King's Professor Robert Ventresca named Member of The Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists
September 16, 2014
London, ON - King’s University College congratulates Dr. Robert A. Ventresca, elected as a Member to the prestigious Royal Society of Canada, College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. Dr. Ventresca is part of the inaugural cohort of Members to the College in recognition of his research by an emerging, young, scholar. The Royal Society of Canada is the highest recognized membership for scholars in Arts, Humanities and Sciences in our country.
Dr. Ventresca is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at King’s. He demonstrates, through his study of modern Italian and Church history, the complex intersection of religion and civil society and the role of religious traditions in the modern world. His current work explores how Catholic thought on modernity, the nation-state, race and the ‘Jewish Question’ influenced a range of Catholic responses to 20th century fascist bio-politics. He is a first-generation university graduate whose growing international reputation is evident through his publications and research presentations in North America and Europe. He recently led a program on Ethics, Religion and the Holocaust at the Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies in Washington DC.
“Dr. Ventresca is not only a recognized scholar, he is also an accomplished teacher, and his service to King’s is highly respected, admired and appreciated by his colleagues. His dedication to his students, and his commitment to academic integrity have made him a valued undergraduate and graduate mentor and an inspiring colleague,” says Dr. David Sylvester, King’s Principal. “We are especially proud of Robert’s accomplishments, as he is an alumnus of King’s, graduating in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in history.” King’s salutes Dr. Ventresca in this one-minute highlight video of his research:
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His most recent publication, Soldier of Christ: The Life of Pope Pius XII, (Harvard University Press, 2013) was nominated for the prestigious 2015 Grawemeyer Award by the University of Louisville,for highly significant contributions to religious and spiritual understanding. Soldier of Christ has also been nominated for The Harry C. Koenig Prize by the American Catholic Historical Association, to be announced later in September 2014. His first monograph From Fascism to Democracy: Culture and Politics in the Italian Election of 1948. (University of Toronto Press, 2004) was awarded an Honourable Mention for the Wallace K. Ferguson Prize for the best book in history other than Canadian by the Canadian Historical Association. Dr. Ventresca’s scholarly excellence was recognized early in his career when in 2001 his doctoral dissertation “In God’s Country: State, Society and Democracy in the Italian Election of 1948,” (University of Toronto, 2000) was awarded the Canadian Historical Association’s John Bullen Prize for the outstanding Ph. D. thesis on an historical topic submitted in a Canadian university.
Dr. Ventresca will be inducted as a Royal Society Member in Quebec City in November. He and his wife Yola, and new daughter Simona, along with King’s Vice Principal & Academic Dean, Dr. Sauro Camiletti and Associate Academic Dean, Dr. Renee Soulodre-LaFrance will represent King’s in Quebec City at the ceremony.
King's is a publicly-funded Catholic post-secondary institution founded in 1954. King’s provides general and honors degree programs in the liberal arts, social sciences, business, and a master's degree in social work. Institutionally-autonomous, King’s is academically-affiliated with Western University. King’s is open to students of all faith backgrounds, with its community centered on the principles of social justice and the education of the whole person.
For more information please contact:
Jane Antoniak
Manager, Communications & Media Relations
King’s University College
communications@kings.uwo.ca
519-433-3491 x 4384
519-719-9366
@kingsatwestern
www.kings.uwo.ca