George Story Distinguished Lecture Series

The George Story Distinguished Lecture Series brings a highly regarded scholar to Memorial University every year for a guest lecture.

Dr. George Story was one of Newfoundland’s most distinguished scholars and teachers. To commemorate and honour his contribution to research and scholarship, Memorial University has endowed an annual George H. Story Distinguished Lecture Series.

Scholars invited to Memorial as George Story lecturers are academics who have notably enriched the humanities and social sciences through impactful contributions to their field(s) of study.

Nominations for the George Story Distinguished Lecture Series are open until Monday, April 6, 2026. Please submit your nominations to the Dean’s Office via email hss@mun.ca.

 

2026 Guest Lecturer:
Dr. Sascha O. Becker

October 1, 2026 | 7:00 PM | The Rooms

Please join guest lecturer, Dr. Sascha O. Becker, for a presentation entitled “Religion and Economic Development: Past, Present, and Future” as part of the George Story Distinguished Lecture Series.

What role does religion play in economic development, both historically and today?

Religion continues to shape societal norms and institutions, such as education and politics, even after its direct influence fades. In his lecture, Dr. Becker explores how religious institutions and norms have impacted economic outcomes, focusing on both persistence and decline. He also examines cultural transmission, institutional entrenchment, networks, and religious competition as mechanisms sustaining religion's influence. 

We explore the relationship between religion and secularization, showing that economic development does not always reduce religiosity. Lastly, the lecture highlights gaps in literature and suggests future research into the evolving role of religion in economic development.

Following the lecture, attendees are invited to a small reception.

This is a free program, but a ticket is required. Please reserve your free ticket online or by calling 709-757-8090. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Sascha O. Becker is a full-time professor in the Department of Economics at University of Warwick (UK,) part-time professor of Economics at Monash University (Australia), and the Xiaokai Yang Chair of Business and Economics at Monash. 

He recently finished three years as an editor of The Economic Journal and serves on editorial boards and as associate editor for various other journals. 

He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (UK), Fellow of the International Economic Association, Fellow of The Econometric Society, and first vice-president of the Society of Institutional and Organizational Economics. He is also a Research Fellow of IZA at Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research. 

Dr. Becker’s work on the Protestant Reformation and its relationship to literacy, human capital, and long-run economic development is among the most cited in historical economics globally.

In collaboration with The Rooms.

 

To nominate a lecturer

Faculty and students are welcome to nominate a guest lecturer, so long as they follow the guidelines below. Any costs associated with the Lectureship are covered by the George H. Story Endowment Fund. The Lecturer will be hosted by one or more departments. In person or virtual events are welcomed as deemed appropriate.

Nominations should include:

  • The nominee’s CV
  • An email from the nominee expressing a willingness to be nominated
  • A statement justifying the selection of the nominee. It will include a tentative title for the major lecture, a brief statement of its significance, and an indication of its appeal to members of the university and wider community (maximum 500 words)
  • A detailed budget, following the GS Budget Template (not exceeding $5,000)
  • Approval by the relevant department head(s)

Nominations should be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences by March 1, 2022. They should be submitted by email (hss@mun.ca).

Adjudication process
  • The Planning and Research Standing Committee of Faculty Council will adjudicate nominations.
  • The adjudication will consider the following factors:
    • The scope and depth of the nominee’s standing as an academic whose impactful contributions have enriched the humanities and social sciences. The assessment will draw on your nomination latter and the scholar's CV.
    • The significance of the planned public lecture and its appeal to members of the University and the wider community.
    • The extent to which the nominee will contribute to the academic mission of the Faculty.
    • The budget, to ensure it meets the Endowment Fund Terms of Reference.

Previous Lectures

Fall 2023
  • Dr. Barbara Barbosa Neves, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Anthropology at Monash University, Australia
Fall 2022
  • Dr. Kristina Fagan Bidwell, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Storytelling and Professor in the Department of English at the University of Saskatchewan.
Fall 2019
  • Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega, Assistant Professor in the Public Adminsintration Division of the Centre for Economic Teaching and Research (Centro de Investigacion y Docencia Economicas, CIDE) in Mexico.
Fall 2018
  • Dr. David A. Wilson, Professor of History and Celtic Studies at the University of Toronto. 
Winter 2016
  • Dr. James P. Carly, Professor of the History of the Book, University of Kent at Canterbury. 
Fall 2013
  • Dr. Joan Hall, University of Wisconsin, Madison and Chief Editor of the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE). 
Winter 2013
  • Dr. Stuart Elden, Durham University. 
Fall 2011
  • Dr. Rebecca Johnson, University of Victoria. 

Dr. George Story

Dr. George Story(1927-1994) was one of Newfoundland’s most distinguished scholars and teachers, whose scholarship ranged from Erasmus and Lancelot Andrewes, through Christmas mummering in Newfoundland, to the lexicography that resulted in the Dictionary of Newfoundland English. To commemorate and honour Dr. Story’s contribution to research and scholarship, Memorial University endowed an annual George H. Story Distinguished Lecture Series, which reflect the range and variety of Dr. Story’s intellectual interests.