The McLaughlin Lunch Talk Series will continue through March with several events that explore many topics. All events run during lunchtime in 140 McLaughlin College, Senior Common Room. Here's a look at what's to come in the series:
March 12, 12 to 1:30 p.m. – "The Need for Disruption in Philanthropy"
The philanthropic landscape in Canada has changed drastically over the past 20 years, leading to changes in giving, organizational demographics, fundraising and the recent (but still rare) additions of public policy professionals to philanthropic foundations. This candid talk by Saeed Selvam, Laidlaw Foundation's manager of public policy, will explore whether these changes are for the better and answer questions as to whether this relatively new career path is viable and what reforms need to happen in order to enhance the current state of the third sector, from the perspective of a former community organizer turned government relations professional.
March 13, 12:30 p.m. – "Critical Thinking, Metacognition, and Effective Writing Strategies"
This talk is presented by Professor Robert A. Kenedy, associate professor, Department of Sociology. Kenedy will explore questions many students ask, including "What does my professor want? How can I make the writing process less painful? Where can I get help?" This series will give students some practical strategies for critical thinking and tackling academic writing at the university level. Students are encouraged to bring along assignment questions from their courses.
March 20, 12 to 1:30 p.m. – "Terrorism and Asylum"
Two pressing concerns that have dominated the international community, the news media, segments of the public and the governments of many western liberal democracies, for some time now, are terrorism and asylum. These two highly charged emotive terms often have been conflated and distorted for political purposes and to advance specific public policy ends. This talk by Professor James Simeon will review a recent online publication of the Refugee Law Initiative, School of Advance Study, University of London, mini-volume Working Paper Series that examines "Terrorism and Asylum" from a number of perspectives in an effort to unravel "the myths from the reality" to come to a clearer and better understanding of both terms and the most effective ways forward in their amelioration and address.
March 26, 12 to 1:30 p.m. – "Do International Systems Continue to Serve Us? A Case Study of International Refugee Law"
Does the international refugee system continue to serve us? Founded in 1951, the United Nations Refugee Convention was a promising document meant to protect the most vulnerable. With protracted refugee situations on the rise and many nations resisting the legitimacy of the international order, can we continue to rely on the current international refugee system to meet the protection needs of refugees? This talk by Warda Shazadi Meighen, immigration and refugee lawyer and professor at University of Toronto, will focus on the case study of Calais, France.
For further information on the McLaughlin Lunch Talk Series, contact Vicky Carnevale at ext. 33824 or vcarneva@yorku.ca.
These events are hosted by the Office of the College Head, McLaughlin College. Everyone is welcome, and light refreshments will be served.