Amie Wright
Ph.D. Candidate
| Degrees: | B.A. Anthropology/English (University of Calgary), B.A. Honours History (Concordia), MLIS (Western Ontario), M.A. History (Concordia) |
| Email: | amiewright@cmail.carleton.ca |
| LinkedIn: | Connect |
Current Program (including year of entry)
Ph.D. History, Concentration in Public History (2021)
Supervisor(s)
Dr. James Opp and Dr. John C. Walsh
Academic Interests
comic books and graphic novels, censorship, visual and popular culture, public history, epistemology, graphic history, archives and critical librarianship, metadata, digital humanities, and the history of youth reading
Select Publications and Current Projects
Projects:
2021-2022 Co-Chair Underhill Graduate Student Colloquium “(Re)thinking History”
2022-Present Chair, Addressing Bans and Challenges Committee – American Library Association (ALA) Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table (GNCRT)
Publications:
Wright, Amie with Lindsay Gibb. “Reframing the Narrative: Comic Books and a Still-Lingering Pedagogical Bias.” Booklist’s Guide to Graphic Novels in Libraries 2023. Booklist. July 1, 2023: 8-10.
Wright, Amie with Matthew Noe and Moni Barrette. “Answering the Call: ALA GNCRT Responds to Surging Challenges to Comics.” In Shannon M. Oltmann (ed.) The Fight against Book Bans: Perspectives from the Field. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing (2023).
Wright, Amie. “Alberta’s Forgotten Censor: The Advisory Board on Objectionable Publications (1954-1976) and the Continued Campaign Against Comics Post 1954,” Canadian Literature, no. 249 (2022).
Wright, Amie. “Trade Secrets: Addressing Challenges to Comics in Libraries” Booklist. February 1, 2022.
Wright, Amie with Lucia Cedeira Serantes and Emily Drew. “International Comic Books and Graphic Novels.” In John Ballestro (ed.) The Library’s Guide to Graphic Novels. Chicago: ALA editions (2020): 113-143.
Wright, Amie. “Comics in the Classroom: Beyond Maus and Persepolis – Leveling Up at San Diego Comic-Con.” American Libraries. July 28, 2017.
Wright, Amie. “Zora Neale Hurston and the Depression-Era Federal Writers’ Project.” New York Public Library: Resources for Teachers. January 8, 2014.
Wright, Amie. “TeachNYPL: The Underground Railroad to Canada.” New York Public Library: Resources for Teachers. August 19, 2013.
Wright, Amie. “La Bebida Nacional: Pulque and Mexicanidad, 1920-1946.” Canadian Journal of History/Annales canadiennes d’histoire. Vol. 44, no.1 (2009): 1-24.
Wright, Amie. “Graphic Novels in the Public Library.” Faculty of Information Quarterly, Vol. 1, no. 1 (2009): 1-12.
Wright, Amie. “Graphic Novels and the Memory of Trauma and Violence” in Historiae. SHAC Students of History Association of Concordia. Vol 6 (Spring 2008).
Select Conference Contributions
“Addressing Comics Challenges.” American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference & Exhibition (June 2022).
“Graphic History: Teaching with Comic Books and Graphic Novels.” 5th Public History Summer School at University of University of Wrocław (Poland) 2022.
“Teaching History with Comics: The Pros, the Cons, and the Canon.” Challenges of Teaching and Learning History: Issues of Pedagogy and Content. 4th Biennial Teaching History Conference (May 2021)
“Creating Graphic Histories: Workshop and Collaboratorium.” 134th Annual American Historical Association (AHA) Annual Meeting (January 2020)
“The New ‘Blue Age’ of Comics – In Conversation with Marvel VP Sana Amanat.” New York Comic Con (October 2019)
“Comics State of the Union: The Blue Age of Comics, the Rise of Kamala Khan, and Comics Librarianship.” Keynote Presentation: San Diego Comic-Con Comic Conference for Educators and Librarians (July 2019).
“The Panel that ‘Punched’ Hitler: Public History and Politicized Panels from Captain America to Ms. Marvel.” 2nd Annual Comics Studies Society (CSS) Conference (July 2019)
“Visual Engagement: How graphic novels are growing parts of developing literacy and pleasure reading for today’s children.” Keynote Presentation: Educational Books & Media Association (EBMA) Annual Meeting (January 2019).
“Understanding Canadian Comics.” Keynote Presentation: Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) Libraries & Education Day (May 2018).
“Comics for Civic Engagement and Social Studies.” NYC Department of Education Professional Development Conference (November 2017).
Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant:
Rethinking Modern Canadian History HIST 1302B (J. St. Germain), Winter 2022
Explorations in Historical Theory HIST 3820A (E. Fraser), Fall 2021
History of Canada: Post-Confederation HIST 205 (L. Pattison), Winter 2021 – Concordia
Instructor:
Information Retrieval GLIS 616, Fall 2020 – McGill, Graduate School of Information Studies
Law Information GLIS 672, Fall 2019 – McGill, Graduate School of Information Studies
Information Retrieval GLIS 616, Fall 2019 – McGill, Graduate School of Information Studies
Description of Research
Amie’s current SSHRC-funded doctoral research explores the under-studied legacy of comic book censorship in postwar Canada and its impact on vocational practice in schools and libraries around ideas of ‘good reading’ and child health. This work also seeks to illuminate the present through the past – looking critically at how the current surge in book bans and challenges builds on past censorship campaigns bolstered by community and educational organizations. Finally, Amie’s research also explores the classroom as a public history space and looks at the potential for graphic history – teaching with and through comic books and graphic novels – to offer new opportunities for historical engagement and research.
Amie’s research on comics reading and censorship is heavily influenced by the 10+ years she spent working as a public librarian in the US and Canada in educational and community outreach with K-12 teachers and school librarians.