Eva Kushner (Fonds 44) | Special Collections | Collections | E.J. Pratt Library

Eva Kushner (1929–2023) was a noted scholar in the fields of Comparative and French Literature, as well as in Renaissance, Canadian and Quebec literature. Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1929, Eva Dubska lived in France, 1939–1945, then returned briefly to Czechoslovakia after World War II, before coming to Canada in 1946. In 1949 she married Donn Kushner, who would become a distinguished Professor of Microbiology at the University of Ottawa from 1965–1988 before coming to the University of Toronto. The Kushners had three sons, Daniel, Roland and Paul. Donn Kushner died in 2001.

She received her university education at McGill University: B.A. (Philosophy and Psychology, 1948), M.A. (Philosophy, 1950), and Ph.D. (French Literature, 1956). Her teaching career began in 1952, and in the 1950's she was a Lecturer at various institutions, including McGill, and University College London. In 1961 she began teaching at Carleton University, achieving the position of Full Professor (French and Comparative Literature) in 1969. She joined McGill in 1976 as Professor of French and Comparative Literature and as Director of the Department of French Language and Literature. Professor Kushner was named President of Victoria University in 1987; she served two terms there until 1994, continuing to teach, as well as acting as the Director of the Northrop Frye Centre, 1988–1994. Becoming Professor Emeritus of French Literature in 1994, she maintained an active teaching and writing career, as well as attending and delivering papers at a number of international conferences.

Throughout her career Professor Kushner contributed to the academic world in many capacities, including serving as Chair of the Royal Society of Canada Committee on Freedom of Scholarship and Science, 1993–1998, as a member of the Canada Council Advisory Academic Panel and Executive Committee, 1975–1981, and the Modern Language Association of America Executive Council, 1983–1988. She is the author of numerous scholarly publications and articles, in addition to her significant contributions to national and international conferences and symposia. Professor Kushner was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1997.

Eva Kushner died in Toronto in 2023.