Congress 2017 hosts over 9,000 delegates and offers hundreds of free public events
TORONTO, May 23, 2017 — For the first time in over a decade, the premier event for Canada’s scholarly community returns to Toronto. From May 27 to June 2, Ryerson University will host over 9,000 distinguished academics, policy makers, researchers and practitioners at the 2017 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Now in its 86th year, Congress 2017 features more than 5,500 research presentations in the humanities and social sciences, with attendees addressing some the most pressing public policy issues facing Canada today such as equity, diversity, social justice, world politics and immigration.
It is also rare opportunity for the public to attend many of these discussions and to experience some of Canada’s top speakers, researchers and cultural performers. This year Congress hosts a record 274 free, public events, including daily Big Thinking lectures, a Ryerson Presents… series, and cultural and reconciliation programming.
“We are very proud and honoured to host Congress 2017 at Ryerson University,” said Mohamed Lachemi, President and Vice-Chancellor of Ryerson University. “Research in the humanities and social sciences has never been more important, it is an integral part of understanding and effecting meaningful change, innovation, discovery and economic growth.”
The theme of Congress 2017 is “The Next 150, On Indigenous Lands.” Congress 2017 aims to mark the achievements and histories of all peoples in Canada — while looking forward to building possibilities for the next 150 years.
“Congress is an important moment in Canada each year, when some of the country’s greatest researchers come together to share ideas that will help us forge a brighter future,” said Stephen Toope, President of the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. “The humanities and social sciences are invaluable in that they encourage the difficult conversations that surface the ideas and issues that help us better understand ourselves and the world in which we live. In today’s global climate, it is imperative that we draw insight from our disciplines to help us respond creatively to Canada's evolving challenges.”
Canada’s sesquicentennial offers an important opportunity to critically reflect on the nation’s past, and seeks to build a better, more inclusive and just future.
“The social sciences and humanities nourish the intellectual hunger of students and faculty, as citizens, employees and leaders in our global society,” said Pamela Sugiman, Dean, Ryerson University Faculty of Arts. “We provide the inspiration and skills needed for critical scholarly inquiry, the production of knowledge and its real-world application. At Congress 2017, Ryerson University will promote dialogue with scholars and researchers across the country, and showcase our coming of age as a diverse and inclusive innovative university.”
The Big Thinking lecture series features forward-thinking research, ideas and solutions to critical questions and issues of our time, and takes place every day at 12:15 -1:15 p.m. in the Ted Rogers School of Management’s lecture theatre. Open to the public, this year’s line-up includes:
- John Ralston Saul, Olivia Chow, and Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair - Five hundred years of building diversity: Canadian citizenship at the future’s edge (May 27)
- Wade Davis - The Sacred Headwaters: The Fight to Save the Stikine, Skeena, and Nass (May 28)
- Jocelyn Létourneau and Andréanne LeBrun - Timeline 150: Québec, Canada, and the weight of history (May 29)
- Tracey Lindberg, Maatalii Okalik, and Maria Campbell - Present and Powerful Indigenous Women (May 30)
- Mohamed Fahmy - Media in the Age of Terror (May 31)
- Aja Monet and Desmond Cole - Black Joy: Resistance, Revolution, & Radical Love (June 1)
– 30–
For further information, calendar of events, and media accreditation, visit: www.congress2017.ca/about/media
About the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Organized by the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, Congress is the largest interdisciplinary conference in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. Now in its 86th year, Congress brings together approximately 70 academic associations that represent a rich spectrum of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, including literature, history, theatre, film studies, education, music, sociology, geography, social work and many others. Congress 2017 is hosted by Ryerson University. For more information, visit www.congress2017.ca.
About the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences
The Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences promotes research and teaching for the advancement of an inclusive, democratic and prosperous society. With a membership now comprising over 160 universities, colleges and scholarly associations, the Federation represents a diverse community of 91,000 researchers and graduate students across Canada. The Federation organizes Canada’s largest academic gathering, the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, bringing together more than 8,000 participants each year. For more information about the Federation, visit www.ideas-idees.ca.
About Ryerson University
Ryerson University is Canada's leader in innovative, career-oriented education and a university clearly on the move. With a mission to serve societal need, and a long-standing commitment to engaging its community, Ryerson offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. Distinctly urban, culturally diverse and inclusive, the university is home to more than 41,500 students, including 2,400 master's and PhD students, 3,200 faculty and staff, and nearly 170,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, visit www.ryerson.ca.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Nicola Katz
Communications Manager
Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences
Cell: 613-282-3489
nkatz@ideas-idees.ca
Lauren Clegg
Media Relations Officer
Ryerson University
Office: 416-979-5000 x7161
Cell: 416-889-5287|
lauren.clegg@ryerson.ca