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    Canadian Political Science Association
    2020 Annual Conference Programme

    Confronting Political Divides
    Hosted at Western University
    Tuesday, June 2 to Thursday, June 4, 2020
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    Presidential Address:
    Barbara Arneil, CPSA President

    Origins:
    Colonies and Statistics

    Location:
    Tuesday, June 2, 2020 | 05:00pm to 06:00pm
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    KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
    Ayelet Shachar
    The Shifting Border:
    Legal Cartographies of Migration
    and Mobility

    Location:
    June 04, 2020 | 01:30 to 03:00 pm
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    Keynote Speaker: Marc Hetherington
    Why Modern Elections
    Feel Like a Matter of
    Life and Death

    Location:
    Wednesday, June 3, 2020 | 03:45pm to 05:15pm
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    Plenary Panel
    Indigenous Politics and
    the Problem of Canadian
    Political Science

    Location: Arts & Humanities Building - AHB 1R40
    Tuesday, June 2, 2020 | 10:30am to 12:00pm

Women, Gender, and Politics



N01 - Workshop: Chilly Climates Then and Now....

Date: Jun 2 | Time: 08:45am to 10:15am | Location:

Chair/Président/Présidente : Jessica Merolli (Sheridan College)

Lessons Learned? The Past and Futures of Inclusion in Canadian Political Science:

Jane Arscott (Athabasca University)
Joanna Everitt (University of New Brunswick, Saint John)
Malinda Smith (University of Alberta)
Chantal Maillé (Concordia University)
Laura Pin (University of Guelph)
Nicole Bernhardt (York University)

Abstract: The numerous reports issued over the last four decades on gender, identity, and inclusion in Canadian political science reveal a discipline that has been changing, but at too slow a pace and too small a scale. Racism, sexism, and failures to accommodate family responsibilities have been historically recognized as contributing to exclusion, but as time goes on, there has been an increased awareness of how discrimination on the basis of disability, Indigeneity, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, and other factors contribute to the shape of the discipline. Despite this awareness, as Abu-Laban et. al. (2012), have reported, exclusion persists in part because issues pertaining to “diversity” are too often put aside “for a different, more propitious moment when there are fewer immediately pressing issues, or for when there is more time and resources." Time marches on and the moment never comes. This roundtable brings together the authors of relevant reports on "diversity" and the status of women for the CPSA and those who have studied them. The discussion will focus on the evolution of the profession of political science in Canada, what we have learned from its study, what has changed as a result, and what it all means for the future of the discipline.


Chilly Climates in Teaching Gender, Race, and Diversity in Political Science: Ethel Tungohan (York University)
Abstract: The goal of this paper is to reflect on how contemporary political events – namely, the election of Donald Trump in 2016, anti-migrant policies, and the growing (re-)emergence of white supremacist and fascist ideologies – affect the way professors from marginalized communities discuss gender, race, and diversity in the classroom. Specifically, using an intersectional autoethnographic approach, I reflect on how teaching “Diversity Politics in Canada” before Trump’s election in 2016 and afterwards have led to significant pedagogical challenges. Whereas students appeared to take as given academic research highlighting the realities of gender and anti-black and indigenous violence in Canada and around the world prior to November 2016, there appears to be growing skepticism on the validity of such research from a few students after 2016, who challenge such research on the grounds that they are “fake.” I also consider whether and how professors’ intersectional identities affect student interactions in the classroom and whether and how professors can overcome ‘chilly climates’ to ensure the maintenance of a critical, reflective and rigorous learning environment when teaching ‘diversity’ issues in political science


Political Science: Disciplining Women in the US and Canada: Janni Aragon (University of Victoria)
Abstract: Political Science: Disciplining Women in the US and Canada This paper will explore some of the differences and similarities to women’s entry into Political Science in larger numbers. We are really in the third generation of the critical mass of women in Political Science. How has women’s presence changed our field? We clearly have more work cut out to diversify the field and women include women of different class backgrounds, races, ethnic groups, and sexual orientation. We have had many trailblazers in our field in both countries, but we find that women faculty hit their heads on the glass ceilings when it comes to our representation as Full Professor or as Administrators. We are over-represented as contingent faculty and sit longer as Associate Professors compared to our male colleagues. The numbers are worse for women of color and Indigenous faculty in both the US and Canada. While books such as The Equity Myth: Racialization and Indigeneity at Canadian Universities (Henry, et al, 2017) and the Toxic Ivory Tower: The Consequences of Work Stress on Underrepresented Minority Faculty (Zambrana, 2018) speak to problems with academic culture and the lack of deep-rooted action plans for equity, diversity, and inclusion, we are left with wondering what is next to support current women faculty in Political Science and our graduate and undergraduate students, so that we can thrive. We cannot merely survive. (229 words)


Preventing and Responding to Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence in Political Science Departments: Dianne Lalonde (Western University)
Abstract: At least some faculty, staff, and students in Political Science departments are likely to experience Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Sexual Violence (SV) but awareness and supports for this violence are lacking. This presentation will share information about how IPV and SV are likely to be prevalent in our departments from childhood experiences of maltreatment to current manifestations of sexual violence on campus and beyond. Particular attention will be paid to how violence disproportionately affects those who are already marginalized and how this compounds the difficulty of seeking and accessing supports. The purpose of this presentation is threefold: (1) share information about IPV and SV, (2) explore how it impacts our work on campus, and (3) offer supports and resources.




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