Wednesday, April 9, 2025

The Digital Feminist Network (DigFemNet) is a recently established initiative that brings together feminist and queer scholars from across Canada to confront some of the most pressing challenges in our digital world—online hate, digital inequity, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

Co-directed by Dr. Brianna Wiens (English Language & Literature) and Dr. Shana MacDonald (Communication Arts), DigFemNet brings together researchers from five partner institutions: Waterloo, McMaster University, the University of Ottawa, York University, and the University of Guelph. Together, we’re working to better understand how misogynist hate operates—both online and offline—and to build inventive, community-driven ways to resist it.

If you're passionate about feminist research, digital justice, and collective action, check out the full DigFemNet Summit 2025 program and join us. Register now.

Vote early: advance polls for federal election kick off this weekend

Advance voting dates and times:

• April 13: 12 noon to 6:00 p.m.;
• April 14 to 16: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Locations:

• Student Life Centre (SLC) Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) 
• University Club (UC)

What do you need to vote?

Why vote early?

• Avoid election day crowds
• Make voting fit your schedule
• Ensure your voice is counted, even if you’ll be busy on April 28

Notes as examinations begin

It's that time of year again: students are trudging to the Physical Activities Complex to write final exams beginning today. The examination period runs until Friday, April 25. Best of luck!

The Departments of Fine Arts and Germanic and Slavic Studies have collaborated to host a four-day series  dedicated to exploring Yugoslavia's legacy and future. The Yugofuturisms conference is organized as part of the recently established New Yugoslav Studies Association - Toronto Chapter.

Organizers include Dr. Bojana Videkanic (Fine Arts, Waterloo), Dr, Dragana Obradovic (Slavic Studies, University of Toronto) and Dr. Zdenko Mandusic (Slavic Studies, University of Toronto).

"Taking its name of Afrofuturism—a term Black diasporic scholars coined for the liberatory space they created through visual art, technoculture, and speculative fiction—the Yugofuturisms conference seeks to provide a space for creative collaborative engagements with the legacies of emancipation at the core of the Yugoslav project. It imagines Yugoslavia anew in a process that welcomes diasporic communities in the cultural and intellectual life of the region."

The conference will take place from April 10 to April 13 at the University of Waterloo at East Campus Hall Room 1205. "Those who cannot join us in-person will be able to follow most of the panels via Zoom," says a note from organizers. "Apart from eleven panels and roundtables, the conference will feature a film screening program, a live art performance, and a concert with local bands."

You can register for the conference on Eventbrite. Registrants will receive a Zoom link for each day of the conference. The event is free and open to public to academic and non-academic participants alike.

This event is supported by a SSHRC Connection Grant and co-sponsored by Departments of Fine Arts and Germanic and Slavic Studies. 

 If you have any questions regarding registration or require additional information about the conference, please contact Dr. Videkanic at bojana.videkanic@uwaterloo.ca.

Do you want to learn more about how the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (EDI-R) is making an impact on campus? Wondering how it connects with other equity-focused initiatives and when to reach out for support? If so, join Kim B., Interim Director, Equity and Anti-Racism, for an interactive lunchtime session on Monday, April 14 where she will break down the unique role of the Office of EDI-R, explore how it fits into the University’s broader ecosystem, and discuss when and how to reach out for support. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, gain clarity on available resources, and learn how you can connect with Office. 

Bring your lunch, bring your questions, and be part of the conversation. Register today!