Balsillie School of International Affairs

Surveillance Capitalism: A Conversation with Shoshana Zuboff and Jim Balsillie
2024-02-22 16:00 - 17:30 (America/Toronto) | Hybrid – CIGI Auditorium and Zoom, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
Register for this event here.

Join us for an urgent discussion on “surveillance capitalism”, its threat to our information civilization, and how its trajectory undermines democratic norms and the centuries-long evolution of market capitalism.
The Balsillie School of International Affairs and the Centre for International Governance Innovation cordially invite you to a discussion on surveillance capitalism, featuring Professor Shoshana Zuboff (Professor Emerita, Harvard University and author) and Mr. Jim Balsillie (Canadian business leader and philanthropist). The discussion will offer perspectives on the concept of surveillance capitalism and its implications for an information civilization. The conversation will also raise issues concerning governance and public policy challenges in a marketplace of intangibles, where power is based on who controls and owns data and intellectual property. Offering both research and practitioner perspectives, Professor Zuboff and Mr. Balsillie will highlight ways in which surveillance capitalism challenges democratic norms and departs in key ways from the centuries-long evolution of market capitalism.
Moderated by Professor Ann Fitz-Gerald (Director, BSIA) and Dr. Paul Samson (President, CIGI).
A reception will follow this event (5:30-6:30pm) in the CIGI Campus foyer.
Register for this event here.

Navigating Data “Silence(r)s”: Researching Migration in the Caribbean
2024-02-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
MiFOOD Webinar No. 15
Attributed in part to an absence of systematic data collection infrastructures, and to the region’s very geography, it has been an enduring empirical struggle to engage in comprehensive analyses of migratory movements across the Caribbean region. In this paper, we adopt a comparative case study approach to reflect on challenges encountered while collecting data on Venezuelan migration in the Southern Caribbean. These included limited access to potential interviewees and other research participants for projects undertaken in Aruba, Curaçao and Trinidad and Tobago. With hardened borders, Venezuelan migrants have increasingly engaged in irregular movement via boat journeys to Caribbean islands. To further complicate this matter, these migration flows are occurring in highly politicized environments, as small island developing states seek to respond to these in-flows. Thus, compounded by the clandestine nature of these migrant journeys, and Caribbean governments reticence to publicly comment on the issue to ‘outsiders’, researchers are faced with multiple data silences and silencers during data collection. Acknowledging that these silences are fraught and powerful, we are, however, able to harness and reappropriate them, through for example, reading these silences within the larger socio-political contexts, and allowing these silences to direct us to supplementary data sources. We therefore interrogate the concept of silence in qualitative research, which has typically been applied to the interview process. We argue that data silencers can be used as productive methodological instruments toward understanding unfolding migration phenomenon. While our scholarship is grounded in Migration Studies, our research will appeal to demographers, anthropologists, and sociologists. In addition, our case study is applicable to the wider discourse on data collection on sensitive topics, and specific issues, such as interviewing, gatekeeping and insider status.
Speakers:

Natalie Dietrich Jones, University of the West Indies
Shiva S. Mohan, Toronto Metropolitan University

Natalie Dietrich Jones is Research Fellow at the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) at the University of the West Indies Mona campus. Her interests include geographies of the border, governance of migration, and intra-regional migration in the Caribbean. Natalie is Chair of the Migration and Development Cluster, an interdisciplinary group of researchers exploring contemporary issues concerning migration in the Caribbean and its diaspora. Natalie holds an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in Development Policy and Management from the University of Manchester. She is currently undertaking a multi-sited project on the response to Venezuelan migration in small island developing states in the Southern Caribbean. She is also Principal Investigator for the Jamaica (Kingston) component of South-South Migration and Migrant Food Insecurity: Interactions, Impacts and Remedies (MiFood Project), a multi-city research initiative which is led by the Wilfrid Laurier University.
Shiva S. Mohan is a human geographer with research interests situated at the interface of migration and mobility studies, island studies and political geography. His work seeks to underscore the ambivalences, contradictions and precarities within migrants’ lived experiences, in addition to those faced by territories vis à vis transnational migrations. Shiva is currently a Research Fellow at the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Migration and Integration program at Toronto Metropolitan University, where he leads two research projects: as part of a Horizon Europe consortium, the “Measuring irregular migration and related policies in the Canadian context” project (MIrreM Canada), and a Soli*City project investigating intergovernmentalism and “firewalls.” Shiva is a member of the Migration and Development Research Cluster at the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES), The University of the West Indies. He is also an associated researcher and trustee with Swiss-based research NGO, Environmental Mobility Research Unit (EMRU).
MiFOOD is hosting a series of webinars on various topics about migration and food security that highlight the progress of the project. These webinars include conceptual discussion, empirical findings and policy analysis. Through these webinars, we intend to build a community with various stakeholders for knowledge sharing, deepen the understanding of the complex intersections between migration and food security, and facilitate the discussion of effective policy interventions. Follow the MiFOOD Twitter (Moving on Empty), Like the MiFOOD Facebook page to be notified about upcoming webinars.

International Political Economy, Climate Change and the Ecological Crisis of Capitalism
2024-02-29 12:00 - 13:30 | Hybrid – Zoom and room 143, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
This hybrid panel, co-organized by WatPEG/Global Political Economy Research Cluster and the Department of Politics and International Studies (PAIS) at the University of Warwick, takes stock and discusses recent developments in field of political economy and climate change.
Speakers
Ben Clift (Warwick): Business-as-usual despite fast-approaching environmental tipping points? The IMF’s curious approach to tackling the climate crisis.
James Chamberlain (Warwick) and Nick Bernards (Warwick): Insurance and the contradictions of the climate-development-finance nexus: The case of the African Risk Capacity
Derek Hall (Laurier): ‘Whats’ and ‘Hows’ in Proposals for Radical Climate Action.
Comments by Madison Lee (Balsillie School of International Affairs, University of Waterloo).

Intersectional Feminism and Migration in the Cinema of Aotearoa New Zealand
2024-03-05 18:30 - 21:00 | Room 1-42, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
This event will spotlight the dynamic link between intersectional feminism and women’s cinema in Aotearoa, which illustrates a startling variety of perspectives on the challenges women face on and off-screen, as well as a refreshing willingness to confront head-on the differences among women in the diverse island nation of roughly 5 million people (of whom 27.4% are not New Zealand born)[1]. Kāinga (2022) is the latest anthology film from producers Kerry Warkia and Kiel McNaughton, the pair behind the rules-based and women-authored collaborative features, Waru (2017) and Vai (2019). Waru is comprised of eight 10-minute long takes written, directed by, and starring Māori women, while Vai’s eight 10-minute long takes are directed by Pasifika women and set across the Pacific. Kāinga completes Warkia and McNaughton’s trilogy of women-of-colour centred anthologies, yet departs from the first two by electing not to focus on Indigenous but on migrant women, with Asian New Zealanders helming the feature film.
After screening Kāinga, Missy Molloy (Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington) and Selmin Kara (OCAD University) will lead a discussion of the intersectional feminism that grounds the film, with special attention paid to its unifying element: a house in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, through which a parade of Asian immigrant families transit over a 50-year span. In a bold move, the film’s title applies a Māori concept of home, “kāinga,” to recent Asian immigrants only temporarily occupying the house in Auckland, which can be interpreted as an acknowledgement of shared struggles among women of colour whose experiences of home and belonging have been shaped by colonial histories that continue to reverberate in contemporary patterns of global migration. Molloy is a senior lecturer in film in Aotearoa, where she coordinated an event celebrating Waru and Vai with Warkia and McNaughton in 2019, and Kara is a Toronto-based film scholar who specialises in environmental, alternative and Indigenous cinemas. To the “migration storytelling” series, Kāinga contributes sophisticated cinematic storytelling that showcases the impressive range of colonial, racial, class and gender contexts present in contemporary Aotearoa, wherein a growing number of women filmmakers are confronting “the dominant, white, mono-cultural perspective on life” (Merata Mita) long upheld by mainstream cinemas.
About the speakers
Selmin Kara is an Associate Professor of Film and New Media Studies at OCAD University in Toronto. Her primary research interests are digital aesthetics and ecological sensibilities in cinema as well as the use of sound and new technologies in contemporary documentary. She is the co-editor of Contemporary Documentary, Cybermedia: Explorations in Science, Sound, and Vision, and the Visible Evidence Forum. Her work has also appeared in Post-Cinema: Theorizing 21st Century Film, The Oxford Handbook of Sound and Image in Digital Media, Screen, Sequence, Resilience, Music and Sound in Nonfiction Film, The Philosophy of Documentary, and Studies in Documentary Film.
Missy Molloy is Senior Lecturer in film at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington in Aotearoa New Zealand, where she lectures on women’s, queer, posthuman and activist cinemas. She is co-author of Screening the Posthuman (Oxford University Press 2023) and co-editor of ReFocus: The Films of Susanne Bier (Edinburgh University Press 2018). Her publications include “Indigenous Futurist and Women-Centred Dystopian Film” (Feminist Posthumanism and Postfeminist Humanism 2023), the video essay “Art Cinema’s Suicidal Posthuman Women” ([in]Transition: Journal of Videographic Film & Moving Image Studies 2024), and “Indigenous Feminism Revitalizing the Long Take: Waru and The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open” (Jump Cut 2021).

Unravelling a Displaced Future: Syrians Between Emergency and Protracted Crisis in Lebanon
2024-03-07 16:30 - 18:00 | Hybrid – room 143 and Zoom, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
In 2015, Lebanon ended the informal asylum period characterizing the first years of the ‘Syrian refugee crisis.’ Previously, the Lebanese state treated the displacement of Syrians as a humanitarian emergency. Slowly and inevitably, however, the crisis became protracted, pushing the Lebanese state to reject the ‘Syrian presence’, a dictum encapsulated by the visa regime issued in January 2015. For Syrians, these phases, and the Lebanese state’s radical turns, made up a present of uncertainties that constantly redefined how they inhabited displacement.
The fragility of the present also produced different modes of imagining and acting upon the future, even if this future was on hold–especially until 2014–as Syrians could only wait out the crisis. The new regulations unveiled that such waiting was in vain. A future beyond the crisis–of war in Syria and displacement in Lebanon–was out of reach for many who felt compelled to undertake the perilous journey to reach Europe bi-tariq al-bahr (by sea, i.e., by crossing informal borders).
Drawing on my ethnographic fieldwork in Lebanon, this talk captures the unravelling of the future as a project-in-the-making for a liveable life throughout the different tempos characterising the transition from emergency to protracted crisis in which the social becomes intertwined with the legal and the bureaucratic. Indeed, understanding ‘displacement and futurity in relation’ requires us to see how future-making relies on the past and present even in times of crisis. However, I argue that imagining the future in times of crisis is not only about linear time, but a renegotiation of different times and temporality, their hierarchies, and the logics governing each temporal rhythm and different geography.
About the speaker
Veronica Ferreri is a Global Marie Curie Fellow at the Dept of Humanities in Venice’s University of Ca’ Foscari and an affiliated researcher at the Department of Anthropology at the University of Waterloo. She works at the intersection of Social Anthropology and Migration Studies with a focus on exile and displacement, solidarity and vernacular humanitarianism, and bureaucracy and documents. Her current project – Archives in Times of War – examines the centrality of the archive of legal documents in the life of Syrian families living in Europe. Her work appears in Citizenship Studies, Conflict and Society, Allegra Lab and Haus der Kulturen der Welt.

2024 Prospective Student Open House
2024-03-15 13:00 - 15:00 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
By Invitation Only
The Balsillie School welcomes prospective students to meet virtually with the School’s Director, Program Directors and Officers, current students and graduates to learn about all the unique opportunities on offer at the School.
AGENDA
1:00 pm – Welcome and introductions, Ann Fitz-Gerald, Director, Balsillie School of International Affairs
1:10 pm – Research Clusters and experiential learning opportunities, Ann Fitz-Gerald, Director, Balsillie School of International Affairs
1:20 pm – Graduates Fellows Program, Andrew Thompson, Global Governance Programs and Partnership Manager
1:40 pm – Program breakout sessions
MAGG
Andrew Thompson, Program Manager
Rachael Gergley, Program Coordinator
Madelyn Rawlyk, current MAGG student
MIPP
Colleen Loomis, Program Director
Kim Rygiel, Professor, Political Science
Maureen Ferraro, Program Officer
Jessica Stewart, current MIPP student
Julye-Anne McKenny, current MIPP student
Varinia Salazar Barrientos, current MIPP student
2:20 pm – MAGG and MIPP alumni panel
Spencer Page, MAGG 2021
Sakshi Jain, MIPP 2018
Fahd Shah, MIPP 2022
2:55 pm – Closing remarks
The link to attend the virtual open house will be sent to all registrants on March 14th.

MiFOOD WS2 Configuration Workshop: Migrant Precarity and Urban Food in the Global South
2024-03-20 08:30 - 11:40 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Join the webinar using this link: https://cigionline-org.zoom.us/j/82451733735?pwd=[REDACTED]
The MiFOOD Network and the IMRC welcome your participation in the MiFOOD WS2 Configuration Workshop on “Migrant Precarity and Urban Food in the Global South”. This workshop brings together esteemed and early-career scholars to discuss research plans focusing on Workstream 2 of the MiFOOD project—specifically, the role of migrants in transforming urban food chains. Researchers will engage in a comprehensive exploration of the interplay between migration, informality, gender, and food security. Spanning geographical regions including Asia, Latin America and Africa, the sessions will cover diverse topics: the links between migration and food security, the role of migrants in urban food systems, the impact of COVID-19 on women informal food vendors, and various other facets of food environments in the Global South. The purpose of this workshop is to contribute scholarly perspectives on the complex challenges surrounding migrant precarity and food systems in the Global South. It aims to foster the generation of new research ideas through mutual learning, and provide opportunities for comparative, interdisciplinary, and collaborative studies within and beyond the MiFOOD network.
Agenda

Session 1: Asia
8:30-9:30

Irudaya Rajan (IIMAD, India). “Food Security and the Kerala Migration Survey”.
Sujata Ramachandran (BSIA, Canada). “‘Little Pockets of Happiness’: Nepali Migrants and Momos Informal Enterprises in New Delhi, India”.
Huiguang Chen (Nanjing Agricultural University, China). “Understanding the Reciprocal Links Between Migration and Food Security in Nanjing and the Nearby Changzhou Cities, China”.
Taiyang Zhong (Nanjing University, China). “Role of Migrants in Urban Food Retailing: Focusing on Vendors and Takeaway Riders”.

Session 2: Latin America
9:30-10:00

Tiana Hayden (El Colegio de México), Fernanda Vazquez (Metropolitan Autonomous University, Mexico). “The Role of (Transit) Migrants in Urban Food Systems in Three Mexican Cities”.
Mercedes Eguiguren (BSIA, Canada). “Beyond Informality: Migrants in the Popular Food Economy in Quito”.

Break
10:00-10:10
Session 3: Africa 1
10:10-10:55

Sam Owuor (University of Nairobi, Kenya). “The Impact of COVID-19 on Women Informal Food Vendors in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements.”
Elizabeth Onyango (University of Alberta, Canada). “A Gendered Analysis of the Role of Women-led Informal Food Businesses in Urban Household Food Security and Wellbeing of Urban Dwellers Kisumu City, Kenya.”
Cherie Enns (University of the Fraser Valley, Canada). “Urban South Sudanese Refugees: Opportunities and Constraints Related to Food Supply Chains in Nairobi and Nakuru Kenya.”

Session 4: Africa 2
10:55-11:25

Sean Sithole (University of the Western Cape, South Africa). “Urban Transformation, African Migrants and the Informal Food System in Cape Town”.
Bernard Owusu (Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada). “Examining the Meat Food Value Chain and Food System in Accra, Ghana”.

Concluding Remarks
11:25-11:40
Download the agenda

Queen's-BSIA International Migration and Mobilities Graduate Symposium 2024
2024-03-22 09:00 - 15:30 | Room 1-42, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
Registrations are now closed for this event.
Join us for this year’s in-person Graduate Student Symposium on international migration and mobility, hosted by Queen’s University and the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA). Students will be presenting research addressing this year’s theme of Borders and (Un)Bordering: Analyzing Migration and Mobility Through Contestation and Conflict.
About the Symposium:
The Queen’s-BSIA International Migration and Mobilities Graduate Symposium is designed to showcase graduate students’ work and promote their professionalization. Students will have the opportunity to discuss and receive feedback on their ongoing research from peers and a panel of invited faculty members. The symposium seeks to tease out how bordering occurs along race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, indigeneity, or religion to force some people more than others into involuntary (im)mobility. Graduate students will share their research with the BSIA and the broader community, and receive feedback from invited faculty from Queen’s, Laurier and the University of Waterloo, and faculty affiliated with Laurier’s International Migration Research Centre and the BSIA’s Migration, Mobilities and Social Politics Research Cluster.
Agenda
9:00 – 9:10 am – Welcome
9:10-10:15 am – Roundtable Discussion
10:30 – 11:40 am – Panel 1: Border Controls and the Politics of Migrant Governance
11:40 am – 12:40 pm – Lunch
12:40 – 1:45 pm – Panel 2: B/Ordering, (Im)mobility and (re)shaping of identity formation
2:10 – 3:30 pm – Roundtable Discussion
View the full schedule

Wars, Displaced Populations and Food Insecurity
2024-03-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Join the webinar: https://cigionline-org.zoom.us/j/81730518530?pwd=[REDACTED]
Despite some notable progress towards the targets of Rome Declaration on foodcsecurity in some countries around the world, food insecurity rates continue to rise among the most vulnerable groups in recent years again. World Food Program estimated that as many as 783 million people were facing chronic hunger in 2023. The Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC 2021) reported that food insecurity rates reached crisis level in 55 countries/territories both in terms of severity of the situation and the numbers of people involved and a significant portion of these are warn torn countries. While rising inflation, COVID-19 and financial crisis are often blamed, one of the most significant contributors to food insecurity has been wars and other forms of armed conflict in certain parts of the world. Wars destroy lives, livelihoods and environment. Funds spent for armament also rub societies out of investing in social welfare and development.
Displaced peoples are especially vulnerable to food insecurity. According to the UNHCR, the numbers of people who fled their homes because of armed conflict and persecution reached to an unprecedented 100 million people around the world in 2022. Displaced people because of armed conflict have been the most significant contributors to rising food insecurity rates in recent decades.
Koc argues that food insecurity should be seen beyond the food system’s failure in food provisioning but located in the failure of the key institutions of power in modern societies: international agencies of governance, the nation states, and the market. Using examples from recent cases of armed conflict from Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Ukraine and Palestine this paper examines how armed conflicts contribute to food insecurity at the national, regional and global levels.
About the speaker
Mustafa Koc is emeritus professor of Sociology and the Director Centre for Studies in Food Security at Toronto Metropolitan University. His research and teaching interests involve food studies, food security, food policy, and the sociology of migration. Professor Koc was among the founders of the Centre for Studies in Food Security, Food Secure Canada, and the Canadian Association for Food Studies. His publications on the sociology of agriculture and food, social change and development, and immigration, include For Hunger-proof Cities, Working Together (2001), Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Food Studies (2008), Küresel Gıda Düzeni: Kriz Derinleşirken, and Critical Perspectives in Food Studies. His current research focuses on culinary practices, food security, and food safety concerns of immigrants and refugees. Prof. Koc received the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement award from the Canadian Association for Food Studies (2017).
MiFOOD is hosting a series of webinars on various topics about migration and food security that highlight the progress of the project. These webinars include conceptual discussion, empirical findings and policy analysis. Through these webinars, we intend to build a community with various stakeholders for knowledge sharing, deepen the understanding of the complex intersections between migration and food security, and facilitate the discussion of effective policy interventions. Follow the MiFOOD Twitter (Moving on Empty), Like the MiFOOD Facebook page to be notified about upcoming webinars.

International Perspectives on the 2024 US Elections: View from the Americas
2024-04-09 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Register for this event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/international-perspectives-on-the-2024-us-elections-view-from-the-americas-tickets-874819387337
Link to join webinar: https://american.zoom.us/j/92767021280
2024 has been dubbed the ‘year of elections’, with nearly 49% of the world’s population heading to the polls in this calendar year. And arguably, the November Presidential Elections in the United States will receive particular attention, not only domestically but also across all regions of the world. This second event in an American University series will pay close attention to perspectives from the Americas on the stakes of the US elections, the elections in Mexico, and what it might mean for relations in the Western hemisphere. Come join us to hear experts from the United States, Chile, and Canada!
Biographies
Patricio Novia is a Doctor in Political Science from New York University and the director of the Electoral Observatory of the Diego Portales University. His research areas focus on electoral analysis, public opinion, executive-legislative relations and the functioning of Congress. He has published dozens of articles and books on Chilean politics and other Latin American countries. He has been principal investigator of 5 regular funded projects between 2006 and 2021. Navia is also a full professor of liberal studies at New York University.
Roy Norton is a Fellow at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. He’s also Adjunct Assistant Professor (of Political Science and Public Service) at the University of Waterloo. Norton served as a Canadian Diplomat, with all of his assignments abroad in the USA: he was Canada’s Consul General in each of Chicago (2014-16) and Detroit (2010-14), and Minister (Congressional & Public Affairs) at Canada’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. (2006-10). During an earlier assignment to the Embassy in Washington, as First Secretary (Economic), he was a member of Canada’s negotiating teams for the Investment and Intellectual Property chapters of NAFTA. Between 2000 and 2006, in the Government of Ontario, Roy served as President & CEO of Ontario Exports Inc., then as Assistant Deputy Minister (International Relations). For 8 years early in his career, he worked in Canada’s Parliament, then for 5 as Senior Policy Advisor to Canada’s Foreign Minister. He holds a Ph.D. (in International Relations) from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and Masters’ degrees from SAIS, Harvard’s Kennedy School, and Carleton University in Ottawa. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, a Global Fellow of the Wilson Center for Scholars in D.C., a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, and an enthusiast for Major League Baseball.
Tony Wayne is a Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer and Distinguished Diplomat in Residence at American University’s School of International Service. In addition to his role at AU, Wayne is a Public Policy Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and Co-Chair of its Mexico Institute Advisory Board. He is a Senior Non-Resident Adviser at the Atlantic Council and at the Center for Security and International Studies. Ambassador Wayne served as a U.S. diplomat from 1975 to 2015, including as Ambassador to Argentina (2006-2009), Coordinating Director for Development and Economic Affairs and Deputy Ambassador in Kabul, Afghanistan (2009-2011), and Ambassador to Mexico (2011-15). He received multiple honors during his government service, including the 2017 Director General’s Cup for the Foreign Service and the 2015 Cobb Award for Initiative and Success in Trade Development.
This event is hosted by the School of International Service at American University in partnership with the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

Dis/Misinformation and Foreign Interference: Lessons from the Foreign Interference Commission
2024-04-18 16:00 - 16:45 | Room 1-42, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
This talk is the keynote address for the Technology Governance Policy Challenge. Register here to attend the Policy Challenge presentations.
One of the most highly charged claims to emerge in the aftermath of the Canadian general election in 2021 was that the People’s Republic of China had been behind a campaign of disinformation that damaged the chances of the Conservative Party of Canada in the election. Doubt was sewn in some quarters about the integrity of the election—perhaps for the first time in Canadian history.
This claim of electoral interference has re-emerged to take centre stage in the current round of public hearings conducted by the public inquiry into Foreign Interference. Its prominence is a product of several factors—the public release of hitherto unseen intelligence reporting; testimony by leading players in the drama; the role that political parties, including the Conservatives, are now playing in the Commission’s hearings; and, at bottom, the challenge of determining the reality, impact and significant of disinformation and misinformation campaigns. That challenge makes partial evidence of such campaigns, as revealed in intelligence reporting, easy fodder for politicisation.
A key question for the Public Inquiry concerns the lessons to be learned about dis/misinformation campaigns. Its hearings are an important moment in deepening public understanding.
Dr. Wark’s talk will explore the interface between intelligence reporting, political outlooks, and public responses on dis/misinformation and its impacts on democratic processes.
About the speaker
Dr. Wesley Wark is an expert on national security and intelligence issues, in both a Canadian and international context.
He is a senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, in Waterloo, where he co-directed a major project on Canadian National Security Strategy. He is co-author of the CIGI special report, “Reimagining a Canadian National Security Strategy, https://www.cigionline.org/publications/reimagining-a-canadian-national-security-strategy/ Wark was the co-editor of a digital essay series published by the Centre for International Governance Innovation, “Security, Intelligence and the Global Health Crisis” (August 2020). His most recent book is an edited volume: Secret Intelligence: A Reader (second edition 2019).
Professor Wark served as a member of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on National Security for two terms (2005-2009) and on the CBSA President’s advisory committee (2006-2010). He was an advisor to the Minister of Public Safety on national security policy and legislation between 2015 and 2019.
He spent most of his academic career at the University of Toronto, where he taught from 1988 to 2013. Prior to joining the University of Toronto he taught at the London School of Economics, McGill University and the University of Calgary. He holds a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and an M.A. from Cambridge University. He currently teaches professional courses on intelligence and security and on national security and intelligence review.

2024 Technology Governance Policy Challenge
2024-04-19 09:00 - 11:30 | Room 1-42, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
The Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA), in collaboration with the School of International Service (SIS) at the American University in Washington, D.C. is pleased to host the first Technology Governance Policy Challenge for BSIA and SIS students. This unique challenge, hosted over two days, offers an opportunity for students to engage with critical issues in the evolving landscape of technology governance.
In its inaugural year, the Policy Challenge will feature teams representing the BSIA and SIS. The teams will review a case study authored by BSIA MAGG graduate and AU assistant professor Samantha Bradshaw entitled “Technology Governance Policy Challenge: Combating a Coordinated Disinformation Campaign.”
The teams will prepare a two-page policy brief, which will be submitted to the judges prior to the event. The teams will then present their findings during the event with feedback from the judges.
This year the judges will include:
Tara Denham, Global Affairs Canada
James Hinton, Own Innovation and CIGI Fellow
Wesley Wark, BSIA and CIGI Fellow

The BSIA community is invited to watch the final presentations and award ceremony. Please register below to attend.
The Technology Governance Policy Challenge is an integral part of the broader Technology Governance Initiative launched by the BSIA in late 2023.

Food Security Among Latin American Adolescent Migrants in North America
2024-04-23 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
MiFOOD webinar no. 17
This presentation will focus on the intersection between adolescent migration and food security in north America, with a particular focus on adolescents who migrate unaccompanied, some as ‘minors’.
Adolescence is a phase of continued growth and development in which nutritional needs are higher than in several other life course stages but are also highly variable depending on factors such as pubertal stage, gender, as well as levels of physical activity. Adolescent migrants that are mid-transit (on the move) may be especially resilient given their relative youth and overall health, but may simultaneously have heighted vulnerability to food insecurity, violence, trafficking, among other issues that migrants experience while in transit. Unaccompanied adolescents’ vulnerability to food insecurity while on the move may depend in part on emotional maturity, as well as metabolic needs, and the mismatch between the quotidian routine of overland migration and their own circadian rhythms. Additionally, adolescent migrants may be less habituated to plan for, prepare, or procure their meals, and thus the stressors of migration may particularly impact access to foods that they can use as sources of nourishment. Within Latin American migrant routes, there are additional factors that can impede food access such as perceived (and real) threats of violence, deportation, or detention, all of which may delay their ability to reach their destinations. Local and regional well- meaning policies may inadvertently increase the perception of threat for adolescent migrants causing them to forego access to food in attempts at self-preservation.
The presenters join their expertise in policies impacting service access among migrants in Mexico (C Infante) and in food security among unaccompanied adolescent migrants (M Orjuela-Grimm) to discuss the confluence of factors that may influence food security among adolescents in active transit.
Speakers
Cesar Infante Xibille (National Institute of Public Health, Mexico)
Since 2000, Dr. Cesar Infante Xibille has been undertaking research on vulnerable groups such as mobile populations, gay men, male sex workers on issues related to HIV/AIDS, human rights, and access to health care services. Cesar has been conducting research with migrants in transit through Mexico in very close collaboration with migrant houses and shelters for more than 20 years. His research has a Human Rights-related focus and greater part has concentrated on HIV/AIDS, violence (including sexual violence), stigma and discrimination, and access to health care services for migrants in transit through Mexico to the USA. Cesar is currently co-coordinator of the Research Unit on Migration and Health at the National Institute of Public Health.
Manuela Orjuela Grimm MD ScM (Columbia University, New York City)
Manuela is an associate professor of epidemiology and pediatrics at the Columbia University Medical Center. Manuela’s current research examines the intersection of nutrition, food insecurity and violence in Latin American migrants, and includes assessing dietary practices, food and nutrition insecurity and mental health outcomes in adolescents who have migrated overland as unaccompanied minors from Latin America and have resettled in NYC. Manuela has also cofounded (with Cesar Infante) a multi-sectorial working group which examines food insecurity among Latin American migrants transiting overland through Mexico. Manuela participates in a UNICEF funded working group examining the intersection of Gender Based Violence with nutrition outcomes in mothers and girls. Other work has focused on the measurement of dietary intake, and nutrients in mothers and preschool children in Mexico and among Latin American migrants in NYC. Manuela was a visiting professor at Bielefeld University in Germany (2022), focusing on the intersection of transnationalism, migration and health.
The webinar will be chaired by Dr. Yaatsil Guevara González. Dr. González is the Junior Professor for “Migration and the Americas” at the Heidelberg University Center for Ibero-American Studies (HCIAS). She is an anthropologist and an ethnographer, focusing on area studies, sociology of migration, and anthropology of everyday life.
MiFOOD is hosting a series of webinars on various topics about migration and food security that highlight the progress of the project. These webinars include conceptual discussion, empirical findings and policy analysis. Through these webinars, we intend to build a community with various stakeholders for knowledge sharing, deepen the understanding of the complex intersections between migration and food security, and facilitate the discussion of effective policy interventions. Follow the MiFOOD Twitter (Moving on Empty), Like the MiFOOD Facebook page to be notified about upcoming webinars.

PhD Dissertation Defence: "Disempowered and Disappointed Locals: The Impact of Negative Hybrid Peacebuilding on Sociocultural Transformation of Afghanistan"
2024-04-24 09:30 - 13:30 | Room 1-23, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
Seyed Ali Hosseini‘s dissertation defence.
Abstract
This dissertation conceptualizes peacebuilding in Afghanistan (2001-2021) as facilitation of sociocultural transformation of the country towards accepting the international norms important for sustainable peace, such as democracy, human rights, and gender equality. Hence, peacebuilding was highly normative and required enormous changes promoted by key peacebuilding actors to transform Afghan politics, society, and culture from a traditional society marked by fragmentation and radicalization to one that embraced these values.
The dissertation proposes that the peacebuilding effort that took place in post-2001 Afghanistan was hybrid, as the international community pursued the goals of building a state committed to these liberal principles, as well as strengthening civil society to bring about social and cultural development. Simultaneously, the political order, particularly the government titled the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, was seen as representative of the locals and their culture and was expected to protect their interests while adhering to international norms. The hybridity of peacebuilding for local society meant addressing social fragmentation and forms of radicalization, as well as assisting Afghan society in its adoption of modern norms and institutions consistent with its own society and culture.
Examining the reasons for, and the process of the failure of, sociocultural transformation, this dissertation, based on qualitative research methodology, proposes that due to the primacy of interests of powerful international and domestic actors, efforts to transform Afghanistan were undermined by a series of compromises on shared local and international values. The securitized neoliberal state-building assisted Afghan warlords and opportunist elites, starting from the deliberate ignorance or denial of transitional justice, and continued with the lack of accountability for major human rights violations and corruption in the Afghan government as well as among other domestic and foreign actors. This environment of lack of accountability undermined the perceived legitimacy of governance and the functioning of institutions and discredited other state and non-state actors working to transform Afghanistan. As a result, peacebuilding processes were frozen at the level of negativity, increasingly undermining local trust in international actors and their purported values.
To address the sociocultural dimension of peacebuilding, foreign actors engaged in top-down building of a Western-style civil society mostly focused on service delivery and advocacy rather than creating discourses among Afghans on issues critical for transformation of a society affected by decades of conflict and radicalism. The project-oriented approach of civil society groups, combined with their weak local roots and corruption, limited their effectiveness.
The negativity of peacebuilding prevented the potential of hybrid peacebuilding to address forms of fragmentation and radicalization in Afghan society, and hampered meaningful popular engagement in transforming structures of violence toward sustainability. The growing disempowerment and disillusionment of the people, coupled with confusion about norms, enabled the Taliban to frame their brutal campaign as jihad and to make even a negative peace unattainable.
Supervisor: Dr. Alistair Edgar
Committee: Dr. Timothy Donais and Dr. Jasmin Habib
Internal/External: Dr. Dejan Guzina
External: Dr. David Black, Dalhousie University
Chairperson Dr. Subhankar Nayak
There are limited spaces available to attend the defence. Email events@balsillieschool.ca if you would like to attend.

Reflecting on the Crisis in Gaza: Possibilities for Peace and Humanitarian Assistance
2024-04-25 12:00 - 13:30 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Panelists will examine what peace in Gaza could look like and/or how appropriate levels of humanitarian assistance can be supported moving forward.
Mohammed Abunimer will discuss the obstacles for reaching a ceasefire after 185 days of war. The new dynamics of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, role of United States and other European countries whose support to Israeli has enabled the Genocidal campaign in Gaza. Will also reflect on the Global solidarity for justice in Palestine and its current role in the calls to end the war. The possibilities for resolution of conflict in the near future based on the dynamics of the war on Gaza and its regional implications.
Boaz Atzili discusses that the war that has been going on for over six months now started with the worst disaster in Israel’s history and still continues with the catastrophic suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. While significant improvement in the scale of humanitarian assistance could happen— and maybe does happen, as of this writing— through strong US pressure on Israel, ultimately we cannot get to even a true assessment of the damage and start rebuilding, without an end of the war. I argue that focusing on the blame game and “justice” is futile. We have, instead, to focus on how to ensure that disasters like this one or worse never happen again. The first step is a deal between Hamas and Israel that will lead to a ceasefire, a return of hostages and prisoners, and Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. But domestic politics on both sides is key: without replacing the extremists in charge in both Israel and Gaza there are no prospects for peace. And without peace, Israelis will suffer and Palestinians will suffer more, regardless of who’s “right” or “wrong.”
Dana El Kurd will provide an overview of Palestinian public opinion before and after October 7th, and will show that societal buy-in is essential to any political pathway forward.
About the Speakers
Prof. Abu-Nimer is a professor at the School of International Service at American University, and Endowed Chair of Said Abdul Aziz for peace and Conflict Resolution. He served as Director of the Peacebuilding and Development Institute (1999-2013). He is the co founder and co editor of the Journal of Peacebuilding and development (JPD). As a scholar, he has published many books and hundreds of articles on various peacebuilding topics, especially on managing diversity and pluralism and conflict resolution. As practitioner, he has conducted seminars and trainings on reconciliation and forgiveness, interreligious peacebuilding in conflict areas around the world. He also founded Salam Institute for Peace and Justice (2003), an organization that focuses on capacity building, civic education, and interreligious
Dr. Boaz Atzili is an Associate Professor at the School of International Service, American University in Washington DC. He holds a PhD in Political Science from MIT and a BA from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and had a post-doctoral fellowship at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University.
Dr. Atzili’s research focuses on territorial conflicts and peace, the politics of borders and borderlands, security aspects of state weakness, deterrence, and coercion. His books include Good Fences Bad Neighbors: Border Fixity and International Conflict (University of Chicago Press: 2012), Triadic Coercion: Israel’s Targeting of States that Host Nonstate Actors (Columbia University Press: 2018, with Wendy Pearlman), and Territorial Designs and International Politics (edited, Routledge: 2018, with Burak Kaderchan). Dr. Atzili published articles, among other venues, in International Security, Security Studies, International Affairs, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, International Studies Review, and Territory, Politics, Governance, and Foreign Affairs. In 2022-23 he was a Senior Fulbright-Nehru Fellow in India, and a visiting scholar at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, where he studied the Indian-Chinese territorial relations and the Himalayan borderland with China.
Dr. Dana El Kurd is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Richmond. She is also a senior non-resident fellow at the Arab Center Washington and a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute. Her work focuses on authoritarianism, international intervention, and Palestinian politics. El Kurd’s book “Polarized and Demobilized: Legacies of Authoritarianism in Palestine” was published in January 2020 with Oxford University Press. She regularly contributes to media outlets such as The Nation, Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, and more.
Moderated by Ann Fitz-Gerald, Director, Balsillie School of International Affairs

Conversations on Democracy at a Critical Crossroads in an Era of Disinformation
2024-05-14 19:00 - 21:00 | CIGI Auditorium, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
Register here to attend in person.
Join the University of Waterloo in partnership with the Balsillie School of International Affairs for a conversation on how disinformation and misinformation are leading to polarization, voter apathy and a lack of trust in science and our public institutions. We’ll explore how we can earn trust to defend the future of democracy in an era of disinformation.
Liberal democracies depend on trust and an informed public. However, disinformation is on the rise as technological advancements and our changing media landscape have allowed false information to spread like wildfire, feeding our social echo chambers and stifling constructive dialogue. How can we make informed decisions or respond to global challenges if we don’t know the facts?
Join the University of Waterloo in partnership with the Balsillie School of International Affairs, for a conversation on how disinformation and misinformation are leading to polarization, voter apathy and a lack of trust in science and our public institutions. We’ll explore how we can earn trust to defend the future of democracy in an era of disinformation.
If you are unable to attend in person, you can watch a livestream of the conversation.
About the speakers
Joan Donvan, Founder, The Critical Internet Studies Institute
John Poulos, President & CEO, Dominion Voting Systems
Moderated by Bessma Momani, Professor of Political Science, University of Waterloo
With remarks by Sheila Agar, Dean of Arts, UW, Ann Fitz-Gerald, Director, BSIA, Vivek Goel, President, UW and Ashley Mehlenbacher, Associate Professor, UW.
Register here to attend in person.

Balsillie Graduates Reunion 2024
2024-05-24 18:30 - 21:00 | Vantage Venues, Toronto
Calling all BSIA grads! Join us for our second annual Balsillie Graduates Reunion! This year’s reunion will take place in Downtown Toronto at Vantage Venues.
BSIA graduates are invited to an evening of conversation and networking. This is an opportunity to catch up with old friends, and network with fellow alumni, staff, faculty and friends of the School.
We will provide the venue address, parking information and other event details, once registered.
Ann Fitz-Gerald, BSIA Director, will provide welcome remarks at 7:15 pm. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
We hope you will join us!
Register now to get your ticket(s).

A New Era of Coups and Power Grabs: Implications for Leadership on the African Continent
2024-05-28 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Watch the recording of this event.
The Africa Forum, in collaboration with the Centre for International Governance Innovation, presents a thought-provoking panel discussion on the rise of coups and power grabs in Africa. This event will explore their far-reaching implications for leadership and governance across the continent.
Panelists
Lead Panelist: Halima Ahmed
Ms. Halima Ahmed is a peace, security and development practitioner, currently engaged in the Horn of Africa focusing on Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. In this multifaceted role, she actively contributes to policy development, advocacy initiatives, and research endeavors. Her work involves a comprehensive approach to addressing developmental challenges in the region. With a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy and a Master’s Degree in Development Studies, Ms. Ahmed brings a wealth of academic knowledge and practical experience to her role. Over the past six years, she has immersed herself in Policy Advocacy, Research, and Academia, consistently engaging with developmental issues in Sub-Saharan Africa to empower local communities with knowledge.
Ms. Ahmed previously served as a Peace, Security, and Development Early Career Fellow at the African Leadership Centre, King’s College London. In her role as an Independent Consultant in Policy and Research Analysis, she made significant contributions to the development of policy recommendations and reports. Through her adept rapporteuring, these outputs have played a crucial role in informing decision-making at both local and national levels.
With panelists: Gerald Acho and Hubert Kinkoh
Acho Gerald Anji is a peacebuilding and Conflict resolution practitioner with years of experience spanning across the Horn of Africa and Africa Great Lakes Region. His expertise lies in integrating conflict sensitivity into programs, particularly within the challenging landscape of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus. Acho currently works for Concordis International as the Darfur Programme Manager. He is a Peace and Security Non-Resident Fellow with the Global Governance Institute and a PhD Researcher at Leiden University, the Hague – Netherlands. He holds a Master’s degree in Peace Studies and International Relations from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and a B.A. in Philosophy from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome.
Hubert Kinkoh is a policy-facing researcher with considerable experience producing and disseminating knowledge on various issues intersecting with peace, security and governance in Africa. Currently a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in Addis Ababa, he previously held research roles at International Crisis Group, the Economist Intelligence Unit and the United States Institute of Peace, among others. Serving diverse clients, Hubert analyses, and has widely published on issues spanning inter alia Africa in the world and the world in Africa; the governance of peace and security and the role of international and regional organisations; electoral democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law. He has a double Masters in Peace Studies and International Relations from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
Moderator: Ann Fitz-Gerald, Director, Balsillie School of International Affairs
Discussant: Abdi Issa, PhD in Global Governance candidate

Migration, Food and Politics in South Africa: Contestations Over Immigrant-owned Grocery Shops in South Africa and Their Implications for Food Security
2024-05-29 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Join the webinar: https://cigionline-org.zoom.us/j/86722658785?pwd=[REDACTED]
MiFOOD webinar no. 18
Many immigrants are concentrated in South Africa’s informal grocery shop (or ‘spaza’) sector. These shops often play an intermediary role between large formal wholesaler sectors and low-income informal township markets. Their emergence over the past two decades has introduced new business practices and services to township economies with many positive benefits for food insecure consumers. At the same time rivalry with South African shopkeepers, and resentment and suspicion among surrounding residents has led to many immigrant grocery shops falling victim to violent attack, state clamp downs, and legislative efforts to limit their ability to operate. These political currents – which often espouse to advance citizens’ economic interests – threaten to destabilise and disrupt access to food in low income areas.
Speaker
Vanya Gastrow, University of Cape Town
Vanya Gastrow is a Senior Researcher in in the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the Institute for Security Studies and an adjunct senior lecturer at the University of Cape Town’s department of public law. She has a PhD in Migration Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Over the past 14 years, Vanya has worked and consulted on research projects relating to migration in South Africa. These include studies on crime affecting immigrant retailers, their ability to access justice mechanisms, their role in local economies, and the regulation of their shops.
MiFOOD is hosting a series of webinars on various topics about migration and food security that highlight the progress of the project. These webinars include conceptual discussion, empirical findings and policy analysis. Through these webinars, we intend to build a community with various stakeholders for knowledge sharing, deepen the understanding of the complex intersections between migration and food security, and facilitate the discussion of effective policy interventions. Follow the MiFOOD Twitter (Moving on Empty), Like the MiFOOD Facebook page to be notified about upcoming webinars.

Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and the Globalization of the Food Banks
2024-06-25 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
MiFOOD webinar no. 19
Join the webinar on June 25, 2024 at 10:00 am EDT using this Zoom link: https://cigionline-org.zoom.us/j/86056410200?pwd=[REDACTED]
Food banks—warehouses that collect and systematize surplus food—have expanded into one of the largest mechanisms to redistribute food waste. From their origins in North America in the 1960s, food banks provide food to communities in approximately one hundred countries on six continents. This presentation analyzes the development of food banks across the world and the limits of food charity to reduce food insecurity and food waste. Based on fifteen years of in-depth fieldwork on four continents, Daniel Warshawsky illustrates how and why food banks proliferate across the globe even though their impacts may be limited. He suggests that we need to reformulate the role of food banks. The mission of food banks needs to be more realistic, as food surpluses cannot reduce food insecurity on a significant scale. Food banks need to regain their institutional independence from the state and corporations and incorporate the knowledge and experiences of the food insecure in the daily operations of the food system. These collective changes can contribute to a future where food banks play a smaller but more targeted role in food systems.
Speaker
Daniel N. Warshawsky, Wright State University
Daniel N. Warshawsky is Associate Professor in the School of Social Sciences and International Studies at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, United States, where he teaches courses in geography and directs the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. His research examines food waste, food insecurity, and food banks in the world’s regions, with a primary focus on the cities of North America and Africa. In 2023, Daniel published a book with the University of Iowa Press called Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and the Globalization of Food Banks. Daniel earned his B.A. in geography from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2003), M.S. in geography from the University of Wisconsin at Madison (2006), and Ph.D. in geography from the University of Southern California (2011). Before coming to Wright State, Daniel was Assistant Professor (Teaching) and Director of Graduate Studies in the Spatial Sciences Institute at the University of Southern California, where he taught courses in Geographic Information Science and Technology. In 2022, Daniel was named the Frederick A. White Distinguished Professor of Professional Service for his service to Wright State University and the broader Dayton community.
MiFOOD is hosting a series of webinars on various topics about migration and food security that highlight the progress of the project. These webinars include conceptual discussion, empirical findings and policy analysis. Through these webinars, we intend to build a community with various stakeholders for knowledge sharing, deepen the understanding of the complex intersections between migration and food security, and facilitate the discussion of effective policy interventions. Follow the MiFOOD Twitter (Moving on Empty), Like the MiFOOD Facebook page to be notified about upcoming webinars.

PhD Dissertation Defence: "Cybersecurity Governance in the Real World of Technology"
2024-06-25 10:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Kristen Csenkey‘s dissertation defence.
Abstract
The study of cyber and technology has become an important aspect of the study of governance. The development of new and potentially disruptive technologies is frequently positioned as a challenge to global governance and to cybersecurity. However, these framings embed assumptions about the inherent nature of threats, involved actors, and objects as part of governance. There is existing research on cybersecurity and governance, but this scholarship is dispersed across multiple disciplines, lacks common definitions, and nuanced frameworks. This research study explores the dynamic relationships between humans, technology, and cyber with the goal of developing a framework for cybersecurity governance. I introduce a new interpretation of Ursula M. Franklin’s work and concepts, especially the bitsphere, her house and cake models, and realities. I develop this interpretation based on narrative reviews and thematic analysis methods, including interviews with elite actors involved in governance, towards the formulation of a Franklinian framework for global cybersecurity governance. In doing so, I connect cyber and technology to prescriptive management practises, mindsets, and systems as part of governance. This research and cohesive framework could be employed within the multidisciplinary study of cybersecurity with practical impact in global policy contexts.
Supervisor: Dr. Alistair EdgarCommittee: Dr. Sara Matthews and Dr. Bessma MomaniInternal/external: Dr. Jeremy HunsingerExternal: Dr. Leslie Shade, University of TorontoChair: Dr. Kathleen Clarke
There are limited spaces available to attend the virtual defence. Email events@balsillieschool.ca if you would like to attend.

Charting New Trajectories: Global Governance in Transition Conference
2024-07-12 09:30 - 15:00 | Hybrid – Zoom and room 123, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
In today’s dynamic global landscape, geopolitical, environmental, and social developments are creating new challenges for scholars and policymakers alike. The Balsillie School and the Canadian International Council share the same goals of fostering discussion and developing solutions to these issues, and recognize the value of young minds in shaping our world’s future. In partnering for this event, we hope to provide a forum for students to hone their skills and share their research.
This conference, themed “Charting New Trajectories: Global Governance in Transition”, will bring together members of the Balsillie School’s master’s student community to present ongoing research and completed works to peers, professors, and the broader CIC membership.
This conference is open the BSIA community and CIC members.

Technology Governance Summer School 2024
2024-08-12 09:00 - 2024-08-22 16:00 | Room 1-42, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
Thank you for your interest in the Summer School. Registrations are now closed.
If you are interested in attending the 2025 Technology Governance Summer School, please send an email to events@balsillieschool.ca and include your name, program and university.
Course Directors:
Professors Jatin Nathwani and Ann Fitz-Gerald
Course description:
This course provides graduate students with an in-depth understanding of the technology-policy nexus – an interface which has become a critical requirement for effective policy analysis and implementation.
Registered students will learn about the relevant domains and discourse supporting technology innovation, as well as the issues, datasets, and trends underpinning this emerging and increasingly relevant area.
The course will feature presentations from leading technology science and policy experts, and practitioners. Upon completion, participants will be awarded with a certificate.
Learning outcomes:
Students will gain knowledge of the key concepts underlying data science, Big Data, artificial intelligence, algorithms, Large Language Models, Information Communications Technologies, data security, sensors, microprocessors and other emerging transformative technologies – and the use and application of these approaches in key policy areas.
Who should attend:
BSIA, UW and Laurier students seeking to deepen their understanding of the technology-policy nexus. This will be an interdisciplinary course, developed for UW and Laurier graduate students with policy, social science, and STEM backgrounds.
Delivery:
The course will be delivered in person at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, with sessions held August 12 to 22, Monday to Thursday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
What to expect:
Week 1- Technology, its applications and its impacts on society

Introduction to Technology Governance
Introduction to Data Science and Data Engineering
Big Data
Introduction to AI
AI challenges and opportunities: a STEM perspective
AI and Social Impacts/Policy
Ethics of AI
Algorithms and Algorithms Optimization
Large Language Models
Sensor, Microprocessor Chips and Devices – The ICT Ecosystem
Evaluation and Reporting of Intangibles

Week 2 – Policy development in a digital and data-driven world

The Internet of Things (IoT)
The Importance of Intellectual Property on Emerging Technologies
Energy Security: Emerging Energy and Power Technologies and Policy Implications
Environmental Policy and Emerging Transformative Technology
Novel Water Systems: Policy implications
National Security and Technology
Autonomous Weapons Systems
Strategic Planning for National Security Governance in a Data-Driven and Digital Age
Emerging Technologies and Their Impact on Global Health Policy
The Impact of Technology on Geopolitics

AGENDA

Kerala Model of Migration Surveys – 1998-2023
2024-08-30 10:30 - 11:30 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
MiFOOD webinar no. 20
The Kerala Migration Surveys have emerged as instrumental tools in shaping policies and programs within the Government of Kerala since their inception in 1998. Over the years, these surveys have not only influenced governmental decisions but have also left a visible mark on Kerala’s societal fabric. The impact of migration on Kerala has been profound, leading to various developmental initiatives within the state, particularly evident in infrastructural enhancements. Conducted every five years since 1998, these surveys have provided tangible evidence of the impact of migration on socio-economic development in Kerala. Moreover, the Kerala model of migration surveys has been successfully replicated in several other states, including Gujarat, Punjab, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and Odisha, highlighting its efficacy as a guiding framework for understanding migration dynamics.
By adopting and replicating the Kerala model of migration surveys, researchers can effectively address challenges stemming from the lack of comprehensive migration data. This approach enables a deeper understanding of regional labour market dynamics and facilitates informed policymaking to address the evolving demographic and economic situations in Indian states. Overall, the Kerala Migration Surveys serve as invaluable tools for policymakers and researchers alike in navigating migration-related challenges and fostering socio-economic development.
Speaker

Professor S. Irudaya Rajan, KNOMAD
S. Irudaya Rajan is Chairman of the International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMAD), Kerala and former professor at the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Kerala. Currently, he is the chair of the KNOMAD (The Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development), a World Bank working group on internal migration and urbanization. He was one of the expert committee members to advise the Government of Kerala on COVID-19. He has published in international journals on the social, economic, demographic, psychological and political implications of migration on individuals, community, the economy and society. Since 2010, he has been the editor of the annual series “India Migration Report” and, since 2017, the “South Asia Migration Report” published by Routledge. He was the founding Editor in Chief for “Migration and Development.”

MiFOOD is hosting a series of webinars on various topics about migration and food security that highlight the progress of the project. These webinars include conceptual discussion, empirical findings and policy analysis. Through these webinars, we intend to build a community with various stakeholders for knowledge sharing, deepen the understanding of the complex intersections between migration and food security, and facilitate the discussion of effective policy interventions. Follow the MiFOOD Twitter (Moving on Empty), Like the MiFOOD Facebook page to be notified about upcoming webinars.
This event is co-hosted by:
International Migration Research Centre
MiFOOD Network
The International Institute for Migration and Development
Migration, Mobilities, and Social Politics Research Cluster

Orientation Day 2024
2024-09-06 09:00 - 16:00 | Room 1-42, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
Orientation Day activities will include a welcome by Balsillie School Director, Dr. Ann Fitz-Gerald, the School’s founder, Mr. Jim Balsillie, and CIGI President Paul Samson along with program information, a campus tour, and lunch.
We look forward to meeting our new students!
AGENDA

PhD Dissertation Defence: "Why Ideologies Matter: A network-based study of ideological conflict in public policy and global governance"
2024-09-09 11:00 - 15:00 | Virtual, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Jinelle Piereder’s dissertation defence.
Abstract
Humanity’s ability to deal with its vast array of challenges depends on its capacity to understand how ideologies and worldviews inform and interact with decision-making processes. Once relegated to dusty library shelves, and declared “dead” at least twice, ideology seems to be more relevant to global politics than ever. Ideology plays a crucial role in how societies understand, frame, and attempt to solve collective problems; but when viewed as just a unidimensional phenomenon comprised of a few “big isms,” much of ideology’s causal influence/impact gets obscured. Further, existing scholarship tends to study ideology as primarily an individual-level or society-level phenomenon, setting aside questions about social context in the first instance and questions about the inner workings of the mind in the second instance.
This paper-based dissertation contributes to the existing scholarship on ideology by (1) synthesizing over a decade’s worth of efforts to map the multidisciplinary field of ideology studies, and (2) by developing a novel framework—grounded in a complexity ontology—to analyze the interconnections between ideologies, discourses, and social networks. Together, the three articles in this dissertation deepen our understanding of how ideologies shape and are shaped by the social and discourse networks in which they are embedded. By studying the role of these interacting elements in multiple governance contexts, the dissertation further shows how and why ideology matters across policymaking scales and spheres of influence.
Supervisor: Dr. Thomas Homer-Dixon
Committee: Dr. Jonathan Leader Maynard and Dr. David Welch
Internal/external: Dr. John McLevey
External: Dr. Matthew Hoffmann
Chair: Dr. Sharon Kirkpatrick
There are limited spaces available to attend the defence. Email events@balsillieschool.ca if you would like to attend.

The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
2024-09-19 12:00 - 13:30 | Hybrid – Zoom and room 142, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
From robo-dogs to drones and AI lie detectors, technology now impacts every point of a person’s migration journey. Based on years of researching borderlands across the world, lawyer and anthropologist Petra Molnar’s first book, The Walls Have Eyes is a truly global story—a dystopian vision turned reality, where your body is your passport and matters of life and death are determined by algorithm. Examining how technology is being deployed by governments on the world’s most vulnerable with little regulation, Molnar also shows us how borders are now big business, with defense contractors and tech start-ups alike scrambling to capture this highly profitable market. The Walls Have Eyes reveals the profound human stakes of the sharpening of borders around the globe, foregrounding the stories of people on the move and the daring forms of resistance that have emerged against the hubris and cruelty of those seeking to use technology to turn human beings into problems to be solved.
About the speaker
Petra Molnar is a lawyer and anthropologist specializing in migration and human rights. She is the Associate Director of the Refugee Law Lab at York University and Faculty Associate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Al Jazeera, Time Magazine, and others. Her first book The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence came out in spring 2024 with The New Press.

Across All Borders: A Conference on Gender-Based Violence
2024-09-21 09:00 - 15:00 | Room 1-42, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
Building upon the ground-breaking work of the African Women’s Alliance of Waterloo Region, this conference will serve as a beacon of hope and advocacy for African Canadian women facing the scourge of domestic violence (DV). Our event aims to shine the spotlight on the unique struggles of African Canadian women, emphasizing the urgent need for an Afrocentric lens in understanding and combating DV.
“Across All Borders” serves as a platform for dialogue, advocacy, and action. Through culturally relevant approaches and community engagement, we aim to foster meaningful change and empower survivors. Together, we will break down barriers, challenge stigma, and pave the way for a future where all women can live free from fear and violence. Join us in our mission to create a world where borders do not confine safety and dignity.
Parking is available in the CIGI Campus lot at the South end of the building off Father David Bauer Drive. Enter the building through the Erb Street doors.
Event Sponsors

STEM for Global Resilience Coffee Chats
2024-09-25 08:00 - 17:00 | ON
This event is open to STEM for Global Resilience members and the BSIA community.
The first online chat for the term takes place on Thursday, September 26th at 11 am.
His talk will discuss how we can we put an end to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Is there a path out of the current tragedy in the Gaza Strip? A way that provides a foundation for lasting peace and co-existence between Palestinians and Israelis and open the doors for the entire region to join forces towards economic, social and scientific prosperity?
Dr. Abdul Malek Al Jaber is the Founder and Chairman of MENA Apps, a regional accelerator in the MENA region specialized in investing in starts-ups and fast growing SME’s, provides qualified and selected entrepreneurs with an incubator like logistic support as well as coaching for start-ups and innovative ideas and caters for the best exposure for such start-ups and companies over all the MENA region.
Dr. Al Jaber is the former COO of Zain Group and CEO of Zain Jordan, where he was responsible for a double digit profit growth and for positioning the company as a key regional player in Mobile, Data and Content. Dr. Al Jaber led the deployment of the first and fastest nation-wide HSPA+ network in the region, the first Mobile Wallet and received the Life Time Achievement for his unique contributions to the advancement of the ICT industry in the MENA Region, in addition to his impactful contributions to community development through innovative CSR initiatives.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://cigionline-org.zoom.us/j/88273196484?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 882 7319 6484
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Negotiating Africa’s Digital Partnerships Amid Geopolitical Competition
2024-09-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Hybrid, Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6C2, Canada
The Africa Forum at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, in collaboration with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), presents a timely discussion examining Africa’s negotiation of digital partnerships amid growing geopolitical rivalry between major players. The panel is based on Negotiating Africa’s Digital Partnerships, a policy research project supported by CIGI and hosted by the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, which studies how African governmental actors negotiate and manage partnerships in the digital sector with new and rising partners. Co-led by Folashadé Soulé, the first phase of this project culminated in a special report that provides valuable insights into the perceptions of African strategies in digital governance, as well as actionable recommendations for African governments and stakeholders negotiating digital partnerships across a range of subjects. The special report will be launched in September.
About the Panelists
Folashadé Soulé is a CIGI senior fellow and senior research associate at the Global Economic Governance Programme, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. She is currently a visiting scholar at the University of Ghana. Her research areas focus on Africa-China relations, the study of agency in Africa’s international relations and the politics of South-South cooperation. She is a principal investigator in Negotiating Africa’s Digital Partnerships, a policy research project that examines Africa’s relations with rising partners in the digital sector. As part of this project, she has led a series of interviews with African senior policy makers, ministers, and private and civic actors that aims to shed light on how African actors build, negotiate and manage strategic partnerships in the digital sector in a context of geopolitical rivalry.
She was a postdoctoral fellow at the London School of Economics and a former Oxford-Princeton Global Leaders Fellow. Her research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals, including African Affairs, International Affairs, Global Governance and Foro Internacional. Folashadé also teaches as a guest lecturer in politics and international relations at the University of Oxford, Department of Politics and International Relations, Oxford School of Global and Area Studies.
As a policy-facing academic, connecting policy and research, she is the initiator of the Africa-China negotiation workshop series, bringing together African negotiators and senior policy makers to exchange and build better negotiation practices when dealing with China. She has also served as a policy analyst and consultant for several institutions.
Jane Munga is a fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She leads the technology stream in the Africa program. Her research focuses on the continent’s digital economy with focus on the enabling environment and collaborations. Her work seeks to provide new knowledge and perspectives that can help catapult Africa’s digital transformation.
Prior to joining Carnegie, Jane was an Advisor for the Government of Kenya, in the Office of the Cabinet Secretary for ICT. In this capacity, she focused on developing digital policies to support the countries e-government initiatives and digital economy. Jane led the development of Kenya’s Digital Economy Blueprint for Africa, published by Smart Africa, and led her to be awarded the Head of State Commendation (HSC). Jane also led the development of Kenya’s National Addressing Policy and participated in design of other national frameworks such as Kenya’s E-Commerce strategy, Spectrum Policy, National ICT Policy.
Jane has also led the design of government digital partnerships such as the World Bank’s Kenya Digital Acceleration Project. As an advisor Jane also applied her expertise to ideate and operationalize initiatives such as Kenya’s White box Innovation lab, Ajira Digital and UN’s Generation Unlimited initiatives. In addition, she represented the government of Kenya in multiple international forums such as Northern Corridor Infrastructure Projects, East African Communications Organization, SMART Africa Alliance, African Telecommunications Union, United Nations and its agencies including International Telecommunications Union.
Jane has been invited to speak and write on issues of Africa’s digital transformation including digital public infrastructure (DPI) Artificial Intelligence, inclusivity and digital collaborations between Africa and the United States, Europe, the Mediterranean and China at various domestic and international fora (GSMA Mobile World Congress, World Bank, Berkeley CEGA, and others). Jane received her PhD in political science and government and master’s degrees in economics and management from the University of Alabama, USA.
Moderator: Ann Fitz-Gerald, Director, Balsillie School of International Affairs
Discussant: Badriyya Yusuf, Digital Policy Hub Fellow, CIGI
