So if people with a keen interest in politics are tuning out, do the politically apathetic even stand a chance? “I think it depends on whether people can find meaning in the elections,” said York University political science Professor Dennis Pilon in News1130 Nov. 12. “It becomes a problem when they are constantly bombarded but they don’t see the buy-in for themselves – why does this matter, why should they care? When people can figure out how the politics affects them, then people seem to have a lot of energy.” Read full story.
Muslim defense
What is it like to be a Muslim in Canada right now? A lot of attention has been focused on that community in the wake of last month’s attacks against Canadian soldiers. On Nov. 12, Matt Galloway of CBC’s “Metro Morning” spoke with Jari Qudrat, the head of York University’s Ahmadiya Muslim Students’ Association, who put on an event on the evening of Nov. 13 as part of the Stop the CrISIS campaign. Listen to full interview.
Sending a rover called Beaver to Mars? It’s a Canadian thing
Instead of relying on the Canadian Space Agency, private company Thoth Technology has started an Indiegogo campaign to get a lander and rover on Mars, reported Global News Nov. 6. “What we thought is, commercially, we could innovate the tools to do things like planetary exploration, and we can do that in a commercial setting and massively reduce the cost of access to that,” said Ben Quine, a professor of space engineering at York University and Thoth’s chief technolgoy officer. Read full story.
MBA rankings: The best European business schools – Bloomberg
Canadian business schools have gained much ground in Bloomberg Businessweek’s biennial ranking of the best MBA programs, reported BusinessBecause.com Nov. 11. In addition to Ivey, Queen’s School of Business, Rotman School of Management and Schulich School of Business, all based in Ontario, as well as McGill University in Québec, are ranked in the top-25. Read full story.
Toronto filmmaker’s documentary tackles Canadian anti-terrorism security certificates
It started as a short film, a final assignment for York University film school student Amar Wala. A professor suggested the subject: the experience of Ahmed Jaballah who, as a 12-year-old boy, acted as an interpreter and then saw his father, Mahmoud, taken away by agents of the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency (CSIS). The Secret Trial 5 became a five-year project about five Muslim men suspected of terrorist links and the ordeal they and their families have endured for more than a decade as a result of the federal government’s security certificate program, reported the Toronto Star Nov. 7. Read full story.
Is Toronto Burning? captures key moment in city’s art scene
When it comes to the fragmented history of the Toronto art scene, more than a little reminding is often in order. That’s something Philip Monk, the director of the Art Gallery of York University, has done more consistently and willingly than any other, reported the Toronto Star Nov. 13. Read full story.
Muslim group hopes to stop homegrown terrorism through national campaign
Leaders in the Muslim community gathered in Vaughan on Wednesday to announce a nationwide campaign called Stop the CrISIS, aimed at stopping any vulnerable youths from becoming radicalized, reported 680 News Nov. 12…. Over 36 events have already been scheduled at cities across Canada. The first event of the nationwide campaign will be held at York University on Thursday. Organizers say over a thousand students have already registered to attend. Read full story.
Canadian Stage’s 2015-16 season to feature Guillermo Calderon’s The Kiss, Hedda Gabler & more
The 2015-16 season opens and closes with two productions marked by the company’s partnership with York University and their MFA program in stage direction in collaboration with Canadian Stage, reported BroadwayWorld.com Nov. 12. Read full story.
Lights, camera, action: Looming talent crisis opens MBA careers in movie business
There are signs that educators are adapting their media content for the digital age, reported BusinessBecause.com Nov. 12. Specialist MBA programs are teaching the use of big data and analytics, say program directors, which film and TV companies use to examine media consumption trends and to develop new digital strategies. “Excellent business acumen will be required to navigate this terrain, and an MBA with knowledge of the industry will indeed be a valuable asset,” said Rob Bolton, a manager at Warner Music who teaches the media management MBA at York University’s Schulich School of Business in Canada. Read full story.
Turning students into socially conscious entrepreneurs
As I’ve pointed out before, entrepreneurship is all the rage at Canada’s universities, reported University Affairs Nov. 11. Barely a week goes by without a new announcement. This week, for example, York University announced the start of its LaunchYU campus-wide entrepreneurship program. Read full story.
Remembering the First World War: The Great War in cinema
Much of our Remembrance Day coverage this year has focused on how our perception of war, particularly the First World War, has been influenced by artists. On Nov. 11, York University’s Seth Feldman joined Piya Chattopadhyay from “The Agenda with Steve Paikin” to explore how the big screen has shaped our understanding of WWI. Watch full interview.
Transition Q&A: Melissa Dalgleish
“I realized about midway through my PhD that I really wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a professor, and that my chances of becoming one weren’t great even if I did,” said Melissa Dalgleish, the research officer in the Faculty of Graduate Studies and a PhD candidate in English at York University, in University Affairs Nov. 11. “My academic employment options were majorly limited by the fact that I wanted to stay in Toronto and I’m in a field that typically has about two jobs per year. I also came to realize that there are many elements of the professorial life that just don’t suit me.” Read full story.