Conference Sessions

The Canadian government recently expanded the official definition of terrorism to include violence motivated by white supremacy and misogyny, among other things. These ideologies were grouped together as “right wing extremism” and as an important terrorism threat in Canada. According to the Government of Canada right wing extremism “is traditionally driven by hatred and fear, and includes a range of individuals, groups, often in online communities, that back a wide range of issues and grievances, including, but not limited to: anti-government and anti-law enforcement sentiment, advocacy of white nationalism and racial separation, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, anti-immigration, male supremacy (misogyny) and homophobia.” In the face of longstanding criticisms that the Canadian security apparatus does not take the threat of right-wing extremist violence seriously, these steps have been lauded for starting to shift the anti-terrorism focus away from racialized communities. Nonetheless, the extension of Canada’s security apparatus in the name of protecting vulnerable, marginalized, racialized communities from right-wing extremism requires critical reflection, particularly given that fraught history of Canada’s policing and security agencies perpetuating violence toward these communities.

This session features research on “the family” or family relations in relation to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

This session features research on “the family” or family relations in relation to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Family care work and paid employment are interconnected to shape individual well-being and social inequalities. What impacts do contemporary changes, such as precarious employment, rising living costs, and neoliberal social policies, have on the everyday lives of diverse families and intersectional inequalities in the work-family domain? This session invited papers that examine the patterns, causes, and lived experiences of work-family inequalities in the contexts of social precarity and a retreating state. The research featured in this session will offer insights into policies and practices that aim to achieve work-family justice and build collective sustainable futures.

Gender inequality in unpaid work persists. While there has been some progress in bridging the gender gap over the last few decades, recent research indicates that this progress has stalled and, in some cases, even reversed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This session invited papers that critically investigate the realities of gender inequality in unpaid work. We welcomed both theoretical and empirical work that delves into the division of unpaid work within heterosexual and same-sex households, going beyond conventional resource-based explanations. We were particularly interested in submissions that critically engage with research on time use. Overall, the session will provide a forum for scholarly discussion among researchers studying unpaid work within Canadian sociology.