Dr. Valerie Deacon is the Manager of Academic Support and Curriculum Innovation in the Faculty of Arts at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). In this role, she leads a team of Academic Support Coaches who provide individualized writing assistance and academic skills development to students .
Before returning to Canada, Dr. Deacon served as a faculty member at New York University (NYU) and NYU Shanghai, where she held positions including Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor of History. During her tenure at NYU Shanghai, she delivered lectures such as “Imagining France: Evasion Training and National Identity During the Second World War”
Dr. Deacon holds a Master of Arts from the University of Victoria and a Ph.D. from York University. Her scholarly work centers on the experiences of the Second World War in Europe and the United States, with a particular focus on the French Resistance and the involvement of extreme-right individuals and groups.
Her first book, The Extreme Right in the French Resistance: Members of the Cagoule and Corvignolles in the Second World War, published by Louisiana State University Press in 2016, examines the participation of men and women from the extreme right in the French Resistance and explores postwar narratives about resisters and the meaning of resistance . In addition to her book, Dr. Deacon has authored several articles, including:
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“Fitting in to the French Resistance: Georges Loustaunau-Lacau and Marie-Madeleine Fourcade at the intersection of politics and gender” (2015)
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“From 'femme d'officier, mère de famille' to 'grand dame de la Résistance': Marie-Madeleine Fourcade during the Second World War” (2017)
Her current research investigates the experiences of downed Anglo-American aircrew in Occupied France and the assistance they received from French civilians. She has published works on this topic, including:
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“‘A jolly romp we were always destined to win': The BBC's 'Allo 'Allo! and British memories of downed aircrew in Occupied France during the Second World War” (2017)
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“International cooperation, transnational circulation: Escape, evasion, and resistance in France, 1940–1945” (2019)
Dr. Deacon's contributions to historical scholarship provide nuanced insights into the complexities of resistance movements and the varied experiences of individuals during the Second World War.
Since 1949, generations of Germans have reflected on the rise, rule, and remnants of Nazism. The people of East, West, and now-unified Germany have sought to come to terms with their nation's Nazi past through many avenues. This presentation will introduce some of the approaches taken to reckon with this past, including the judicial system, youth protests, and public exhibitions. The presenter will be speaking remotely.
These three spies kept authorities and security departments fooled into thinking they were loyal employees, above suspicion. They were even given awards by their governments for outstanding performance, all the while knifing their employers in the back. How and why did they do it?
Explore the rise and fall of America’s most notorious gangsters, from post-Civil War outlaws to the birth of the Mafia. Discover their influence on cities, the rise of Las Vegas, and the reign of Florida’s Cocaine Queen. Come learn how they built empires.
Join Len Ferman, The Sports Time Traveler™, for a fascinating look at professional sports during World War II. Many famous athletes were drafted, including baseball legend Hank Greenberg, who served four years and saw combat. Others, with medical deferments, continued to compete—encouraged by President Roosevelt to help lift national morale. This engaging presentation tells the powerful stories of these athletes as they served and played during the pivotal 1945 season. Through vivid storytelling and historical insight, Len reveals how sports became a source of hope and resilience during one of America’s darkest times.
Discover the history, culture and craft of Costa Rica plus a virtual tour of the rainforests to learn about the bizarre and beautiful creatures that inhabit the most diverse ecosystem on earth.
