Jennifer Smith, March 22 2022 As evidenced by the recent Freedom Trucker Convoy protests, Canada is in a democratic malaise. Citizens can keep knocking or honking at the political door, but are their voices ever heard? Whether the topic of concern centers on foreign policy, climate change, social issues, or pandemic restrictions, Canadian citizens haveContinue reading “Proportionality is a Vote for Democracy in Canada”
Author Archives: mpac2021
“The Bullets of Social Media” Cultural Salon in Libya: Observations and Takeaways
To what extent social media reflects violence and hate behaviors of the real daily life of a community? How can civil society diagnose these behaviors through monitoring social media trends, posts, and comments? And how can they address them virtually and on the ground? Since I created my first social media account in 2010, I realized that I am learning more and more aboutContinue reading ““The Bullets of Social Media” Cultural Salon in Libya: Observations and Takeaways “
Building Boundaries for Peace work and Internships: Crafting a Bill of Rights
By Gabrielle “Gaby” McInnes Courage will always be the passport when our old world disappears. I remind myself of this every time that I transition between types of learning. While education starts in the classroom, it only becomes ‘learning’ when we start to understand how and why it is relevant to the non-academic world. AsContinue reading “Building Boundaries for Peace work and Internships: Crafting a Bill of Rights”
Indivisible Justice
By Rose Ongech Indivisible Justice This blog post is based on a case study that I wrote for the PACS 611 (Reconciliation) course. It was also informed by the experiences I have encountered through my 5 years of engagement with the Pokot communities along the Kenya- Uganda borders in East Africa. The paper was influencedContinue reading “Indivisible Justice”
Neither Angels Nor Demons: Confronting the Dichotomy
By I.S. Hero. Villain. Friend. Enemy. Oppressed. Oppressor. As I reflect on my MPACS experience thus far, one of the main themes I keep coming back to is the ease with which human beings of all ages, communities, and walks of life are quick to succumb to binary thinking. The ways in which we communicateContinue reading “Neither Angels Nor Demons: Confronting the Dichotomy”
Lessons from an (Unqualified) Conference Presenter
by Gabrielle McInnis I am stating the obvious when I say that none of us are living the MPACS life the way we thought we would. COVID-19 has affected the way we network, collaborate, and engage with like and different minded peers. What has remained constant however, is the drive to share and exchange ideasContinue reading “Lessons from an (Unqualified) Conference Presenter”
Gwendolyn Brooks
By Jesse Matas Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) is one of my favourite poets. While studying themes of conflict transformation in the MPACS program at the University of Waterloo, I have been thinking a lot about poetry and its transformative abilities. I have been thinking about how, for me, events, places, and stories take on new meaningContinue reading “Gwendolyn Brooks”
The Indian Farmers’ Protest
by Erica Carmountillustrations by Jesse Matas “Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong” -Mahatma Gandhi. After the Indian government announced three major agricultural reforms, small protests began in August 2020 in the states of Punjab and Haryana. In November, tens of thousands of Indian farmers made their way to the country’s capital where they wereContinue reading “The Indian Farmers’ Protest”
Every Day is Black History Month
By Ndagire Brendah Every day is Black History Month where I come from. That, however, changes when you are an African living in the North American diaspora where February was set aside as a month to celebrate the stories and experiences of Black people and their contribution to the North American story and identity. AsContinue reading “Every Day is Black History Month”
You said Speak
by Rebecca Chinamasa You said speak. I will. I am a visitor in your home. I come with many things, some good, some bad some painful, some joyous, some scarring, but combined they make me who I am. In your home, I look different, I act different, I sound different or as some would say,Continue reading “You said Speak”
Peace is Everybody's Business 