life has its faults
which forget nothing
apart from the essential simplicity of things

– Jean Wilson, excerpt from Grand Vent de tempête

What artists and intellectuals have helped us to think about Acadie?  What personalities have marked the evolution of Acadian society and francophone institutions? How can we guage the influence and inspiration of diverse sources and far horizons?  How and where do such contributions live on?  In March 2022, the community of Université Sainte-Anne, which hosts the journal Port Acadie, was brutally confronted with such questions following the unexpected death of a dear colleague, professor and writer Jean Wilson. In order to pay homage to him, our editorial team, in collaboration with the Department of French Studies, is preparing a double issue devoted to the themes: “Influence, Inspirations, and Legacies.”  With both sadness and pleasure, we are issuing this call for submissions to Port Acadie: An Interdisciplinary Review of Acadian Studies, no. 40-41, to be published in the fall of 2024.

We are seeking papers on the full range of topics related to these themes in Acadian Studies. In addition, a dedicated dossier in tribute to Jean Wilson will feature studies, reflections, and creative works having affinities with his interests and his thought. Testimonials on a personal level will also be welcome.

Port Acadie publishes refereed texts (in French or English)—i.e., scholarly articles and research notes—as well as essays (in French or English), reviews of academic and literary works, interviews, and creative texts. Manuscripts for the Spring and Fall 2024 issue should be submitted by May 31, 2024. For more information, see our website (https://www.usainteanne.ca/port-acadie) or write to us at the following address: port-acadie@usainteanne.ca

About Jean Wilson (1961-2022)

A native of Montreal, Professor Jean Wilson was a specialist in contemporary French literature, having studied at McGill University and the University of Montreal. He joined the Department of French Studies at Université Sainte-Anne in 1990. Jean’s dynamic and irreverent teaching earned him the admiration of his students, while his human qualities made him a highly valued colleague. From 1995 to 2003, he was a member of the editorial and management committee of Feux Chalins: Littératures des maritimes, which featured prose and poetry in both official languages. In 2013, he published a poetry collection, Grand vent de tempéte, with Maison Nouvelle Fédération. Alongside Jimmy Thibeault, Daniel Long and Désiré Nyela, he published Au-delà de l’exiguïté. Échos et convergences dans les littératures minoritaires, with Perce Neige, in 2016.  He was a longtime member of the editorial board of Dalhousie French Studies, one of the most prestigious scholarly journals of the Canadian Francophonie. He also worked on behalf of the Association of Professors and Librarians of Université Sainte-Anne (APPBUSA) for a fairer university. Jean was a respected mentor, an unfailing friend, and a loving father.