Author Archives: J.W.J. Bowden

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About J.W.J. Bowden

My area of academic expertise lies in Canadian political institutions, especially the Crown, political executive, and conventions of Responsible Government; since 2011, I have made a valuable contribution to the scholarship by having been published and cited extensively. I’m also a contributing editor to the Dorchester Review and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law.

O Canada and the Two Solitudes

Posted on 2017/09/06 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction  We should speak not of one O Canada but of the two O Canadas, which represent the two solitudes of English and French Canada. The original French lyrics of Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier and the English lyrics of Robert Stanley … Continue reading →

Posted in Dorchester Review, History of British North America, O Canada | 1 Comment

Some Thoughts on The Prince and Game of Thrones

Posted on 2017/08/20 by J.W.J. Bowden

George R.R. Martin confirms in this BBC documentary, “Who’s Afraid of Machiavelli?” that The Prince heavily influenced his writing of A Song of Ice and Fire and the general depiction of political intrigue amongst the lords of Westeros. Some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Random Thoughts | Leave a comment

Some Thoughts on an Old Metaphor: From the Ship of State to The Armada of State

Posted on 2017/08/19 by J.W.J. Bowden

In Book VI of The Republic, Plato likened governing a polis to piloting a ship. Plato’s interlocutor, Socrates, invoked this ancient parable to explain why the ship’s unassuming star-gazing navigator represents the philosopher-king who possesses the best qualities — namely, … Continue reading →

Posted in Random Thoughts | Leave a comment

A Review of the Play 1979 and Joe Clark’s Legacy

Posted on 2017/08/10 by J.W.J. Bowden

Structure and Overview of 1979 On 28 April 2017, I saw 1979, a play written by the capable Michael Healey about the events leading to the defeat of Joe Clark’s short-lived ministry. The play took place at the Great Canadian … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 2 Comments

A Classical Liberal Defence of Constitutional Monarchy

Posted on 2017/07/20 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction: The Strange Americanism of Canadian Libertarians  Since 2011 when I attended one of the Institute for Liberal Studies’ Liberty Summer Seminars (LSS), I’ve noticed that Canadian libertarians often demonstrate a strange American streak, and that their understanding of constitutions and … Continue reading →

Posted in Monarchism v Republicanism, Parliamentarism v Presidentialism, Responsible Government, Separation of Powers | 5 Comments