René Durocher, one of the pioneers of contemporary Quebec history, has passed away. A large audience knew him as a co-author, along with Paul-André Linteau, Jean-Claude Robert and François Ricard, of a History of contemporary Quebec. This book, published in two volumes, renewed the relationship to history in Quebec. This imposing summary, written in a clear style, but without glamor, has been reprinted several times.
“It is a book that has become a reference for the history of Quebec,” observes Raymond Bédard, president of the Society of Quebec history teachers. “It was divided chronologically, but inside there were subdivisions by themes. For example: unionism, the arts, education, the place of religion. So we could quickly find, say, the history of education under Duplessis. It was an easy structure to consult and a very nice synthesis of contemporary history that we did not have. “
René Durocher, himself a professor until the early 2000s, engaged in debates on the issue of teaching his discipline throughout his career. He has actively devoted himself to the issue of the concrete teaching of history, on the benches of the small school until the university. In 1995, he was one of those who proposed a reform of history teaching in Quebec. In his view, this education should become compulsory again from elementary school. To this end, competent teachers must be trained, he insists. He also pleads in favor of an increased number of teaching hours in this discipline, both at the secondary and college levels.
The historian also had an administrative career as director of the Department of History at the University of Montreal. He was also vice-dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of the same university, as well as Director General of the Canada Research Chairs. From 1978 to 1981, he chaired the Institute of French American History.
He is also the co-director, with Paul-André Linteau, he had published, in 1971, Quebec’s backwardness and the economic inferiority of French Canadians, a book devoted to the economic dimension of French Canada.
Born in 1938, René Durocher obtained, in 1965, a degree in History from the University of Montreal. In 1968, he obtained a Graduate Diploma in History from the same institution. He made a career in the same institution from 1974, after teaching at York University in Toronto. He died on November 21, following a short illness.