In this newsletter, you will find...
Events:
- I am Rohingya: A Genocide in Four Acts
- Women's March Waterloo Region
- Against Complicity: Rethinking the Temporalities and Spatialities of Migration Scholarship for Our Times
- Consent Week: Wen-Do Women's Self Defence Workshop
- Expert panel: Turning back the Doomsday Clock
- The SDGs: A Political Economic Take
- MCC Ottawa Office Student Seminar
Jobs and Opportunities:
- International Peace-Building Institute
- Caux Scholars Program
- Experiential Learning Programs with Operation Groundswell
- Haida Gwaii Higher Education Society Summer Sessions
- Canadian School of Peacebuilding
- Christian Peacemaker Teams
Notes:
Disclaimer: Events and opportunities above are not all endorsed by the PACS department; this bulletin includes opportunities that we think PACS students may be interested in but are not sponsored by PACS. Please use your own discretion to determine if an opportunity is right for you.
Events
I am Rohingya: A Genocide in Four Acts
Date: January 17th
Time: 7:00-9:00pm
Location: Wilfred Laurier University, Bricker Academic Building
Cost: Free
I am Rohingya: A Genocide in Four Acts is a documentary that follows fourteen Rohingya youth in their efforts to use the stage to depict their families' torment as they escaped from Burma. The screening of this film will be followed by a question and answer session with director and Laurier Alumnus, Yusuf Zine, as well as with cast members of the film.
Women's March Waterloo Region
Date: January 19th
Time: 10am
Location: Waterloo Public Square, King Street South
Cost: Free
Join in on the 3rd Annual Women's March! The movement began in 2016 and stands to inspire, unite, and lead the charge for the advancement of women's rights. Women's rights are human rights, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, immigration status, sexual identity, gender expression, economic status, age, or disability, but these rights continue to be infringed upon and denied to women. Come protest this injustice in a peaceful, nonviolent way
Against Complicity: Rethinking the Temporalities and Spatialities of Migration Scholarship for Our Times
Date: January 22nd
Time: 9:30-11:30am
Location: Balsillie School of International Affairs, Room 1-43
Cost: Free
In our hypermobile world, the study of migration is an urgent matter. Among the happenings that propel migration scholarship, this presentation urges reflection on the ethical investments and spatio-temporal modalities of migration research. Dr. Koleth will discuss Australia's early twenty-first century shift to temporary migration in order to examine how migration scholarship can become complicit in reproducing the nation-state, drawing from feminist, postcolonial, and critical border studies approaches to create a space to rethink the temporalities and spatialities of migration research.
Wen-Do's Women's Self Defence Workshop
Date: January 22nd
Time: 4:00-6:00pm
Location: TBA
Cost: Free
Wen-Do focuses on women's safety and empowerment by preparing participants to defend themselves - both mentally and physically - and giving them the confidence to deal with the types of aggression they may encounter in real life. In this workshop, practical and easy techniques will be taught in a safe, supportive, and positive learning environment using feminist and anti-oppression analyses. Women identified and non-binary students, staff, and faculty of all abilities are welcome! The location and details of this workshop will be revealed once you register.
Expert Panel: Turning back the Doomsday Clock
Date: January 29th
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Kitchener Public Library, main branch theatre
Cost: Free
The Doomsday Clock warns the public about how close we are to destroying our world with the global threats of nuclear weapons, climate change, and disruptive technologies. It was created in 1947 in response to the prospect that the United States and the Soviet Union were headed for a nuclear arms race. In this panel, Doug Peers, Dean of Arts, and other Faculty of Arts scholars in political science, sociology, and English will discuss the threats we are facing and possible actions we can take to turn back the clock.
The SDGs: A Political Economic Take
Date: January 31st
Time: 12:00-1:30pm
Location: Balsillie School of International Affairs, Room 1-43
Cost: Free
The global Sustainable Development Goals exist to make sure that nobody is left behind - reaching the hardest to reach. This means the poorest of the poor, those without ID, the marginalized, etc. In this talk, Professor Wong will discuss some of the challenges and obstacles that manifest when trying to deliver health and innovation to those that are 'hard to reach.'
MCC Ottawa Office Student Seminar
Date: February 14th-16th
Location: MCC Ottawa Office
Cost: $100
The MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) Ottawa Office Student Seminar is open to Canadian university and college students! In this seminar, you will: learn about MCC and faith-based advocacy, learn about human rights and the root causes of global migration, dialogue with students from across Canada, and more. The registration deadline is January 18th.
Jobs and Opportunities
International Peace-Building Institute
Never Again Rwanda (NAR) is a peace-building and social justice organization that arose in response to the 1994 Genocide perpetrated against Tutsis. Their Peace-Building Institute is an important aspect of their program's efforts. NAR believes that emphasizing youth roles and contributions in socio-economic development will help establish sustainable peace worldwide. Each year, they bring together Rwandan, regional, and international university students and young professionals to learn about, study, and examine the reconstruction efforts in post-genocide Rwanda to shape the world towards sustainable peace. Applications for their 2-week summer program close May 10th, 2019.
Caux Scholars Program
The Caux Scholars Program (CSP) is a multi-discipline network of leaders, influencers, activists, expert scholars, and practitioners who share their critical knowledge and experiences in addressing conflicts. Each year, 20 community leaders from all sectors and backgrounds are selected for the program. They are seeking "committed students and young professionals who are willing to be challenged today in order to build peace tomorrow." This is a 30-day residential program that takes place as part of the Caux Forum in Switzerland each summer. Applications for the program close March 3rd, 2019.
Experiential Learning Programs with Operation Groundswell
Discover the world and connect with change makers as you dig into social justice issues and work with local activists, non-profits, and communities to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. Backpacking with a Purpose through Operations Groundswell runs exciting trips all over the world, and many of them are eligible for PACS 395 "Travel Course' credit. Financial assistance is available for all students on five- and six-week programs. The deadline to apply to their summer programs is March 1st, 2019.
Haida Gwaii Higher Education Society Summer Sessions
The Haida Gwaii Higher Education Society is a non-profit organization that aims to develop and deliver transformative education inspired by Haida Gwaii, BC. They are currently accepting applications for their upcoming summer 2019 programs: Haida Gwaii Summer Session in Social-Ecological Systems (May 6th-30th) and Haida Gwaii Summer Session in Plants, People, and Place (June 3rd-27th). These intensive, community-based programs are open to students everywhere and are accredited by the University of British Columbia. You can earn up to 12, 300-level credits that will be transferable to the University of Waterloo! Applications close January 25th, 2019.
Canadian School of Peacebuilding
Applications are now open for the 11th annual Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP), an institute of Canadian Mennonite University! It will be held June 10th-14th and June 17th-21st, 2019, in Winnipeg, Canada. Anyone who is interested in growing as a peacebuilder is welcome to apply- local and international, young and old, students, practitioners, and those brand-new to peacebuilding. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn across faith, cultural understandings, and rural and urban settings.
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) places teams of people at the invitation of local peacemaking communities that are confronting situations of conflict; they aim to support and amplify the voices of local peacemakers and human rights workers risking their lives to confront systems of violence and oppression. They have several programs around the world in which you can get involved, including locations such as Colombia, Iraqi Kurdistan, and Palestine. This is a great opportunity to work with people who all share the same world vision of freedom and nonviolence! These programs are also eligible for PACS 395 Travel Course credit.
Notes
Reminder that the deadline to add a class for the Winter 2019 term is January 20th. The deadline to drop a class with 100% tuition fee refund is January 25th. Make sure to add or drop classes through Quest before these dates!
PACS 301: Global Civil Society and Human Rights
Last chance! After January 20th, you will no longer be able to add PACS 301 to your Winter term schedule. PACS 301: Global Civil Society and Human Rights in a Complex World examines the ethical and practical challenges that civil society actors encounter when trying to advance and defend human rights. This course topic may not be offered again during your undergrad- don't miss out on this opportunity! Completion of this course will count toward your PACS major or minor.
Many students struggle with mental health issues that are worsened by the stress of school. We want to remind you about the resources available on campus to help you take care of yourself the best that you can. The following seminars are held available at a drop-in basis and will provide information about mental health, self-care, and useful strategies for coping with issues you may have during the school year.
Coping Skills Seminars
These coping skills seminars will teach you the basics of self-care, mindfulness, meditation, and useful strategies for coping with and anxiety and stress:
- Challenging Thinking
- Thriving with Emotions
- Empowering Habit Change
- Cultivating Resiliency
Alleviating Anxiety Seminar
This seminar is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness and is designed to help you better understand anxiety, its causes, and the factors that maintain it. You will be introduced to a number of strategies to alleviate anxiety in the moment, challenge your thoughts, and change anxiety-inducing behaviours.
Eating Disorder Support Group
This 1-hour support group is open to anyone struggling with disordered eating or issues with food. Students are welcome to drop-in at any session to speak in an informal and confidential space. Facilitated by a student volunteer and a Campus Wellness clinician, sessions will run every 2nd Tuesday and 4th Wednesday of each month.
Counselling Services and Health Services also offer group therapy for mental illnesses that typically consist of eight sessions over the term. In these sessions, you will meet with the same facilitator and group of people each week to learn management skills, coping methods, and tips about prevention and relapse.
The following are the groups being offered this term:
- Regulating Emotions: Learning Skills from Dialectical-Behavioural Therapy
- Graduate Student Stress Management Group
- Overcoming Anxiety: A Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy Group
- Dealing with Depression: A Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy Group
Note: Registration procedures and starting dates vary.