The 1970s were a particularly agitated time in the history of social, political and cultural mobilisations in Acadia. Following reforms introduced under Louis J. Robichaud in New Brunswick and the modernisation of Acadian institutions during the 1960s, the 1970s saw the rise of ideologies and engagements that furthered the activism of the previous decade. Enter the Parti acadien, the magazine L’Acayen and numerous feminist, student and labour organizations and associations. We see the emergence, during this period, of the first small groups claiming their origins directly with Marx, Lenin and Mao, or from communism in general. The authors aim to give an account of this forgotten chapter of recent Acadian history. At the very core of various social events and phenomena, from poverty to economic conflicts, cultural and generational, to unionism and a multitude of protests, but also in more indirect ways, the Marxist-Leninist presence was felt in the Maritime Provinces. This is the story presented to us by Philippe Volpé and Julien Massicotte in a fascinating and well-researched study of far-left socio-economic movements in Acadia. A co-publication with the Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française. Published in French.

Philippe Volpé est doctorant en histoire à l’Université d’Ottawa. Ses travaux en histoire culturelle et intellectuelle portent notamment sur l’histoire de la jeunesse, des mobilisations collectives, des transformations idéologiques de même que sur diverses facettes de l’histoire de la société acadienne, son laboratoire privilégié de recherche. Il est membre du comité de rédaction des revues Histoire engagée et Mens : revue d’histoire intellectuelle et culturelle.

Philippe Volpé's profile page

Julien Massicotte est professeur agrégé de sociologie à l’Université de Moncton, campus d’Edmundston. Il s’intéresse aux changements sociaux touchant l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick contemporaine.

Julien Massicotte's profile page