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Carleton University

Nathan Cohen : the making of a critic

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The thesis aims to demonstrate that in his early work as a professional journalist and broadcaster the late Nathan Cohen was already making a unique contribution to Canadian journalism, not only as a theatrical critic, but as a social critic as well.Cohen, who is today primarily remembered as drama critic of the Toronto Star, in fact made his reputation as a critic long before he joined that paper.Beginning as a university newspaper editor, and during a subsequent career as a labor journalist, Communist Party writer, freelance contributor to Jewish newspapers and broadcaster for the CBC, Cohen developed and polished the critical standards and national viewpoint which were to continue for his entire career in the media.From the outset, Cohen insisted that the creation of indigenous works of art were essential to the development of a distinct Canadian cultural identity, that informed criticism itself was absolutely necessary to both Canadian artistic and political life, that critical audiences must be developed in Canada before the country could reach national maturity, and that higher standards of Canadian journalistic criticism than had prevailed were a necessity in assisting this national development.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Journalism (M.J.)
Level thesis:degree_level
Master's
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Journalism
Grantor dc:publisher
Carleton University
Year dc:date.issued
1976

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Edmonstone, Wayne E.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • Copyright © 1976 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, research, scholarship, and teaching. Theses may only be shared by linking to Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be used without proper attribution to the author. No part may be used for commercial purposes directly or indirectly via a for-profit platform; no adaptation or derivative works are permitted without consent from the copyright owner.
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:carleton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14718/27175

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Carleton University
Base URL
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Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
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related terms
citation

Edmonstone, Wayne E.. Nathan Cohen : the making of a critic. Master's thesis, Carleton University, 1976. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14718/27175