Cynthia Comacchio

Cynthia Comacchio is a Professor in the Department of History within the Faculty of Arts at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario. She has taught at Laurier since 1990 and attained full professorship in 2000. She serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Canadian Studies and sits on the Editorial Board of Ontario History.

Her educational background includes:

• MA in History from York University
• PhD in History from the University of Guelph (1987)

Professor Comacchio specializes in Canadian social history, with primary focus on childhood/youth experiences and family dynamics from the late 19th to 21st centuries. Her research integrates analysis of gender roles, holiday traditions, and war's societal impact, particularly examining veterans' reintegration and cultural memory. Current work includes the co-authored monograph Ring Around the Maple: A Sociocultural History of Canadian Children, mapping evolving childhood experiences in Canadian society.

Her scholarly recognition includes:

• Election as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada

She leads SSHRC-funded collaborative research on post-Great War veterans' social reintegration with Mark Humphries and Terry Copp, engaging with the Laurier Centre for Military, Strategic and Disarmament Studies. This work examines institutional responses to veterans' reintegration challenges through historical analysis of policy frameworks and community support systems.

Comacchio maintains active editorial leadership in Canadian historical scholarship through her journal roles, shaping discourse in the field while advancing interdisciplinary approaches to social history.