In our increasingly polarized times, outspoken faculty at Canadian universities, such as those who speak publicly on sensitive topics or write for newspapers or magazines, are increasingly the targets of harassment. This is especially the case for those who speak out on issues of racism, or who are racialized.
Yet these voices are more important than ever, and their situation has worrying implications for the principles of academic freedom and the role of the public intellectual.
Are Canadian universities doing enough to support outspoken racialized faculty? Are current equity, diversity and inclusion ideals and policies sufficient to address such situations? What can universities do better to ensure racialized and other faculty can challenge dominant paradigms without risking their wellbeing?
WEBINAR
February 10, 2023, 3-5pm EST
Registration for zoom webinar: http://tiny.cc/LakeheadEDIwebinar
The Department of English at Lakehead University is pleased to welcome colleagues from near and far, university administrators and the general public to a webinar on these important topics. We will be joined by:
- Dr. Lily Cho, Associate Dean, Global & Community Engagement, York University
- Dr. El Jones, Political and Canadian Studies, Mount Saint Vincent University
- Dr. Ajay Parasram, International Development Studies & History, Dalhousie University
- Dr. Lana Ray, Indigenous Research Chair in Decolonial Futures, Lakehead University
The event will be facilitated by Dr. Sarah Olutola. The audience is invited to pose questions to the panel.
This event is possible thanks to the support of Lakehead University’s Office of Research Services and Office of Human Rights and Equity through funding provided by the NSERC EDI Institutional Capacity-Building Grant. The event is co-sponsored by the Association of Canadian College and University Teachers of English (ACCUTE).
STUDENT ESSAY AND WRITING PRIZE
What?
Prizes of $100 are available for students submitting critical or creative work in response to the February 10 webinar “Are Canadian Universities doing enough to support outspoken racialized faculty?”
Who?
Current Lakehead undergraduate or graduate students
In any discipline/major
At either campus
When?
A jury will begin to review submissions after March 6, 2023.
Decisions will be made and writers notified by March 20.
Prizes must be claimed by March 31.
The jury will be made up of faculty in the Department of English.
Where?
Submissions should be sent in PDF format to english@lakeheadu.ca with “EDI writing prize” in the subject line.
Please don’t forget to include your name, program and year and email address in your submission.
How?
Successful writing will respond, directly or indirectly, to the February 10 webinar (more information can be found here). Students who wish to submit writing must attend the webinar, or watch the recording.
Writing can be submitted in any format, critical or creative, including but not limited to: essays, personal reflections, poems, short fiction, and film, theatre or podcast scripts. The jury will only consider up to 1,500 words of prose works (critical and creative) or up to 100 lines of poetry. If you wish to submit a longer work, you must specify which section you wish the jury to consider.
Why?
The issues raised in the webinar “Are Canadian Universities doing enough to support outspoken racialized faculty?” affect all people who work and study at Lakehead University and especially writers. This prize aims to encourage students at all levels to reflect on the importance of being outspoken in the name of equity, diversity and inclusion.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to write to english@lakeheadu.ca
This prize is presented by Lakehead University’s Department of English and made possible thanks to the support of Lakehead University’s Office of Research Services and Office of Human Rights and Equity, through funding provided by the NSERC EDI Institutional Capacity-Building Grant.
