Life in the countryside, often perceived as either idyllic or depleted, has long been misrepresented. Challenging the stereotypes and myths that sur- round the idea of rurality, Our Rural Selves inter- rogates and represents individual and collective memories of childhood in rural landscapes and small towns. Drawing on visual artifacts whose origins range from the early twentieth century to today, such as photographs, films, objects, picture books, and digital games, contributors offer readings of child- hood that are geographically, ethnically, and cul- turally diverse. They examine the memories of Indigenous children, the experiences of back-to- the-land youth, and boom-or-bust childhoods within the petroleum, farming, and fishing indus- tries. Illustrating often neglected and overlooked aspects of adolescence, this collection suggests new ways of studying social connectedness and collec- tive futures. Innovative and revealing in its use of visual studies, autoethnography, and memory-work, Our Rural Selves explores representation, imagination, and what it means to grow up rural in Canada. Claudia Mitchell is James McGill Professor in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education and director of the Institute for Human Development and Well-Being at McGill University. April Mandrona is assistant professor of art education in the Division of Art History and Contemporary Culture at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. 3 8 M Q U P S P R I N G 2 0 1 9 C U LT U R A L S T U D I E S • M E M O R Y S T U D I E S Our Rural Selves Memory and the Visual in Canadian Childhoods edited by claudia mitchell and april mandrona Painting a picture of childhood and memory in rural Canada. S P E C I F I C AT I O N S April 2019 -5,7a755pl7ln--75 4phi-l£ bAU1 4phi-l£ Dc1 ksni-- 6o602 -5,7a755pl7ln-,7a 4SSaiaac bAU1 4SSaiaac Dc1 k,,iaa $.9ru n B - s5s66 hp 6u9r93 0g99T omot.oN.0