DR. CAMERON CROOKSTON
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
2021- Present. Lecturer, Department of English and Cultural Studies. The University of British Columbia Okanagan
EDUCATION
2019. Ph.D., The Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies, in collaboration with The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies Dissertation: Living Legends: Performing a Queer Past Through Drag
Committee: Stephen Johnson (Supervisor), VK Preston, Jacob Gallagher-Ross
2013. M.A., The Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies- The University of Toronto
2012. B.A., The Department of Theatre- York University
PUBLICATIONS
Monographs
Crookston, Cameron. Drag and Queer Cultural Memory: Nostalgia, Camp, and Kinship. Routledge, London. (Currently under contract, manuscript in development)
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Crookston, Cameron. 2018. “Off the Clock: Is Drag ‘Just a Job’?” Queer Studies in Media & Popular Culture. 3.1.
Cameron Crookston. 2021. “It Feels Like Yesterday: Drag, Nostalgia, and Queer Affective History in The Vaudevillians.” Journal of Homosexuality. 69.5.
Crookston, Cameron. 2021.“Can I Be Frank with You? Laverne Cox and the Historiographic Dramaturgy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies. 27. 2.
Crookston, Cameron. 2022.“What’s Live Got To Do With It? Digital Drag in the Time of COVID-19.” TDR: The Drama Review. 66.2.
Peer Reviewed Book Chapters
Crookston, Cameron. 2018.“Passing the Torch Song: Mothers, Daughters and Chosen Families in the Canadian Drag Community” in Q2Q: Queer Theatre and Performance in Canada. Edited by Peter Dickenson, C.E. Gatchalian, Kathleen Oliver, and Dalbir Singh. Playwrights Canada Press. 54-65.
Crookston, Cameron. 2021. “Introduction: Unpacking the Cultural Impact of RuPaul’s Drag Race” in The Cultural Impact of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Why Are We All Gagging? Edited by Cameron Crookston. Intellect. 1-10.
Edited Volumes and Journals
Crookston, Cameron ed. 2021. The Cultural Impact of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Why Are We All Gagging? Cameron Crookston, Editor. Intellect.
Crookston, Cameron and Peter Kuling eds. 2021. “Drag Performance in Canada.” Canadian Theatre Review 185.
Other Publications
Crookston, Cameron. 2023. Sworn Affidavit. The Cultural History of Drag. McCarthy Tétrault LLP. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Crookston, Cameron. 2022. “The History of 12 Alexander Street.” Buddies in Bad Times.<https://buddiesinbadtimes.com/about/history/the-history-of-12-alexander-street/>.
Crookston, Cameron and Peter Kuling eds. 2021. “Editorial.” Canadian Theatre Review. 185. 1-5.
Media Interviews and Consulting
2023. “Drag in the 1990s.” Historian’s Take. PBS. (In production)
2023. “Why Is Drag Story Time At The Centre Of A Political Firestorm Right Now?” Marcus Medford. ByBlacks.com
https://byblacks.com/news/item/3557-why-is-drag-story-time-at-the-centre-of-a-political-firestorm-right-now
2023. “«Drag Race»: derrière les paillettes, le phénomène.” Virginie Nussbaum.
Les Temps.
https://www.letemps.ch/culture/drag-race-derriere-les-paillettes-le-phenomene
2023. “THE BIG READ: ‘Drag Queen Storytime’ has sparked a new chapter of hate in Ontario.” Keegan Kozolanka and Taylor Pace. Guelphtoday.com.
https://www.guelphtoday.com/the-big-read/the-big-read-drag-queen-storytime-has-sparked-a-new-chapter-of-hate-in-ontario-6855779
2022. “Call Me By Your Name’: Is It Still An Important Cultural Touchstone Five Years Later?” David Oliver. USA Today.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/11/23/call-me-by-your-name-timothee-chalamet-armie-hammer-anniversary/8304151001/
2021. “The Cultural Impact of RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The New Books in Popular Culture Podcast. The New Books Network.
https://newbooksnetwork.com/the-cultural-impact-of-rupauls-drag-race
Peer Review Service
2022. Routledge, Gender Studies. Book Manuscript
2021. Canadian Theatre Review. Journal Article
2019. Queer Studies in Media & Popular Culture. Journal Article.
2018. The Journal of Homosexuality. Journal Article.
AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
2022. Merit Award- Department of English and Cultural Studies. The University of British Columbia Okanagan
2022. UBC Golden Apple Award (Teaching Practices that Promote Wellbeing)
2018. The University of Toronto Doctoral Completion Award
2015. David Rayside Graduate Students Award
2015. Jack Hallam UC’52 Graduate Scholarship in Sexual Diversity Studies
2014 . Ontario Graduate Scholarship
2012. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Joseph Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship
2012. Elizabeth Szathmary Theatre Scholarship
2012. Fitzhenry-Weatherhead Theatre Award
CONFERENCES
Roundtables Organized
2020. “Partitions of Gender: Historicizing cross-gender casting in 21st century theatre education.” Canadian Association for Theatre Research Online Conference.
2019. “Looking Back Queerly: Performing Buddies in Bad Times Theatre’s 40th Anniversary.” Canadian Association for Theatre Research Annual Conference at Congress. Vancouver, British Columbia.
2019. “The Changing Landscape of Drag Performance: A Roundtable Discussion.” Popular Culture Association National Conference. Washington, D.C.
Conference Papers Presented
2023. “King Me: Queering Cultural Memory in Drag King Decades.” Canadian Association for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Halifax, Nova Scotia. 2023
2022. “Drag Me to Class: The Pedagogy of Drag.” Popular Culture Association National Conference. Online. April 2022.
2019. “Scary Fairy: Halloween Festivals and Queer History.” Popular Culture Association National Conference. Washington, D.C.
2018. “Honey, I’m Home: Canadian Drag and National Identity.” Canadian Association for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Kingston, Ontario. May 2018
2018. “Kill the Beast: Angry Mobs in Queer Horror Movies.” Popular Culture Association National Conference. Indianapolis, Indiana. March 2018
2017. “Whose Story Lessons?: Overflowing Identity with Laverne Cox in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Performance Studies International. Hamburg, Germany. June 2017
2016. “Passing the Torch Song.” Q2Q: A Symposium on Queer Theatre and Performance in Canada. Vancouver, British Columbia. July 2016
2015. “Are Drag Queens People? Performing Queer Identity on Social Media.” Popular Culture Association National Conference. New Orleans, Louisiana. April 2015
2015. “Drag Queens and ‘Real Names.’” Festival of Original Theatre: Queering Performance. The University of Toronto. Toronto, Ontario. February 2015
2014. “Retro Activities: Drag Performance as Utopian History.” Popular Culture Association of Canada National Conference. Calgary, Alberta. May 2014
Roundtable and Working Session Participation
2017. “Untethering Queer: Thinking Beyond the Normative/Anti-Normative Binary in Queer Political, Personal, and Pedagogical Life.” Sexuality Studies Association at Congress- Toronto, Ontario. May 2017
2014. “Performing Public Lives: Exploring the Borders of History and Identity in New Canadian Work.” Canadian Association for Theatre Research Annual Conference at Congress. St. Catherine’s, Ontario. May 2014
Invited Public Talks
2022. “Hot Topics Lecture Series: Drag and Performing Queer Cultural Memory” David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. New Haven, Connecticut.
2022. “The Out and Proud Film Festival presents Outrageous!” The Kelowna Pride Society. Kelowna, British Columbia
2020. “Alumni Panel on Drag and Performing Gender.” York University. Toronto, Ontario
2018. “LGBTQ+ Alumni and Friends Film Night and Panel Discussion.” The University of Toronto. Toronto, Ontario.
2017. “Black Museum: The Final Girl.” The Rue Morgue: Cinemacabre- The Royal Cinema. Toronto, Ontario.
2017. “Queer Fear: Queer Coding in Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2.” Queer Fear and The Rue Morgue: Cinemacabre. The Royal Cinema. Toronto, Ontario.
TEACHING
Instructor
2024. Queer Theatre and Performance (CULT 490). The University British Columbia. (Forthcoming)
2023. Media and Popular Culture in a Global Context (CULT 100). The University of British Columbia
2022. Media and Popular Culture in a Global Context (CULT 100). The University of British Columbia
2022. Drag and Popular Culture (CULT 400/ENG 493). The University of British Columbia
2022. Studies in Diversity and Identity (ENG 525). The University of British Columbia.
2022. Drag and Popular Culture (CULT 400). The University of British Columbia
2022. Media and Popular Culture in a Global Context (CULT 100). The University of British Columbia
2021. Media and Popular Culture in a Global Context (CULT 100). The University of British Columbia
2021. Making Sense of Gender (36.162). Brandon University
2020. Engaging Our Communities (SDS 490). The University of Toronto
2018. Social Scientific Approaches & Queer Research Methods (SDS 256). The University of Toronto
2017. History and Sexualities (SDS 255). The University of Toronto
2017. Staging Gender (DRM387). The University of Toronto
2016. History and Sexuality (SDS 255). The University of Toronto
Guest Lectures
2022. Practices in the Profession and Teaching of Literary Studies and Related Disciplines (ENG 503), “Interactive Learning Practices,” The University of British Columbia
2021. Modern Critical Theory and Interdisciplinary Methods (CULT 470), “Writing for an Academic Presentation,” The University of British Columbia
2021. Practices in the Profession and Teaching of Literary Studies and Related Disciplines (ENG 503), “Interactive Learning Practices,” The University of British Columbia
2020. Canadian Theatre History (DRE222), “Queer Canadian Theatre,” The University of Toronto Mississauga
2019. History and Sexualities (SDS 255), “The History of Trans Visibility.” The University of Toronto
2019. Social Scientific Approaches & Queer Research Methods (SDS 256), “Documentary Theatre as Research Methodology.” The University of Toronto
2018. Thinking Gender (WMST1001), “Queer Identities and Policing Sexuality.” Trent University
2018. Performance and Popular Culture (DRE352F), “Drag and Popular Culture.” The University of Toronto Mississauga
2018. Modern Drama (DRA122), “A Streetcar Named Desire and The Golden Age of Broadway.” The University of Toronto Mississauga
2017. Senior Seminar in Performance and Popular Culture (DRE463), “Nostalgia, LGBTQ+ Culture, and Drag.” The University of Toronto Mississauga
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Positions
2020-2021. Pedagogical Innovation and Support Administrator. The Mark S. Bonham for Sexual Diversity Studies, The University of Toronto
2019-2020. Teaching Assistant Trainer, The Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation. The University of Toronto.
Workshops Designed
2023. “Feedback, Communicative, and Emotional Labour in Undergraduate Teaching.” The Department of English and Cultural Studies- The University of British Columbia
2021. “Interactive Learning Practices.” The Department of English and Cultural Studies- The University of British Columbia
2021. “Asynchronous Content for the Synchronous Classroom: Creating Your Own Podcast.” The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies- The University of Toronto
2020. “Online Teaching Review: Engaging Student Feedback.” The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies- The University of Toronto
2020. “Your Course Online: An Introduction to Digital Pedagogy Software.” The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies- The University of Toronto
2020. “Teaching Out Loud: A Primer on Lecturing and Oral Presentation Skills.” The Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation- The University of Toronto
2020. “Teaching and Assessing Oral Presentations.” Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation- The University of Toronto
2018. “What is a Tutorial and Why is a Tutorial?: Discussion Based Tutorials for Drama and Theatre Studies.” The Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies- The University of Toronto.
2018. “Faculty and Teaching Assistant Communication Workshop.” The Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies- The University of Toronto
2016. “Graduate Student Orientation and Leadership Workshop.” The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies- The University of Toronto
Workshops Facilitated
2020. “Teaching Dossier Review.” Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation- The University of Toronto
2019-2020. “Microteaching: Effective Lesson Planning and Delivery.” Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation- The University of Toronto
2019-2020. “First Contract Training: Humanities & Social Sciences.” “Teaching Dossier Review.” Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation- The University of Toronto
2019. “Supporting Student Writing and Research” Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation- The University of Toronto
2019. “Grading in the Humanities & Social Sciences.” Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation- The University of Toronto
COLLOQUIUA AND CONFERENCE ORGANIZING
2019-2021. Advisory Council- Q2Q-2: Refusing the Queer Monolith
2015-2019. Coordinator- Graduate Student Colloquium: The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies
2016- 2019. Co-Chair - Sex Salon Speaker Series- The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies
2016. Conference Assistant- Paper Trail: The Legacies of The Body Politic: University College
2014. Conference Manager- Festival of Original Theatre: Breaking the Boundaries of the Body
SERVICE
2022-Present. Merit and PSA Review Committee. The Department of English and Cultural Studies. The University of British Columbia Okanagan
2021-Present. Cultural Studies Programing Committee. The University of British Columbia Okanagan
2016-2021. Member. The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Diversity Studies Steering Committee-
2017-2018. Curriculum Review Committee. The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Diversity Studies
2014-2015. Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies Academic Committee
2013-2014. Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies Theatre Programming Committee
AFFILIATIONS
Canadian Association for Theatre Research
American Pop Culture Association
Association for Theatre in Higher Education
Performance Studies International