On this first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (Sept. 30), we carry a book excerpt that speaks to the experience of ‘othering’ and how the writer is learning to cope in a milieu that feels alien and home at the same time.
View More Tongues: On Longing and Belonging Through Language — An Excerpt
Trunk Tales: Leaving home … finding home is an exhibit that recently opened in Toronto. Through a variety of heirlooms — trunks, clothes, photos and letters—stories of Ukrainians immigrating to Canada are told. My great-grandmother, Sophia…
View More Embracing Gratitude over Guilt
The story of Canada’s embrace of different languages, cultures and peoples is not a new one. Diversity in Canada is in many ways a cornerstone of our identity, and for generations, we have largely supported…
View More Why the Benefits of Diversity are not Theoretical
Vivek Shraya does not mince words. In even this page is white, her language is visceral, and even the form of her poetry helps to draw attention to the sensitive issue of racism. Most of…
View More Poet’s Raw, Direct Verses Confront Ideas of Race
Is there any topic touchier in Canada than Quebec’s identity politics? It might be easier to answer this question from the outside looking in, but for us Québécois, conclusions are a bit harder to come…
View More Hungarian Canadian Tackles Image of Racist Quebec
Identity determines how we value ourselves and how others perceive us. Its significance has increased with globalization, migration and technological advancements. Many people today consider themselves to have multiple identities, while others are happy with…
View More Pundits Weigh in on Islamic Identity in Canada
A panel discussion on the newly published collection of essays The Relevance of Islamic Identity in Canada: Culture, Politics, and Self, shows that there are multiple ways of being Muslim. The event was held on March…
View More Panel on Muslim Identity Dodges Critical Issues
It was inevitable the success of Trumpolitics would generate imitators. Stephen Harper dabbled with its tactics in the last federal election by pandering to the baser views of the so-called ‘angry white male’. It comes…
View More Former B.C. Premier Must Understand Identity Does Not Equal Skin Colour
With the federal election approaching, it seems a fitting time to gauge the pulse of the Canadian public to find out where it stands on issues of immigration and multiculturalism. It’s also an opportune time…
View More Research Watch 6: Complex Realities for Multiculturalism and Identity
An inclusive and equitable society can only be built through solidarity. This was the central message of Charles Taylor’s keynote at the Broadbent Institute’s 2015 Progress Summit in Ottawa this past weekend. The political philosopher…
View More Immigrants Facing Alienation Globally: Charles Taylor