Public Engagement and Professional Concerns Subcommittee
2026-2027 Subcommittee members
Tom Buchanan, Mount Royal University - Co-Chair and member of the CSA Executive Committee
Andrey Kasimov, Toronto Metropolitan University - Co-Chair and member of the CSA Executive Committee
Elahe Nezhadhossein, University of New Brunswick, Saint John
Cindy Sinclair, University of Toronto
The previous Policy, Ethics, and Professional Concerns Subcommittee has been redefined (September 2024) to improve engagement with non-academic sociologists and those working in non-profit, corporate, or government sectors as well as promote public sociology. It will also continue to bring attention to concerns arising from working or studying in sociology.
Mandate:
• Collaborate with non-academic publics to promote public sociology
• Support the work of public- and community-engaged sociologists
• Engage in outreach with the membership about issues they face working or studying in the discipline of sociology and communicating these issues to the EC to help set priorities for the work of the CSA
• Assign members to other Association committees (e.g. Awards, Conference Program, Nominations, etc)
• Knowledge sharing through virtual events, website resources, and Conference sessions
Subcommittee News
Coming soon
Subcommittee Activities
Members:
Tom Buchanan, Mount Royal University - Co-chair and member of the CSA Executive Committee
Andrey Kasimov, Toronto Metropolitan University - Co-chair and member of the CSA Executive Committee
Elahe Nezhadhossein, University of New Brunswick
The following activities were undertaken by the Subcommittee in 2024-2025:
1. Meetings
The 2025-2026 committee met three times to discuss initiatives for the year. In consultation with Sherry Fox and committee members, it was decided that the committee would have co-chairs (Andrey Kasimov & Tom Buchanan).
2. Webinar
Title: Committing Sociology beyond Academia: A Conversation with Drs. Jyoti Gondek and Guang Ying Mo. Delivered February 24, 2026.
3. Service
Tom Buchanan represented the Subcommittee on the Nominations Committee. Also, Tom met with President Mark Stoddard and Sherry Fox to discuss proposed changes to Governance structure. One of the co-chairs attended all executive committees and participated in all executive voting processes.
Members:
Eloy Rivas-Sanchez, Athabasca University - Chair and member of the CSA Executive Committee
Suzanne McMurphy, University of Windsor
Tom Buchanan, Mount Royal University
The following activities were undertaken by the Subcommittee in 2024-2025:
1. CSA Annual Conference
(PEP1) Committing Sociology for the Common Good: Bridging the gap between academia and public engagement
Moderator: Eloy Rivas-Sanchez, Athabasca University
Invited Panelists: Suzanne McMurphy, Lourdes Taan, and Hannah Adams, University of Windsor;
Camilo Tamayo Gomez, University of Huddersfield; and Tom Buchanan, Mount Royal University
2. Committee Service
Eloy Rivas-Sanchez represented the Subcommittee on the Awards Committee: Early Investigator Award and Outstanding Contribution to Sociology.
3. Research on Public Sociology
Suzanne McMurphy, member of this subcommittee conducted research across Canada exploring engagement of Canadian sociologists, including students of sociology, in the practice of public sociology. Insights from this research project will be presented in (PEP1) Committing Sociology for the Common Good: Bridging the gap between academia and public engagement public sociology.
We hope that insights of this research will help define activities conducted by the new members of this Committee (2025-2026).
4. Consulting and planning activities to promote the practice of Public Sociology
The Public Engagement and Professional Concerns (PEPC) Subcommittee organized meetings with the American Sociological Association Sociologists Working Everywhere Group to discuss public sociology initiatives in the USA and other parts of the world. ASA sociologist Augusto Diana provided insights which we hope will help the planning of public sociology initiatives that this Subcommittee will carry out in the period 2025-2026.
5. Changes to the name and mandate of PEPC
The Subcommittee proposed to update the name and mandate of (Policy, Ethics, and Professional Concerns Subcommittee) PEPC to re-focus the Subcommittee on public sociology and active outreach with the CSA membership. This amendment was based on an exhaustive examination on the advocacy policies of a sample of other Sociological associations. Based on the results of this research, PEPC provided the EC with a background document and a list of issues for consideration. The Executive Committee approved this amendment. The subcommittee changed name and mandate. The current name Public Engagement and Professional Concerns (PEPC) Subcommittee and activities reflect this amendment.
Members:
Augustine Park, Carleton University - Chair and member of the CSA Executive Committee
Eloy Rivas-Sanchez, Athabasca University
Ronjon Paul Datta, University of Windsor (until 31 December 2023) and
Suzanne McMurphy, University of Windsor (starting 1 January 2024).
The following activities were undertaken by the Subcommittee in 2023-2024:
i. CSA Annual Conference
• (PEP1) Decolonizing Research Ethics
Invited panel co-organised with the Decolonisation Subcommittee
Invited Panelists: Chelsea Gabel (McMaster University), Bobby Henry (University of Saskatchewan), Michael Hart (University of Calgary), Elizabeth Carlson-Manathara (Laurentian University), and Kahente Horn-Miller (Carleton University).
• (PEP2) Let’s Talk About Professional Engagement
Organised social event to understand the barriers members experience to becoming more actively involved with the CSA.
ii. Webinar
Challenging Colonial and Racialized Inequities in Higher Education
The PEPC organised a well-attended webinar with the Black Caucus and the Equity Issues Subcommittee.
Moderator: Eloy Rivas Sanchez, Athabasca University
Panelists:
Kerry Bailey, McMaster University
Alana Butler, Queen's University
Beverly-Jean Daniel, Toronto Metropolitan University
Shirley Anne Tate, University of Alberta
iii. Committee Service
Members of PEPC Subcommittee served on the following CSA committees;
• Nominations Committee – Suzanne McMurphy
• Best Student Paper Award Committee – Eloy Rivas Sanchez
• Early Investigator Award Committee – Augustine Park
• Global Sociology Book Award Committee – Augustine Park
• Outstanding Contribution Award Committee – Eloy Rivas Sanchez
iv. Proposed changes to the name and mandate of PEPC
The Subcommittee proposed to update the name and mandate of Policy, Ethics, and Professional Concerns (PEPC) to re-focus the Subcommittee on public sociology and active outreach with the CSA membership. The Executive Committee continues deliberation on this item.
v. Advocacy policy
PEPC was directed by the Executive Committee (EC) to examine the CSA’s advocacy policy and consider changes. PEPC undertook research on the advocacy policies of a sample of other Sociological associations. Based on this research, PEPC provided the EC with a background document and a list of issues for consideration. PEPC did not propose changes to the advocacy policy but suggested to the EC that the CSA could consider discussing changes to the advocacy policy. Areas for potential discussion include broadening the issues in relation to which the CSA advocates and updating to the process for deciding to advocate on a particular issue. PEPC recommends that the advocacy policy and the advocacy request process be made more accessible on the CSA’s website.
Members:
Ronjon Paul Datta, University of Windsor - Chair and member of the CSA Executive Committee
Augustine Park, Carleton University
Eloy Rivas-Sánchez, Athabasca University
1. Activities of the Subcommittee
The main activities undertaken by the subcommittee over the past year are: 1). planning and organizing a panel for the 2023 Annual Conference of the Canadian Sociological Association; 2). postering exchanges about challenges and ethical dilemmas facing sociologists as workers, activists, and public servants, in addition to their role as researchers, educators, and administrators; 3). discussing ways to clarify the mandate and expectations of PEPC; 4). preparing inaugural blog posts relevant to PEPC; and 5). contributing to other CSA committees.
2. Recommendations to the CSA
The Chair made three policy suggestions for the CSA Executive to consider: 1). creating a “Researcher” or “Research Affiliate” title, available to members who are precariously employed, between postdoctoral fellowships, etc., so that they can maintain some official institutional affiliation and identity for professional purposes; 2). consider “Regional Meetings” to augment or replace the Annual Conferences to foster more regular, affordable, and proximate collegial exchanges among the membership; and 3). consider a Forensic Audit of the Association.
Concerning organization and direction, the Subcommittee encourages the CSA to include language about publicly-engaged sociology, social policy, and activism in the Subcommittee’s mandate (cf. p. 10 of the Association Handbook, CSA, June 2022). Since the mandate, as written, can tend to an amorphous interpretation, it would also be useful to include more specific direction such as:
The PEPC shall endeavour to meet at 3 times over the year, or more as may be deemed necessary by the PEPC members: once early in the Fall to discuss ideas, required membership on the Awards Committee, and priorities (e.g., blog posts, webinar topics, etc.); once in January to finalize the Annual Meeting PEPC Panel; and during the Annual Meetings. The PEPC shall also endeavour to contribute topical reports, blog posts, a webinar, and/or periodic reviews of, and recommended revisions to, CSA policy documents under its own initiative, or at the request of the CSA Executive.
3. CSA Annual Conference Session for 2023:
This panel will discuss matters of significant professional concern surrounding research ethics administration (following on the excellent 2022 work on the updated CSA “Statement of Professional Ethics”), union membership, and ways to link academic and professional expertise to social justice activism. The presentations speak to issues of: academic governance (e.g., the powers of a university senate); faculty responsibilities and empowerment; conflicts of interest; balancing teaching, research and service; the risks and rewards of advocacy within and beyond the academy; and a broad notion of “service,” mindful of the complexities and contradictions traversing the constitution of publics.
Chair: Ronjon Paul Datta, The University of Windsor
4. Forthcoming: PEPC Blog
To foster exchanges and reflection on policy, ethics, and professional concerns and to share resources, the subcommittee is preparing blog posts to be published in suitable CSA venues (e.g., website and Bulletin). The topics include professionalism, the ethical dilemmas of aspiring to academic administration and leadership, and sociology and activism.
5. Contributions to Other CSA Committees
As is conventional, members of the PEPC contributed to other CSA committees. As Chair, Dr. Datta served on the CSA Executive and on an ad hoc subcommittee on CSA finance. Dr. Eloy Rivas- Sánchez served as a Best Student Paper and Outstanding Contribution Awards Committee adjudicator, and Dr. Augustine Park on the Early Investigator and Nominations Awards Committee adjudicator.
Members:
Qiang Fu, University of British Columbia - Chair and member of the CSA Executive Committee
Johanne Jean-Pierre, Ryerson University
Augustine Park, Carleton University
The main activities undertaken by the subcommittee this past year are: (1) planning and organizing a session at the 2022 annual conference of the Canadian Sociological Association; (2) organizing, planning, and moderating a CSA webinar on Ukraine; (3) moderating a CSA webinar on career pathways of sociology graduate students; (4) contributing to other CSA committees.
1. CSA Annual Conference session:
The future of sociological research in Canada within a diverse, rapidly changing, and transformative society
Chair: Qiang Fu, University of British Columbia
2. Webinars:
With the support from the CSA executive committee, the PEPC planned, organized, and moderated a webinar on Russian invasion of Ukraine. Four sociologists from Ukraine and Canada have contributed to the webinar. They are: Dr. Yuliya Bidenko (Karazin University in Kharkiv, Ukraine), Dr. Tamara Martsenyuk (University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Ukraine), Dr. Victor Satzewich (McMaster University), and Dr. Jeffrey Stepnisky (MacEwan University).
ii. Career Pathways of Sociology Graduate Students
We have moderated a CSA webinar on career pathways of sociology graduate students in Canada, which was based on a survey project initiated by Dr. Karen Foster and Alyssa Gerhardt at Dalhousie University.
3. Contributing to other CSA committees:
Members of the PEPC have contributed to different committees at CSA. Johanne Jean-Pierre has chaired the 'Prix d'excellence en sociologie de langue française' committee. Qiang Fu has served on the Global Sociology Award and Outstanding Contribution Award committees. Augustine Park has served on Best Student Paper Award and Early Investigator Award committees.
Members:
Rochelle Côté, Memorial University of Newfoundland - Chair and member of the CSA Executive Committee
Qiang Fu, University of British Columbia
Johanne Jean-Pierre, Ryerson University
The activities undertaken by the subcommittee this past year are as follows: (1) substantive revisions and updating of the CSA Statement of Professional Ethics; (2) draft policy on writing statements for tragic events; (3) Hosting of (Re)Prioritizing Pedagogic Feedback: Faculty Experiences with Qualitative Comments from Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETS) webinar presentation and question period; (4) sponsoring of CSA annual meeting session proposals.
1. Revisions and updates to CSA Statement of Professional Ethics.
At the request of the CSA executive, we updated the Statement of Professional Ethics (2012) to reflect updates to language, better reflection of the TCPS-2, working with different communities and researcher responsibilities. At the writing of this report, the statement is currently before the executive committee for approval.
2. Draft policy on writing statements for tragic events
At the request of the CSA executive, we drafted a policy on advocacy statements to guide the executive committee on how to write statements regarding a specific tragedy or crisis.
3. Hosting of SETs Report webinar
On September 29 , 2020, the CSA hosted a webinar for members to introduce and discuss the findings from the (Re)Prioritizing Pedagogic Feedback: Faculty Experiences with Qualitative Comments from Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETS) report. Dr. Côté chaired the webinar, and Dr. Lisa Kowalchuk presented the findings from the co-authored study and answered questions from the floor. A copy of the report, recording and transcript of the webinar are available on the CSA website.
4. CSA Annual Conference
With Covid-19 halting much activity, the decision was made to cancel the 2020 annual meeting. At the time, our committee had agreed to support two sessions with the idea that we would support these sessions for the 2021 conference. Our committee is pleased to co- sponsor three sessions for the upcoming 2021 annual Conference:
i. Why don’t Canadian sociologists conduct more ethnographies and how should they go about it?
ii. Beyond equity policy: Searching for institutional procedures and practices that support Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) faculty
iii. “We are dropping like flies”: The professional and physiological implications of doing equity work