Topics on pandemic, history of tattoos set for October’s Scholars’ Hub @ Home events

Do you enjoy hearing about the latest thought-provoking research? The Scholars’ Hub @ Home speaker series features discussions on a broad range of topics, with engaging lectures from some of York’s best minds.

The Scholars’ Hub events are done in partnership with Vaughan Public Libraries, Markham Public Library and Aurora Public Library, and are presented by York Alumni Engagement. Students, alumni and all members of the community are welcome to attend. All sessions take place at 12 p.m.

The series continues through October with four events.

Oct. 7 – Indigenous nationhood in the age of COVID-19: Reflection of the evolution of sovereignty in settler-colonial states
Sean Hillier
Sean Hillier

Presented by Sean Hillier, assistant professor, School of Health Policy & Management and special advisor to the dean on Indigenous Resurgence in the Faculty of Health, this event will highlight how Indigenous Nations and communities within settler-colonial states (Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States) have been asserting notions of nationhood and sovereignty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the Indigenous Nationhood framework created by Cornell (2015) and using public policy and broader public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hillier will explore how Indigenous nations/communities have demonstrated instances of imposition of boundaries, organizing as a political body, and acting as a nation on behalf of Indigenous goals. The results show specific trends in the process of Indigenous assertion of nationhood during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Register for this event: https://yorku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2rx4OXTvTDSDeTCeD_9pOg.

Oct. 14 – Tattoos and trauma: Why we commemorate
Deborah Davidson
Deborah Davidson

Presented by Deborah Davidson, associate professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of LA&PS, this event will provide an overview of her book The Tattoo Project, and ensuing presentation that will provide a brief history of tattooing, and situate it as an embodied form of commemoration. Using photos of tattoos and their accompanying narratives, Davidson will show how tattoos can help their bearers to reclaim and reframe trauma, demonstrating resilience, as the victim becomes victor.

Register for this event: https://yorku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ENMNxpK1Q5SjK30u2l_LGw.

Oct. 21 – Acute discrimination and the Asian-white mental health gap curing COVID-19
Cary Wu

Cary Wu, assistant professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of LA&PS, will examine how fear, stress, and depression are common experiences during public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to a spike in anti-Asian hate crimes, Asian-Americans might face a disproportionate mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzing data collected here in Canada and data from the data from the USC (University of Southern California) Center for Economic and Social Research’s Understanding Coronavirus in America tracking survey, Wu has found that acute discrimination indeed explains a large share of the COVID-19 related mental health gap between white Americans and Asian Americans.

Register for this event: https://yorku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qHs5xoS8Sd24ZqebppLtLA.

Oct. 28 – Youth dating during the pandemic
Sarah-Flicker
Sarah-Flicker

Sarah Flicker, professor, Environmental Arts & Justice Coordinator, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change and York Research Chair in Community Based Participatory Research, will offer strategies young people are using to connect, fall in love and stay safe as they navigate this new world of dating during a pandemic. By learning more about how teens are managing risk and danger today, they will be set up for success during less stressful periods tomorrow.

Register for this event: https://yorku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CYFqP2UZRoSkBPhLLcvROg.

For more information the series, visit https://www.yorku.ca/alumniandfriends/connect/events/scholars-hub/.