Antagonism and Intimidation in Academia Speaker Series 2.0
From October 2023 – March 2024, the University hosted a series of sponsored panels with members of the University of Waterloo academic community on the broad subject of antagonistic and intimidating responses to academic research and pedagogy. These sessions culminated in an international conference entitled, “From Targeting in Academia to Promoting Trust and Understanding” (June 2024).
The speaker series returns in 2025 with panel and seminar sessions that focus on antagonisms as well as challenging and reflective approaches that shape academic inquiry and pedagogy, including freedom of expression, inclusive engagement, and provocative, interdisciplinary team research.
More about the speaker series
The speaker series, ‘Antagonism and Intimidation in Academia,’ is supported by the Faculty of Arts, Office of Research, and Provost Office. Professor Suzan Ilcan, Special Advisor on Interdisciplinary Research, leads the series.
Upcoming Events
We apologize but this event has been postponed. Details will be shared when it has been rescheduled. Thank you for your interest in our panel series.
Event Details
Date: Monday, September 22
Time: 3:00 - 4:25 p.m., reception to follow 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Location:
University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue
MBET Classroom – E7 2324/2328
Details: In-person event
Audience: Students, staff, faculty, alumni and retirees of Waterloo are welcome
Moderator: Shana MacDonald, Associate Professor, Communication Arts, University of Waterloo
Exploring the tensions between censorship and free speech (in-person only)
This panel focuses on issues relating to free speech, hate speech laws, and freedom of expression in and beyond university environments. It brings significant attention to the wealth and poverty of free speech, to university conduct under the rubric of expanding freedom of expression, and to matters concerning the banning of symbols, emblems, flags, uniforms, and insignia under hate speech laws.
The panel includes:
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Honor Brabazon (Associate Professor, Legal Studies, St. Jerome's University in the University of Waterloo)
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Allyson Lunny (Associate Professor, Law & Society, York University)
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Alexie Tchenyap (Professor, French; Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Waterloo)
Panel Participants
Dr. Honor Brabazon
Dr. Honor Brabazon is an Associate Professor of Legal Studies at St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo. Her research explores the role of law in neoliberal thought and policy, particularly in relation to reconfigurations of public debate and dissent. She is the editor of Neoliberal Legality: Understanding the Role of Law in the Neoliberal Project (Routledge).
Dr. Allyson Lunny
Dr. Allyson Lunny is an Associate Professor of Law & Society at the Department of Social Science, York University. Her works focuses on hate crime/ hate speech, law and sexuality, and Canadian criminal justice. She is the author of Debating Hate Crime: Language, Legislature, and the Law in Canada (University of British Columbia Press).
Dr. Alexie Tcheuyap
Dr. Alexie Tcheuyap is a Professor of French and Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on media studies, Francophone African literatures, and Francophone African cinemas. He served as Senior Fellow of the European Institutes for Advanced Study and is an elected member of the Royal Society of Canada. He is the author of African Documentary Cinema (Routledge).
Dr. Shana MacDonald (Moderator)
Dr. Shana MacDonald (Moderator) is O’Donovan Chair in Communication Across the Curriculum and Associate Professor in Communication Arts at the University of Waterloo. Her interdisciplinary research studies feminist, queer, and anti-racist social and digital media, and the rise of online hate and disinformation. She is the author of The Art of Memes in Feminist Digital Culture (Ohio State University Press).