Stefanie Schäfer Elected to Executive Board of Association for Canadian Studies

The interdisciplinary professional association brings together humanities and social sciences researchers across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland who are dedicated to researching and promoting the culture, economy, and politics of Canada. Professor Stefanie Schäfer, holder of the Chair of American Literature and Cultural Studies at the University of Mannheim, has been a Canadian studies enthusiast and member of the German-Canadian Association (Deutsch-Kanadische Gesellschaft, DKG) for more than a decade. Starting on 1 March 2027, she will also represent the GKS internationally as its president, for example at the International Council of Canadian Studies in Toronto. 

“Since Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the Davos Economic Forum 2026, Canada’s role as a North American partner for Europe has been at the center of attention. This makes things even more exciting for us Canadianists,” says Schäfer, founder of the regional CanadaForum in Mannheim and former executive director of the Centre for Canadian Studies at the University of Vienna. “Being a researcher in the field of literature and cultural studies, I have been interested in Canadian studies for a long time, as they broaden my American studies perspective on North America and shape the transatlantic relationship. Since we at the GKS look at Canada in various quite different ways—i.e., from historical, political science, romance studies, and geographical perspectives—interdisciplinary research questions that have been central to my career arose for me early on.”

About the GKS

The Association for Canadian Studies in German-speaking Countries (GKS) is a charitable association that focuses on coordinating Canada-related academic activities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. To promote and support Canadian studies in these countries, the GKS for example publishes its annual journal Zeitschrift für Kanada-Studien and holds an annual conference.