeting of ACQL. She initiated textual studies of the poems of E.J. Pratt in the eighties, was editor of Poetry, "Letters in Canada" for the University of Toronto Quarterly
University of Toronto Quarterly
The University of Toronto Quarterly is an interdisciplinary academic journal of the humanities published by the University of Toronto Press. It was established in 1931 under the editorship of the philosopher George Sidney Brett. The current editors-in-chief are Victor Li and David Galbraith. The...
(1980-4), and Chair of Canadian Heads and Chairs of English (1989).
She is best known for articles on Canadian poets like Margaret Atwood and for her biographies of distinguished Canadians including F.R. Scott
F. R. Scott
Francis Reginald Scott, CC commonly known as Frank Scott or F.R. Scott, was a Canadian poet, intellectual and constitutional expert. He helped found the first Canadian social democratic party, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, and its successor, the New Democratic Party...
, and Roy Daniells
Roy Daniells
Roy Daniells, was a Canadian poetry professor. He helped build the University of British Columbia's creative writing department and fostered the careers of several major Canadian writers.-Education and career:...
. An upcoming biography of the poet PK Page, Journey With No Maps, is to be released in 2012. Djwa's biography of Scott was shortlisted for the Hubert Evans Prize
Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize
The Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize, established in 1985, is awarded annually as the BC Book Prize for the best non-fiction book by a resident of British Columbia, Canada.-1985:David Ricardo Williams – Duff: A Life in the Law...
in 1988 and a French translation, "F.R. Scott: Une vie," was shortlisted for the Governor-General's Award in French Translation in 2002. That same year, the biography of Roy Daniells was awarded the Lorne Pierce
Lorne Pierce Medal
The Lorne Pierce Medal is awarded every two years by the Royal Society of Canada to recognize achievement of special significance and conspicuous merit in imaginative or critical literature written in either English or French...
Gold medal for literature from the Royal Society of Canada.
She has also edited and introduced other books, including the memoirs of Carl F. Klinck, first editor of "The Literary History of Canada". In 1981 she was awarded a Killam Senior Fellowship
The Killam Trusts
The Killam Trusts were established in 1965 after the death of Mrs. Dorothy J. Killam, the wife of Izaak Walton Killam. Mr. Killam was a Canadian business figure. He died in 1955, but before his death he and his wife discussed in extensive detail a scholarship plan, on which the Killam Trusts were...
, in 1994 elected to the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
, and in 1999 the Trimark Award for Mentoring. In 2002, Djwa was awarded an honorary degree from Memorial University, Newfoundland. She is now a general editor of the "Collected Works of P.K. Page". She lives with her husband in Vancouver and has an adult son, Phillip Djwa.
Books
- Professing English: A Life of Roy Daniells. Toronto, Buffalo and London: University of Toronto Press, 2002.
- F.R. Scott: Une vie, translation of F.R. Scott: The Politics of the Imagination, trans. Florence Bernard. Montreal: Editions du Boréal, publication 15 November 2001.
- Sandra Djwa, W.J. Keith, and Zailig Pollock, eds. Selected Poems of E.J. Pratt, with an introduction by Sandra Djwa. Toronto, Buffalo and London: University of Toronto Press, 2000.
- Monograph: Professing English at UBC: The Legacy of Roy Daniells and Garnett Sedgewick. The 1999 Garnett Sedgewick Memorial Lecture. Vancouver: Ronsdale Press, 2000.
- Giving Canada a Literary History: A Memoir by Carl F. Klinck, ed. Sandra Djwa. Ottawa/London: Carleton University Press for University of Western Ontario, 1991.
- Complete Poems of E.J. Pratt: A Definitive Edition, two vols., eds. Sandra Djwa and Gordon Moyles with introduction, annotations, variants, unpublished verse, and textual notes. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1989.
- The Politics of the Imagination: A Life of F.R. Scott. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1987.
- Paperback: The Politics of the Imagination: A Life of F.R. Scott. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1989.
- On F.R. Scott: Essays on His Contributions to Law, Literature and Politics, eds. Sandra Djwa and R.St.J. MacDonald. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1983.
- Saul and Selected Poetry of Charles Heavysege, ed. Sandra Djwa with introduction, bibliography, and notes (Literature of Canada: Poetry in Reprint). Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1976.
- E.J. Pratt: The Evolutionary Vision. Toronto/Montreal: Copp Clark/McGill-Queen's University Press, 1974.
Educational Background
1968 Ph.D. English, University of British Columbia, Canada "The Continuity of English Canadian Poetry"1964 B.Ed. Honours English (First Class), University of British Columbia, Canada
Employment history at academic institutions
2002 - 2004 Woodsworth Resident Scholar, Humanities, Simon Fraser University1981 - 2002 Professor, Department of English, Simon Fraser University
1986 - 1994 Chair, Department of English, Simon Fraser University
1973 - 1980 Associate Professor, Department of English, Simon Fraser University
1968 - 1973 Assistant Professor, Department of English, Simon Fraser University
Other Sources
- http://www.sfu.ca/~djwa/
- http://www.abcbookworld.com/view_author.php?id=1142
- http://www.sfu.ca/archive-sfunews/sfu_news/sfunews05160207.shtml - SFU News Article about Djwa's Lorne Pierce award