Sarah Carter (historian)

Sarah Carter is a Canadian historian specializing in the history of women, gender, Indigenous peoples, and the Canadian West. She is a distinguished scholar known for her contributions to the field, particularly her work on the dispossession of Indigenous lands and the experiences of women in the prairies.

Carter received her Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba. She has held teaching positions at the University of Calgary and is currently a Professor Emerita.

Her scholarship is marked by rigorous research, careful attention to historical context, and a commitment to uncovering marginalized voices. She is particularly noted for her meticulous examination of primary sources, including government records, missionary archives, and oral histories.

Key Works:

• Lost Harvests: Prairie Indian Reserve Farmers and Government Policy (1990) - This book explores the devastating impact of government policies on Indigenous agriculture on the Canadian prairies.
• Capturing Women: The Manipulation of Cultural Imagery in Canada's Prairie West (1997) - An analysis of how images of women, particularly Indigenous women, were used to promote settlement and control in the Canadian West.
• The Importance of Being Monogamous: Marriage and Nation Building in Western Canada to 1915 (2008) - Examines the role of monogamous marriage in shaping social and political landscapes in Western Canada.
• Imperial Plots: Women, Land, and the Spadework of British Colonialism in Canada (2016) - Focuses on the connections between gender, land, and the colonial project in Canada, exploring the experiences of women settlers and Indigenous women in the context of British imperialism.

Carter's work has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades, solidifying her reputation as a leading scholar in Canadian history. Her publications are widely read and cited in academic circles and contribute significantly to our understanding of the complex history of Canada and its peoples.