Charles Simon-Aaron Ph.D.
314-25 Mutual Street, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada, M5B 2K1
Tel: 416-703-6615
PERSONAL DATA
Citizenship: Canadian
Languages: English and French
Ethnicity: African-Canadian
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Social and Political Thought (2002), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dissertation: Class Ideology and African Political Theory
M.A. Political Science (1988), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Specializing in Comparative Politics and Political Theory
B.A. (Honours) 1986, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Double major Political Science and, Social and Political Thought,
RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Social History of Social and Political Thought (19th and 20th Century; Non-Western)
• International Political Economy
• Comparative Politics (Africa , Caribbean , Latin America )
• Transformation Science (Historical and Political Origins of Social Change)
• Political Psychology
• Empire Studies (Origins, Forms, Reproduction and , Consequences of Empire)
TEACHING INTERESTS
• Graduate and Undergraduate courses in International Political Economy
• Graduate and Undergraduate courses in Political Theory
• Graduate and Undergraduate courses in African Studies
• Graduate and Undergraduate courses in Empire Studies
• Graduate and Undergraduate courses in Social History of Technology
COLLEGE TEACHING EXPERIENCE
SESSIONAL INSTRUCTOR
Department of Liberal Arts, Guelph-Humber University College, Toronto, Ontario (2007-Present)
First Year University courses in Humanities and Social Sciences
Department of Sociology, King’s University College @University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario (2006-2007)
Second Year University course in Sociology focusing on Globalization
Social Sciences Department, Sheridan College, Ontario, Canada (1998-1999)
Co-created and taught the course, “The Image of the African in North American Popular Culture”.
York University, Faculty of Arts, Toronto, Canada (1992-1999)
First Year University courses in Social History, Political Science, Sociology,
York University, Faculty of Arts, Toronto, Canada (1989-1993)
Writing Workshop Course,
This department was created to assist students of all levels in writing their assignments in a manner appropriate to the university environment. It focused on developing an understanding of U.K. and American English, usage and grammar.
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, (1986-1987)
First Year University course in Introduction to Political Theory
OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE
Research Assistant (1990) to Professor Neil Wood; researched the social cultural and political history of Locke’s England.
Multicultural Coordinator (1992-1997), North York Board of Education
Analyzing the learning aptitudes of new immigrant students to the North York Board of Education (later: Toronto District School Board) from the Caribbean and Africa.
SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS
Published Books:
Charles Simon-Aaron, Atlantic Slave Trade: Empire, Enlightenment and Cult of The Unthinking Negro, Edwin Mellen Publishers, ISBN10: 0-7734-5197-8 ISBN13: 978-0-7734-5197-1, Total Pages: 692, Year: 2008
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Other Completed Book Manuscripts:
Charles Simon-Aaron, Class Ideology and African Political Theory, (500 pages)
This manuscript outlines the social and historical context of the political ideas of three of modern Africa’s most influential thinkers, Cheikh Anta Diop (Senegal); Amilcar Cabral (Guine-Bissau); Kwame Nkhrumah (Ghana). It broadens the pre-determining parameters for defining political philosophy in the western academy, and reveals the social and historical basis of their revolutionary nationalism in petty bourgeois society in colonized Africa.
Research Projects
Theme 1: Origins of Capitalism in European and Modern World Economy: The Political, Historical, and Intellectual Origins of the Modern World. This project is designed to charter an innovative interrogation of the historical, political, intellectual, and economic origins of our times; with a close examination of their contemporary social and cultural legacies in the major western economies, Africa, and the Caribbean.
Theme 3: Critical examination of the relationship between technology, imperialism and war in the western world during the Atlantic Slave Trade and Enlightenment era. This was an historical moment of enormous significance for the modern world for it is here the three pivotal techniques of wealth making came together to make the modern (capitalist) world.
Theme 4: To call on the social history of political thought to examine the political thought of the titans of third world nationalism in the twentieth century as exampled in the above mentioned manuscript, Class Ideology and African Political Theory, where I examined the political thought of three of modern Africa’s most celebrated intellectuals-Cheikh Anta Diop, Amilcar Cabral, Kwame Nkrumah.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Conference Keynote Addresses and Presentations
1. Black European Studies in Transnational Perspective, 2nd International Conference, July 27-30,
2006, Berlin, Germany: “White Secrets of French Empire: Post-Colonial Ghosts of Enlightenment’s Past”
2. Introduction to Sociology (Soc 101, Section 003), Sociology Department, University of Waterloo
Fall 2005): “Capitalism, War and Global Inequality”
3. Introduction to Sociology (Soc 101, Section 003), Sociology Department, University of Waterloo (Winter: 2006): “Globalization, Education, and Economic Opportunities in Canada”
4. Conference Keynote Address, “Archiving Slavery: A Vexatious Politics” Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, Canada, 1998.
5. Conference Keynote Address: “Millenium Anxiety & Technological Dependency” York University, Toronto, Canada, 1999.
6. Conference Keynote Address, “The Politics of Empire in 21ST Century”, Toronto, Canada, 2000.
7. Conference Lecture: “The Relevance of History”, African Studies Department, New College, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, 2000.
8. Conference Panelist, Deconstruction & Hermeneutics: Derrida, 1990, York University, Toronto, Canada.
9. Conference Panelist, Reflections on the Second International, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1990.
10. Conference Panelist, Showboat (The Musical): the Minstrel, the African, the Hatred, North York Civic Center, Toronto, Canada, 1997.
11. Conference Panelist, Access & Equity in Post–Secondary Education, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1992.
12. Conference Panelist, South African Military War against Angolan Independence, Trinity United Church, Toronto, Canada, 1998.
13. Conference Lecture, “John Locke: Empire, Africa and Africans,” Pan African Students Union of North America, Toronto Meeting, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada, 1998.
14. Conference Panelist, Contemporary Politics in Latin America & Caribbean, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1998.
Conference Organizing Activities
1. Conference Co-Organizer The American War in Iraq: When Empire Goes to War, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, 1992.
2. Conference Co-Organizer, Democratic Socialism Today, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1990.
3. Conference Co-Organizer, Imperialism and Women’s Rights, International Women’s Day Organizing Committee, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, 1992.
4. Conference Co-Organizer, Racism, Feminism & The Academy, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1993.
5. Conference Co-Organizer, Race To The Bottom: Racism, Law & Free Market Economics in America, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1996.
6. Conference Co-Organizer, International Law , International Court of The Hague & War Crimes Tribunals, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1995.
7. Conference Co-Organizer, International Conference: On Fanon, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada, 1996.
8. Conference Lecture, “Amilcar Cabral and Revolutionary Suicide of the Radical Petty-Bourgeoisie”, Biko -Rodney-Malcolm-Coalition, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada 1996.
9. Conference Co-Organizer, Reflections on the Work of C.L.R. James, Wellesley College, Massachusetts, USA, 1991.
10. Conference Co-Organizer, The American War in Iraq: Collateral Legacy, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1997.
11. Conference Co-Organizer, Showboat (The Musical): Community Protest, North York Civic Center, Toronto, Canada, 1998.
12. Conference Co-Organizer, Grenada: Post – U.S. Invasion, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, 1998.
13. Conference Co-Organizer, Culture & Imperialism, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1998.
14. Conference Co-Organizer, Women, Race & Class, Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, Canada, 1999.
15. Conference Co-Organizer, Racism: Legalized Inequality, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada, 1999.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Founder-Member (1992-1999), Caribbean Young Offender’s Programme
Weekly visits to young offenders at West Detention Center (Toronto) to conduct (secular) awareness seminars on life’s challenges and non-criminal solutions to said with fellow York University students.
Community Workshops and Lectures
1. 1989- “Political consequences for the Caribbean of Cuban Socialism in the latter half of the Twentieth Century” Canada–Grenada Friendship Association, Toronto, Ontario
2. 1990- “Dependency Theory: The Case Study Guyana” Working Peoples Party (WPA) of Guyana, Toronto Chapter
3. 1990- “Petty-Bourgeois Nationalism: Guyana” Working Peoples Party (WPA) of Guyana, Toronto Chapter,
Community Workshops and Lectures
4. 1990- “Metaphors of the Body: the Enlightenment Experience,” Reading Group, Theatre in Exile, Toronto, Ontario
5. 1990- “Gabriel Garcia Marquez “Chronicles of a Death Foretold: A Commentary” Reading Group, Theatre in Exile, Toronto, Ontario
6. 1996- “Jacques Romain “Masters of the Dew”: Haitian Peasant Voicing: Redemption From Evil” Biko – Rodney- Malcolm – Coalition, Voices of Resistance Program, Toronto, Ontario
7. 1998- “Rousseau : Unconscious Framing of Supremacy : Nobilizing the Ignoble Savage”, Classical African Civilization Seminar, Third World Bookstore, Toronto, Ontario
8. 1999- “Thomas Jefferson: Strategy for Social Peace in 18th Century America: Slavery and Anti African Genocide”, Classical African Civilization Seminar, Third World Bookstore, Toronto ,Ontario
9. 1999- “Immanuel Kant : Knowing The Unknown African” Classical African Civilization Seminar, Third World Bookstore , Toronto
10. 1999- “Imperial Base of The Enlightenment: When Thinking Counts” Classical African Civilization Seminar, Third World Bookstore ,Toronto ,Ontario
References: available upon request.