Mission
The research conducted in the MLC Research Centre focuses on the early twentieth-century modern literature and culture within a broad range of topics such as avant-garde literature and art, salon culture, visual culture, Modernism, including Canadian Modernism, modernist biography and life writing. We also investigate popular literary expressions, in particular the Canadian icon L. M. Montgomery, the role of nostalgic expressions during the modern ere, as well as contributing to preservation of Canadian women’s cultural heritage. Our mandate is also to make our research available to both the scholarly and the general public through exhibitions, publications, and outreach events.
Our mandate is to research the literary and cultural production in the modernist era (from 1880 to 1940), to preserve and advance modernist women’s heritage and to promote modern Canadian heritage within an international context, and to advance our studies and outreach through digital culture innovations.
The MLCRC (Modern Literature & Culture Research Centre) is honoured to be featured in a video by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).
History
Established in 2005, the Canada Research Chair Program in Modern Literature and Culture is housed in the Faculty of Arts at Toronto Metropolitan University with links to the Graduate Programs in Literatures of Modernity and Communication and Culture, as well as to English, Image Arts, Fashion, and Digital Culture.The MLC Research Centre is dedicated to the research and preservation of early twentieth-century literary documents, images, and artifacts. The 1400 square-foot MLC Research Centre houses a library and archive, a display and exhibit space, a digital imaging workstation, a microfilm unit, and workstations for research associates, postdoctoral fellows, and students.
The Director and Canada Research Chair in Modern Literature and Culture Dr. Gammel conceived of the MLC Centre as a new way of conducting literary and cultural research by cultivating a vibrant team spirit. The versatility of the space echoes the Toronto Metropolitan University mandate, which encourages the forging of interdisciplinary connections. We foster linkages with national and international research partners, as well as with faculty across several disciplines. Students in the MLC Research Centre conduct research on their theses under the supervision of Dr. Gammel, and many also work as research assistants and as interns. By involving students from Communication and Culture, English, Fashion Design, Image Arts, and Photo Restoration, we contribute to the generation of highly trained personnel in Canada.
The Centre was launched in 2006 with generous support of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ministry of Research and Innovation, and Toronto Metropolitan University. Our Centre was designed by Bob Goyeche of the Toronto architecture firm Rounthwaite, Dick, and Hadley and built by Genivar. In the fall of 2021, the MLC Research Centre moved its operations to 415 Yonge Street, Suite 1802, installing some these architectural features in the new space. We work with the University on locating new space to house the MLC Gallery (currently still at 111 Gerrard Street). We continue to be supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
