James Murton

James Murton is a Professor in the Department of History at Nipissing University, where he serves as Graduate Program Coordinator for the History MA program. He is jointly affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Science and the Environmental Sciences/Studies program. His research examines Canadian environmental history through the lenses of agriculture, subsistence production, and colonial food systems.

Education:

• BA, University of British Columbia
• MA, University of Victoria
• PhD, Queen's University

Murton's research focuses on the environmental and agricultural history of Canada, particularly the relationship between subsistence practices and global food capitalism. His current SSHRC-funded project, Empire Grown, analyzes how colonial food systems transformed local ecologies and communities in 19th-20th century Canada. Secondary interests include the history of British Columbia, food studies, and environmental capitalism.

His scholarly publications consistently explore themes of land use, environmental change, and cultural perceptions of nature in Canadian contexts, with recurring focus on agriculture, resource management, and settler colonialism.

Awards:

• Prix Guy et Lilianne Frégault (2001-02) for best article in Revue d’histoire de l’Amérique française
• K.D. Srivastava Prize for Creating a Modern Countryside (2007)

Murton coordinates graduate studies in history and teaches courses like Food: A North American History and Canadian Environmental History. He integrates fieldwork in northern Ontario into his pedagogy. He holds leadership roles in the Network in Canadian History of the Environment (NiCHE) and co-edits the McGill-Queen’s Rural Studies Series.