News from the social sciences and humanities: Philosophy, knowledge economy and Indigenous education

Blog
August 2, 2012

Milena Stanoeva Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Inside Higher Ed writer Scott Jaschic wrote about the reasons behind a proposed boycott of philosophy conferences that don’t feature female speakers. While some academics in the philosophy community applaud the proposed boycott, others argue that it’s “unworkable or unfair.”

AUCC President Paul Davidson published an op-ed in this week’s Re$earch Money arguing that the skills humanities and social sciences disciplines develop in students are a crucial part of the knowledge economy. The article quotes CFHSS’s president, Graham Carr, on the skills fostered by the social sciences and humanities. "Whether students are immersed in the study of medieval courts or fascinated by the impact of urban renewal on homelessness ... fostering their ability to think critically, broadly and flexibly is integral to preparing them to meet workforce and societal needs,” says Carr. Read the whole article here.

Speaking of Graham Carr, Concordia University announced this week that it is appointing him to the position of Vice President of Research and Graduate Studies. Congratulations to Graham from everyone at CFHSS!

Macleans on Campus published a profile of Fiona Walton, a professor of education at the University of Prince Edward Island, who is the recipient of a 3M National Teaching Fellowship for her work in developing leadership in Indigenous Education, particularly through the Bachelor of Education Specialization in Indigenous Education that she spearheaded at UPEI and the Masters of Education Leadership program in Nunavut, which she helped create. 

Photo courtesy of liquidindian on Flickr.