History graduate unearths untold narratives and finds his passion
At CUE, students take great pride in learning about history as a way to understand our current way of life and how it will shape our future. CUE graduate, Brady Reid, is armed with an open mind, unwavering passion and a deep desire to use his research for the greater good.
Brady feels fortunate to have enrolled at CUE, saying joining a university with a “non-elitist mindset” was a liberating decision. The narrow perspectives of some professors at previous institutions discouraged his exploration, he mentions. Brady describes his CUE experienced as a whole different vibe – a place where academic freedom is celebrated.
“At Concordia, instructors welcome diverse viewpoints. I didn’t feel pressure to align my research to my professors’ beliefs or opinions. My instructors at Concordia would give us information and then ask us to expand on it.” – Brady
Two of Brady’s mentors were CUE history professors Tolly Bradford and Colin Neufeldt. “My professors were incredibly supportive the past few years, and have pushed me to do things I had not considered possible. For example, Tolly helped me with my Master’s application and pressed me to connect with others in my field, and I could not be more grateful for his support,” Brady says.
Brady wasn’t 100 per cent certain what he would study, but everything seemed to fall into place after he took Indigenous Studies as a minor. He felt inspired to study the Beothuk Indigenous people, a group known for their extinction in the 19th century. They lived in harmony on Newfoundland’s rugged coast for thousands of years, developing a unique culture and way of life, until European settlers depleted their resources. The Beothuk people appealed to Brady, not only because his family came from Newfoundland, but also because of the misconceptions about how these groups interacted with Europeans, and their unfair label as “savages.”
Brady’s preferred method of research is extracting information from primary sources, such as delving into research minutes or conducting return interviews. “I enjoy going through meeting minutes to see what people have actually said on a topic – from the ‘horse’s mouth,’ rather than secondary sources that could be more biased.” Brady says this form of research helps him understand authentic voices to get an overall picture of the historical context, allowing him to challenge existing narratives and unveiling previously overlooked details.
Tolly Bradford was impressed with Brady’s research and encouraged him to enter CARIC 2023 (CUE Annual Research and Innovation Conference). With some convincing, Brady agreed and bravely kicked-off the conference as the first presenter. Brady’s confidence on stage showed through when he was asked challenging questions during the Q&A session – a confidence that only comes from knowing his research material well. “I feel like I’m already prepping for my Masters. I want to know everything I possibly can,” he said.
Learn more about this year’s CARIC
Brady emphasized that student support services at CUE were invaluable to his success at university, including the Writing Centre. “Thea Bowering was a sessional instructor for Writing 300 and she went above and beyond. I told her I wanted to take university seriously and improve the best I could. She gave me extra work to do, and provided excellent feedback – with her assistance my optic paper turned out so much better.”
Brady compares attending other institutions to retaking highschool. “Concordia was the complete opposite, here they say ‘We’re going to give you the tools, now go expand on it.’ They don’t want you to parrot what they teach.”
“Concordia has given me the green light to have both academic and artistic expression – it’s like an outlet for me. We are not encouraged to dumb anything down, but instead to push forward and see what’s possible with our research,” says Brady.
When asking Brady what draws him to study history, he answers, “When learning about Cuba in high school they would make it sound like a terrible place to live – because it’s a Communist country, where people don’t have freedom or care about their people. Then when I went to Cuba it was the complete opposite – the people were friendly, and were doing a lot with what little money they had – it was really impressive.
“I started wanting to write about countries in a different way – in a way that was not skewed by politics, but in a realistic light and in a way that could make a positive difference for people in that country,” says Brady.
His goal is to be an independent researcher and own a publishing company one day. “My big dream would be to give profits to whatever country is written about – I want to make a difference in that country,” adds Brady.
When it comes to being a great researcher Brady says being open minded is key. “That’s one of the biggest factors to consider in our industry. I prefer to lean towards open mindedness rather than elitism. If your ideas are taking off you’re probably doing a good job.”
Brady’s advice to history students is: “If you’re passionate and hardworking enough, and you keep an open mind – you will go far. Concordia definitely taught me that we’re not pursuing a degree for a paycheck. Money should come second – what interests you and makes you grow should come first!”