From coast to coast, hockey is played, watched, loved, and detested, but it means something different in Quebec. Although much of English Canada believes that hockey is a fanatically followed social unifier in the French-speaking province, in reality it has always been politicized, divided, and troubled by religion, class, gender, and language. In The Same but Different, writers from inside and outside Quebec assess the game’s history and culture in the province from the nineteenth century to the present. This volume surveys the past and present uses of hockey and how it has been represented in literature, drama, television, and autobiography. While the legendary Montreal Canadiens loom throughout the book’s chapters, the collection also discusses Quebecers’ favourite sport beyond the team’s shadow. Employing a broad range of approaches including study of gender, memory, and culture, the authors examine how hockey has become a lightning rod for discussions about Québécois identity. Hockey reveals much about Quebec and its relationship with the rest of Canada. The Same but Different brings new insights into the celebrated game as a site for community engagement, social conflict, and national expression.

Jason Blake is professor of English literature at the University of Ljubljana.

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Andrew C. Holman is a professor of history and the director of the Canadian Studies Program at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts.  

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“Hockey is so integral to Canadian culture and The Same but Different is an important reference on hockey in Quebec. The authors’ new and original readings of hockey from French and English points of view are original, interesting, and valuable.” Jean Harvey, University of Ottawa

"How does language and culture influence sport’s place and portrayal in a given society? In The Same But Different, the complex topic of hockey’s representation in Quebec is explored over 10 essays, written by Anglo- and French-Canadian authors … This is