This summer, the Wilson Institute for Canadian History sent out invitations to historians and other specialists across Canada, the United States, and around the world. Their goal: to build a network of associates across the continent and the world and create a community of scholars exploring transnational history.

Invitations were sent to a wide range of academics — at a variety of institutions and at different stages in their careers — from assistant professors at Kwantien Polytechnic to full professors at McGill University. Over 30 invitations were sent out and so far we have only received positive and enthusiastic responses. No invitation has yet been rejected!

In the last decade, the Wilson Institute has forged quite a reputation. It is widely recognized as a leading force in Canadian historical research and has encouraged and funded the work of some of the most cutting-edge scholars in North America. For a young, emerging scholar, an invitation to join our network is significant. It provides him/her with the infrastructure and resources to move forward with projects and research that he/she may not have been able to pursue beyond the Wilson Institute. We are committed to pushing Canadian historical research, in Canada and beyond, forward.

Each new associate will become a part of our evolving network. Each will be entitled to cast a ballot for the annual Wilson Book Prize, a $10,000 award to the publisher of the book that succeeds in making Canadian historical scholarship accessible to a wide and transnational audience. Each will also have the opportunity to propose and organize workshops and events at the Wilson Institute, which focus on transnational topics of interest to Canadians. Each will also be invited to share their cutting-edge research with the Wilson Institute and the community of scholars at McMaster, and to participate as a contributor to our many publications.