Susan McGrath Archives | Research & Innovation

High-powered workshop and conference examine international refugee law

fmaquito — Mon, 31 May 2010 08:00:00 +0000

91��ɫ hosted two major international events in the field of refugee studies, one of its widely recognized areas of research excellence, during the week of May 17 to 20.

On May 17, the War Crimes and Refugee Status Research Workshop took place, followed by a welcome reception to launch the 91��ɫ 2010 International Conference on Forced Displacement, Protection Standards and the Supervision of the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol and Other International Instruments held over the next three days. Both international events featured distinguished senior jurists, legal scholars and academics, government officials, intergovernmental officials, non-governmental organization officials, advocates and students.

The idea for both the international research workshop and the conference grew out of discussions at the Research Workshop on Critical Issues in International Refugee Law, held at 91��ɫ’s Keele campus in May 2008. The War Crimes and Refugee Status Research Workshop was the result of a concerted effort to continue work begun at the 2008 research workshop with a wider international collaborative and compartative research project . The international conference came out of a proposal by Justice Tony North of the Federal Court of Australia, immediate past-president of the , for the establishment of an International Judicial Commission for Refugees.

Above: Conference participants from around the world gather for a group photo

The conference’s opening was delivered by Volker Turk, director of the Division of International Protection for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who outlined seven points for enhancing the monitoring and supervision of international protection standards for those forcibly displaced in the world today.

Among Turk’s seven points were two substantive proposals: the establishment of an expert advisory committee on the implementation of international instruments, and reconstituting a special committee of the Executive Committee that would focus specifically on international protection.

, professor in 91��ɫ’s School of Public Policy & Administration in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and a former Immigration & Refugee Board of Canada judge, is leading both initiatives, supported by , 91��ɫ’s associate vice-president research & innovation, and , director of the Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS) at 91��ɫ.

In addition to Turk, the international conference featured two other keynote speakers, Justice Nicholas Blake, president of the Asylum and Immigration Chamber, Upper Tribunal, UK, and Professor Sriprapha Petcharamesree of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and Centre for Human Rights Studies at Mahidol University in Thailand.

Panel presentations covered a variety of topics on current monitoring and supervisory practices and experiences of the UNHCR and states party to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, as well as possible ideas, proposals and reforms for enhancing the supervision of international protection standards in the context of forced displacement. The international conference also considered the effectiveness of legal instruments and remedies in the Global South and the Global North. The final day was devoted to presentations on International Protection and Public Accountability: The Role of Civil Society.

Above: Participants at the research workshop gather for a photo. Front row seated left to right: Professor Sharryn Aiken, Queen's University; Barbara Harrell-Bond, OBE, UK; Professor James Simeon, 91��ɫ; Professor Jane McAdam, University of New South Wales, Australia; Justice Anthony North, Federal Court of Australia; First row standing: Professor Ian Greene, 91��ɫ; Susan Davis, Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy; Professor Susan McGrath, 91��ɫ; Professor Elspeth Guild, Radboud University, The Netherlands; Kees Wouters, UNHCR, Geneva, Switzerland; Judge-President Bernard Ngoepe, South Africa; Justice President Ana Calzada, Costa Rica; Second row standing: Nico Mol, European Court of Human Rights, Strasbourg, France; Justice Professor Dr. Harald Dorig, Germany; Justice Dr. Bostjan Zalar, Slovenia; IRB Chair Brian Goodman; Joseph Rikhof, senior counsel, Justice Canada; Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill, University of Oxford; Dr. Alice Edwards, University of Oxford; Mary Teresa Glynn, Canada Border Services Agency; Geoffrey Care, Shetland Islands, Scotland.

The War Crimes and Refugee Status Research Workshop was divided into two panel presentations and roundtable discussions. The morning panel session on the war crimes and refugee status research project, funded by an International Opportunities Fund grant from the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada, included presentations from Professors Geoff Gilbert, School of Law, University of Essex, UK; Kate Jastram, Berkeley Law, University of California Berkeley; and Simeon.

The afternoon panel focused on the developing content on exclusion under Article 1F(a) of the 1951 Convention, which included presentations from Joseph Rikhof, senior legal counsel, Justice Canada; Justice Professor Harald Dorig, Federal Administrative Court, Germany, and Kees Wouters, senior refugee law adviser, Division of International Protection, UNHCR.

Canadian government officials in attendance at the research workshop or the international conference included: Chief Justice Allan Lutfy of the Federal Court of Canada and fellow Justices Luc Martineau and Russel Zinn; Brian Goodman, chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), Ken Sandhu, deputy chair of the IRB's Refugee Protection Division, Sylvia Cox-Duquette, senior general counsel, and other IRB officials; Kristen Mlacack, director of Citizenship and Immigration Canada; and officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Canada Border Services Agency.

Among 91��ɫ faculty members who participated in one or both events were: Nergis Canefe, associate director of the Centre for Refugee Studies, a political science professor in 91��ɫ’s School of Public Policy & Administration and adjunct faculty member in the Faculty of Law at Turkey’s Istanbul Bilgi University; Obiora Okafor, professor in 91��ɫ’s Osgoode Hall Law School; Michael Barutciski, professor and director of graduate studies in Glendon’s School of Public & International Affairs, and Professor Emeritus Howard Adelman, founding director of the CRS.

In addition to visitors from across Canada and the United States, the research workshop and international conference participants came from such countries as Australia, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Thailand and South Africa. European participants included representatives from France, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom.

Both the research workshop and international conference were chaired by Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill, senior research fellow, All Souls College, University of Oxford, England. A Canadian, Goodwin-Gill is one of the world’s leading authorities in international refugee law.

For further information on the research workshop and the international conference, visit their Web sites.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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91��ɫ Research Tower: Creating a new model for research collaboration

fmaquito — Thu, 20 May 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Researchers, faculty, administrators and staff working in the 91��ɫ Research Tower gathered on May 4 to celebrate the new building’s role in fostering social science and humanities research across 91��ɫ (all speaker videos are available in the Research Multimedia Centre).

Above: The 91��ɫ Research Tower, which opened in September 2009, features some 84,000 square feet of space and houses 12 research centres and two research project teams

“91��ɫ is a leading university in social sciences and humanities research, and nothing proves that more than a peer-review process,” said Mamdouh Shoukri, 91��ɫ's president & vice-chancellor, referencing the recent successes of 91��ɫ researchers in securing a Killam Prize, two out of four of the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada’s (SSHRC) Major Collaborative Research Initiative awards, and a SSHRC Community-University Research Award.

“But having excellent researchers puts another level of responsibility on the University, which is to make absolutely sure that we have the environment and the support they need to reach their potential,” he said. “This building represents 91��ɫ’s commitment to building a research culture for success.”

The 10-storey building, which recently received , opened in September 2009 and features approximately 84,000 square feet (net) with wireless Internet access. It currently houses 12 research centres and two research project teams, and also provides office space for the and (ABEL) group, which provide support services for researchers. The Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation, Office of Research Ethics and Office of Research Services occupy the fifth floor, along with extensive conference and meeting facilities (full occupant list).

“I think this is the best facility for social science and humanities research in the country, and our researchers deserve it,” said Stan Shapson (left), vice-president research & innovation. “In addition to many new technologies, it’s built on the Greek agora model of community that allows researchers to come together and collaborate, both with researchers across the University and with external groups. Some of the issues they’re studying can’t be solved in isolation. No one has all the knowledge or the strategy to do it all – we have to collaborate, which is also why we want the YRT to be a meeting place for the community to work with us.”

Chad Gaffield (left), , was also present for the event as part of a daylong visit to 91��ɫ’s Keele campus. “We use e-communications to deepen and enrich relationships that are, at least periodically, complemented by physical contact,” he said. “The genius of the YRT is its confirmation of the importance of creating face-to-face contact and then complementing those interactions through information communications technology. It’s a new model of engaged scholarship and research.”

Professor (below, right), director of the Centre for Refugee Studies on the research tower’s eighth floor, spoke about the importance of creating neighbourhoods for researchers. Since moving into the building, McGrath has formed new research connections with peers in the 91��ɫ Centre for Asian Research, the Centre for Research on Latin America & the Caribbean, and , all of which are her neighbours on the eighth floor.

“Having neighbourliness, good meeting space and research resources under one roof is great,” said McGrath. “I hosted colleagues from all around the world here for a three-day session in the bright and spacious Conference Centre. With help from ABEL, we streamed parts of our meeting online, allowing those who weren’t able to travel here opportunities to participate. The facilities are fostering our sense of research culture and allowing us to work more collaboratively than I think we would have without it.”

Graduate students have also benefited from new space on floors six, seven and eight that was designed for them as researchers. “When you walk around the building, you see graduate students everywhere,” said Susan Henders, director of the 91��ɫ Centre for Asian Research. “They’re working on projects, relaxing in the lounges and interacting with their peers. It’s quality space that brings them into the centres and fosters their work and professional development, complementing their graduate program training.”

Watch videos from the Research Tower opening, with remarks from President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri, Vice-President Research & Innovation Stan Shapson, SSHRC President Chad Gaffield, Professor Susan Henders and Professor Susan McGrath.

“One student told me that having study space made him feel valued as a researcher and professional in the making,” Henders continued. “I want to commend the University for its foresight in recognizing the critical role graduate students play in organized research units and research on the campus.”

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer. Photos courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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91��ɫ leads all Canadian universities in SSHRC’s largest awards

fmaquito — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

91��ɫ researchers awarded two of SSHRC’s largest grants to study long-term residential healthcare and global suburbanism

Two teams led by 91��ɫ University researchers have received $5 million in research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Their multinational research teams, involving multiple universities and community partners in a large-scale collaboration, have each received $2.5 million to examine long-term residential healthcare and global suburbanization.

The funding is part of ’s $10-million investment in critical issues of intellectual, social, economic and cultural significance through the (MCRI) program, the largest award competition SSHRC currently runs.

The program contributes to the deeper understanding of people and society while providing graduate students with research training opportunities. Royal Galipeau, MP for Ottawa–Orléans, made the announcement in Ottawa this morning on behalf of Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology.

Pat Armstrong, professor of sociology in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and an executive member of both the 91��ɫ Institute for Health Research and the Graduate Program in Health Policy & Equity, will lead a study to identify promising practices for understanding and organizing long-term residential healthcare.

Right: Pat Armstrong

Although many of Canada’s most vulnerable citizens live in long-term residential care, it is often characterized as a last resort rather than as a positive option where both providers and residents can thrive. Armstrong’s project seeks to learn from and with other countries to understand the approaches, structures, accountability practices, and ownership arrangements that create conditions prompting respectful and dignified treatment for both residents and caregivers.

Twenty-five researchers, eight partnering institutions, and 17 universities in six countries will work across disciplines to capture and share data and best practices. Armstrong is Chair in Health Services and Nursing Research, co-funded by the (CHSRF) and the (CIHR).

Roger Keil, professor in the Faculty of Environmental Studies, director of the City Institute at 91��ɫ, and director of the , is working with 44 researchers at 29 universities, and 16 partners in 12 countries to better understand the challenges suburbanization poses in a globalizing world.

Right: Roger Keil

Based on the experience of Canadian suburbanization, but ranging from North America’s wealthy gated communities to Europe’s high-rise-dominated suburbs, the exploding outskirts of Indian and Chinese cities to the slums and squatter settlements of Africa and Latin America, this project is the first to systematically take stock of worldwide suburban developments while analyzing their governance models, land use, infrastructure and suburban everyday life. The project also includes collaboration with the on documentaries about life in suburban high rises.

Of the four $2.5-million grants awarded, 91��ɫ was the only institution with two successful projects, building on its strong track record in leading large, interdisciplinary collaborative research projects. Prior to today’s announcement, 91��ɫ researchers held nine major SSHRC collaborative grants worth a total of $13.6 million in research funding.

“As the only institution to win multiple awards in this category, 91��ɫ’s researchers have clearly demonstrated their national and international excellence and leadership in large-scale, SSHRC research projects,” says Stan Shapson, vice-president research and innovation. “Leading major research initiatives allows us to address key social issues facing our society. As global populations expand and age, suburban research and new approaches to long-term residential healthcare are increasingly important to the well-being of Canadians and nations around the world. These projects provide unique opportunities for Pat, Roger, and their research collaborators to conduct groundbreaking research with significant impact on real-world issues.”

“These grants highlight the excellence of our country’s talented researchers and recognize the importance of fostering international collaboration to keep Canada at the forefront of research, development and innovation in the 21st century,” said Chad Gaffield, president of SSHRC.

91��ɫ's other major SSHRC-funded interdisciplinary collaborative research projects

“Assets Coming Together for Youth: Linking Research, Policy and Action for Positive Youth Development”, led by social work Professor Uzo Anucha in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) is developing a comprehensive youth strategy that will outline how marginalized urban communities like Toronto’s Jane-Finch neighbourhood can use their community assets to support positive youth development.
The , led by Professor Emeritus Wesley Cragg in the Schulich School of Business, is mobilizing the University’s business expertise by bringing University researchers together in dialogue with leaders and researchers in business, government and the volunteer sector.
The , led by Professor Stephen Gaetz in the Faculty of Education enhances the impact of research on homelessness and the housing crisis by increasing collaboration and discussion among researchers, policy-makers and community workers.
The , led by LA&PS social work Professor Susan McGrath, studies refugee and forced migration issues to find solutions to the plight of refugees worldwide.
“Monitoring the Human Rights of People with Disabilities in Canada”, led by health policy & management Professor Marcia Rioux in the Faculty of Health, monitors and records human rights violations to put together an accurate picture of the daily lives of Canadians with disabilities.
The Toronto Immigrant Employment Data Initiative, led by geography Professor Philip Kelly in LA&PS, assists community organizations whose mandate includes the better integration of immigrants into Toronto's labour force by providing these organizations with free access to statistical data and analysis on various aspects of immigrant labour market integration.
“Slavery, Memory, Citizenship”, led by Distinguished Research Professor Paul Lovejoy, includes a team of more than 50 Canadian and international scholars who are researching the global migrations of African peoples under conditions of slavery and how the resulting racism arising from the exploitation of African peoples has shaped modern societies.
“The University as a Civic Change Agent: Community-Based Knowledge Mobilization”, led by David Phipps, director of the Office of Research Services, is developing a community-focused input model for that seeks first to identify community knowledge needs and then focus university research expertise to help fill that need by creating a self-sustaining cycle of knowledge production and its uptake for policy, practice and community capacity building.
“Work in a Warming World”, led by social science Professor Carla Lipsig-Mummé in LA&PS, studies the challenge presents to Canadian employment and workplaces by examining seven Canadian employment sectors to seek policy, training, employment and workplace solutions to effectively assist Canada’s transition to a low-emission economy.

For complete competition results, visit .

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with photos courtesy of YFile – 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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