Jack Zipes

Dr. Jack Zipes, BA, MA, PhD
Honorary Doctor of Laws

Dr. Jack Zipes is a world-renowned scholar of fairy tale studies and children’s literature. He is a strong contributor to the intellectual life of many communities, including that of faculty and students at The University of Winnipeg.

As Professor Emeritus (University of Minnesota), Zipes is a multi-lingual scholar whose academic career spans more than 40 years and includes the publication of 69 books in English and German, in addition to numerous essays. His impact is far-reaching: he shifted the field of study of traditional texts directed to young people with his insight that folk and fairy tales must be read within the historical, economic, social, and cultural contexts of their production. His influence has been felt by many at UWinnipeg, where the study of children’s literature has been an institutional strength for decades.

Zipes visited UWinnipeg annually from 2011-2015, presenting well-attended public talks, holding teach-ins with students and colleagues, and tirelessly mentoring and supporting the academic journeys of others. Most recently, he gifted his unique and rich collection of 1,000 fairy tale films to The University of Winnipeg library, the largest database of fairy tale films in the world. This peerless collection of resource material cements UWinnipeg as the place to conduct research in this area.

By tenaciously championing the humanities and imagination as powerful forces in enabling social justice, Zipes is an inspiration internationally. The University of Winnipeg is proud to present Dr. Jack Zipes with an Honorary Doctor of Laws.