The Association for Canadian Studies in the United States (ACSUS) is a multi-disciplinary membership based organization committed to raising awareness and understanding of Canada and the bilateral relationship. ACSUS supports research and academic activity through its publications, conferences, and grant programs; promotes the academy through active advocacy and outreach; and positions the community by profiling the scope and diversity of research undertaken by the ACSUS membership in the humanities and social sciences.
The level of interdependence between Canada and the United States makes this partnership each country’s most important bilateral relationship. The academic community plays an important part in helping to educate policy makers and the public-private sectors about the economic, political, trade, security, defense, environmental, technological, scientific, and cultural dimensions of Canada-US relations.
In the United States there are more than seventy universities teaching courses on Canada to an estimated 20,000 undergraduate students each year. Five regional associations are also actively engaged in raising awareness of Canada. The integrated nature of the Canada-US partnership demands future leaders possess the tools to successfully navigate an increasingly complex world. The academic community represented and supported by ACSUS is key to this future success.
ACSUS serves its members and the community by:
- Supporting teaching, research, and outreach on Canada and Canadian studies;
- Publishing a refereed journal, The American Review of Canadian Studies;
- Holding a biennial conference in odd-numbered years, consisting of papers, panels, and speakers, that provides a forum for disseminating information and research on Canada across all disciplines;
- Holding a biennial colloquium in even-numbered years in Canada to explore an interdisciplinary topic in an intimate setting;
- Maintaining communication linkages via newsletters and the Internet;
- Publishing various textbooks and monographs for use in the classroom;
- Providing fellowships, grants, and subventions for teachers, students, and scholars;
- Recognizing excellence in Canadian studies through various awards for service, scholarship, and teaching;
- Facilitating favorable relations and intellectual exchanges with other Canadian studies organizations;
- Promoting linkages with government agencies and businesses that share an interest in improving Canadian-American relations;
- Improving our understanding of Canada's history, literature, arts, peoples, cultures, politics, economy, and role in the international community.
