Current Research

I am fortunate to be researching and collaborating on a variety of projects exploring gender in the economy, disinformation and its impact on ethnocultural communities, as well as the geopolitical security risk of disinformation. At the core of all of my research is a goal to contribute to important policy concerns. I also highly value interdisciplinary work and am keen to involve experts in different research areas to strengthen insights and outputs.

 

Digital Citizenship Contribution Program (DCCP)

With funding support from the Digital Citizenship Contribution Program (DCCP) from the Department of Canadian Heritage and a Targeted Engagement Grant from the MINDS initiative from the Department of Defence, Dr. Bessma Momani and Dr. Shelly Ghai Bajaj are leading several research projects on digital disinformation. Their projects explore the nature of disinformation circulating on encrypted private chat and direct messaging apps, the spread of transnational disinformation, the experiences and impacts of disinformation on ethnocultural diasporas in Canada, the implications of disinformation for national security and democracy, and emergent threats in our digital information landscape. Their work deploys diverse and innovative methodologies and an engaged research approach including a qualitative thematic analysis of an original database of digital disinformation content, focus groups, civil society and community organization partnerships and collaborations, and an original survey experiment conducted among key ethnocultural diasporas in Canada. They have a forthcoming edited collection Disinformation and Democracy in a Digital Age: A Canadian Perspective (University of Toronto Press), several op-ed and journal article manuscripts, and their research findings have contributed to the Research Council of the Foreign Interference Commission.

 

Phase
Focus
Key Activities
DCCP 1
What is circulating in closed and private spaces? (Oct 2021–Mar 2022)
Analyzed digital mis/disinformation spread in private encrypted chats and direct messaging apps among ethnocultural diaspora and newcomer communities through qualitative thematic analysis and focus group data over an 8-month period.
DCCP 2
How and why does it spread, and what are the implications? (2022–2023)
 
Conducted a survey experiment and focus groups with ethnocultural newcomer communities in Canada, examining the mechanisms of disinformation spread, how it is experienced, and its unique impacts on these communities.
 
DCCP 3
What can be done about it? (2024)
 
Aimed to share findings with policymakers, civil society, and diaspora communities using digital toolkits to mitigate disinformation’s harms and its effects on social cohesion and democracy.

 


women work and the economy logoWomen, Work, and the Economy

Under the umbrella of Women, Work, and the Economy, which is housed on its own website found here, I'm collaborating with Drs. Ana Ferrer, and Nada Basir on the impact of gender and immigration on the Canadian labour market, challenges facing women entrepreneurs, and digital transformation's impact on work that could disproportionally impact women. 

This includes a 5-year research project focused on bringing racialized women into the Canadian economy. This project seeks to provide policy advice to IRCC stakeholders that support racialized women to succeed in their communities.

This project is being funded in part through Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) Settlement Program Funding.