Subcommittees
The Executive Committee has the power to create and disband subcommittees but must seek approval from the membership for official status and representation on the Executive Committee. The Association has considered the needs and concerns of the membership to create and define the subcommittees below.
Those serving on a subcommittee must be members of the Canadian Sociological Association. They may be elected by the CSA membership for a three-year term or appointed by the Executive Committee for a one-year term. Each subcommittee selects a chair who will then attend meetings as part of the Executive Committee.
- Anti-Islamophobia Subcommittee
2024-2025 Subcommittee members
Nadiya Ali, Trent University (Co-Chair)
Ayesha Mian Akram, University of Calgary (Co-Chair)
Lucy El-Sherif, McMaster University
Leila Benhadjoudja, University of Ottawa
Muna Saleh, Concordia University
Established in June 2023.
This subcommittee was proposed by members of the Association to draw attention to Bill 21 in Quebec, passed in 2019 and upheld in 2021, which “bars public school teachers, police officers, judges and government lawyers, among other civil servants in positions of authority, from wearing religious symbols — such as hijabs, crucifixes or turbans — while at work” (Rukavina CBC, Aug 04, 2022). A range of collective action against the Bill on claims of racism, discrimination, and Islamophobia by a coalition of organizations serving minoritized groups effected by the bill has garnered national attention. These efforts have included legal challenges by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), a national human rights and civil liberties organization, as well as Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) (CBC News, Nov 07, 2022).
With attention to the context of state-led Islamophobia and racism perpetuated by the Bill 21 and the escalation of Islamophobia in Canada, this subcommittee is tasked with working with community organizations to address concerns of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism. The most urgent task will involve working closely with the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) to ensure the safety and wellbeing of members as they engage with and attend CSA conferences at Congress.
The mandate of the Subcommittee includes:
• Bring current and emerging issues of concern dealing with Islamophobia and Anti- Muslim Racism to the attention of the Association.
• Take a decidedly critical intersectional approach to Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Racism with attention to Gendered Islamophobia and Anti-Black Islamophobia.
• Represent the Association on external committees dealing with Islamophobia and Anti- Muslim Racism issues as relevant.
• Communicate anti-Islamophobic resources to the membership that will serve to make CSA a more inclusive and engaging space for all sociologists.
• Regularly work to amplify and support community efforts of combatting Islamophobia, both in academia and more broadly.
• Incorporate initiatives to resolve systemic racism into the regular business of the Association and annual conferences.
• Assign members to other Association committees (e.g., Awards, Nominations, etc.) if deemed appropriate.
• Organize special sessions on Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Racism at the annual conference and other meetings.
- Black Caucus
2024-2025 Subcommittee members
Johanne Jean-Pierre, York University (Co-Chair)
Giselle Thompson, University of Alberta (Co-Chair)
Alana Butler, Queen's University
Natalie Delia Deckard, University of Windsor
Julius Haag, University of Toronto
Oceane Jasor, Concordia University
An ad hoc committee was formed by the Executive Committee in 2020 and was ratified as an official subcommittee by the membership at the 2021 Annual General Meeting.
This subcommittee has a minimum of three members and a maximum of six members as elected by the membership. One of these members should be a graduate student who will hold a cross-appointed position on the Student Concerns Subcommittee.
The members of the subcommittee choose the chair (who sits on the Executive Committee). Additional consultative members may be appointed by the subcommittee, with the approval of the Executive Committee, to develop policy, participate in programs or initiatives, and take action in special areas or regions, as required.
The mandate of the committee includes;
• Bring current and emerging issues of concern dealing with anti-Black racism to the attention of the Association
• Represent the Association on external committees dealing with anti-Black racism issues as relevant and with the approval of the Executive Committee
• Communicate relevant resources to the membership and broader community through the Association
• Incorporate initiatives to resolve systemic racism into the regular business of the Association and annual conferences
• Assign members to other Association committees (e.g. Awards, Conference Program, Nominations, etc) if deemed appropriate
• Organize special sessions on anti-Black racism issues at the annual conference and/or as part of the Association webinar series
- Decolonization Subcommittee
2024-2025 Subcommittee members
Sofia Locklear, Western University (Co-Chair)
Yvonne Sherwood, University of Toronto (Co-Chair)
Jennifer Adese, University of Toronto
Paul Pritchard, University of Toronto
An ad hoc committee was formed by the Executive Committee in 2018 and ratified as an official subcommittee by the membership at the 2019 Annual General Meeting. This subcommittee has a minimum of three members and a maximum of six members as elected by the membership. One of these members should be a graduate student who will hold a cross-appointed position on the Student Concerns Subcommittee.
The members of the subcommittee choose the chair (who sits on the Executive Committee). Additional consultative members may be appointed by the subcommittee, with the approval of the Executive Committee, to develop policy, participate in programs or initiatives, and take action in special areas or regions, as required.
The mandate of the committee includes;
• Bring current and emerging issues of concern dealing with reconciliation, decolonization and settler colonialism to the attention of the Association
• Represent the Association on external committees dealing with reconciliation issues as relevant and with the approval of the Executive Committee
• Communicate relevant resources to the membership and broader community through the Association
• Incorporate reconciliation initiatives into the regular business of the Association and annual conferences
• Assign members to other Association committees (e.g. Awards, Conference Program, Nominations, etc) if deemed appropriate
• Organize special sessions on Decolonization issues at the annual conference and/or as part of the Association webinar series
- Equity Issues Subcommittee
2024-2025 Subcommittee members
Jessica Braimoh, York University (Chair)
Kristen Hardy, University of Winnipeg and Brandon University
Mathieu Lizotte, University of Ottawa
Foroogh Mohammadi, Acadia University
This subcommittee has a minimum of three members and a maximum of six members as elected by the membership. One of these members should be a graduate student who will hold a cross-appointed position on the Student Concerns Subcommittee.
The members of the subcommittee choose the chair (who sits on the Executive Committee). Additional consultative members may be appointed by the subcommittee, with the approval of the Executive Committee, to develop policy, participate in programs or initiatives, and take action in special areas or regions, as required.
The mandate of this subcommittee;
• Bring current and emerging issues of concern dealing with equity and injustice to the attention of the association and members
• Communicate relevant resources to the membership and broader community through the Association
• Assign members to other Association committees (Awards, Conference Program, Nominations, etc) if deemed appropriate
• Organize special sessions on Equity issues at the annual conference and/or as part of the Association webinar series
- Francophone Affairs Subcommittee
2024-2025 Subcommittee members
Guillaume Durou, University of Alberta - Président
Charles Berthelet, Université du Québec à Montréal
Marie-Christine Brault, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
Michelle Landry, Université de Moncton
Myriame Martineau, Université du Québec à Montréal
Audrey Rousseau, Université du Québec en Outaouais
Elka Winter, University of Ottawa
In 2022, the Executive Committee and membership approved this subcommittee in an effort to improve engagement with Francophone sociologists and promote greater visibility of French-language sociological work within the Canadian Sociological Association.
The subcommittee will have between three and six members as elected by the membership. The Chair (chosen by members of the subcommittee) becomes a member of the Executive Committee. Additional consultative members may be appointed by the subcommittee, with the approval of the Executive Committee to develop policy or take action in special areas or regions, as required.
The mandate of the committee includes:
•Bring to the attention to current and emerging issues of concerns faced by French-speaking faculty, students, graduates and postdoctoral researchers
•To support the Association in the promotion and enhancement of sociological research conducted in French as well as Association activities that take place in French
•Incorporate French-language initiatives into the regular business of the Association and annual conferences
•Organize and oversee the promotion and adjudication of the Prix d’excellence en sociologie de langue française
•Represent the Association on external committees dealing with French-speaking sociologists, sociological studies in French, and sociological research conducted in French
- Justice for Palestine Subcommittee
2024-2025 Subcommittee members
Katie MacDonald, Athabasca University (Co-Chair)
Chris Powell, Toronto Metropolitan University (Co-Chair)
Sonia D’Angelo, York University
Alla Konnikov, Concordia University of Edmonton
Pedrom Nasiri, University of Calgary
- Mohammed Nijim, Carleton University
In 2024, the Executive Committee and membership approved this subcommittee to serve as a dedicated platform for comprehensive research, dialogue, and advocacy, focusing on acts of scholasticide, genocide, and systemic violence in Palestine. The subcommittee will address the systematic destruction of educational institutions and cultural heritage, which undermines the intellectual and cultural foundations of Palestinian society. The subcommittee will work to prevent atrocities and support affected Palestinian scholars and students. The subcommittee will also explore the complexities of Palestinian liberation and Israel’s ongoing settler-colonial practices, aiming to promote justice, peace, and human rights. Through these efforts, the subcommittee will enhance the Canadian sociological community's role in global human rights advocacy, informed policy-making, and educational initiatives, thereby fostering social justice and the protection of cultural heritage in Palestine.
The subcommittee will have between three and six members as elected by the membership. The Chair (chosen by members of the subcommittee) becomes a member of the Executive Committee. Additional consultative members may be appointed by the subcommittee, with the approval of the Executive Committee to develop policy or take action in special areas or regions, as required.
The mandate of the committee includes:
•Mobilizing knowledge and resources for the membership to address scholasticide, settler-colonialism, and Zionist occupation in Palestine.
•Fostering collaboration and partnerships with academic institutions, organizations, and community groups dedicated to addressing scholasticide in Palestine, including, but not limited to, reporting on initiatives aimed at strengthening the scholastic and pedagogical rights and opportunities for Palestinian scholars and students.
•Strengthening links with and supporting Palestinian scholars and students.
•Advancing support for the academic freedom of all sociologists and sociology students targeted for their scholarship and activism in support of the Palestinian struggle.
•Reporting on the state of educational initiatives in Canadian universities on anti-Palestinian racism, genocide, and de-colonization.
•Bringing current and emerging issues of concern dealing with anti-Palestinian racism and scholasticide to the attention of the Association.
•Working in ways that complement and connect with other anti-racist struggles, including (but not limited to) struggles against Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, anti-Black racism, and Canadian settler colonialism.
• Assign members to other Association committees (e.g. Awards, Conference Program, Nominations, etc) if deemed appropriate
• Organize special sessions on subcommittee mandated issues at the annual conference and/or as part of the Association webinar series
- Public Engagement and Professional Concerns Subcommittee
2024-2025 Subcommittee members
Eloy Rivas Sanchez, Athabasca University (Chair)
Tom Buchanan, Mount Royal University
Suzanne McMurphy, University of Windsor
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.
This subcommittee has three members as elected by the membership while the members of the subcommittee choose the Chair (who sits on the Executive Committee). Additional consultative members may be appointed by the subcommittee, with the approval of the Executive Committee, to develop policy, participate in programs or initiatives, and take action in special areas or regions, as required.
The mandate of this subcommittee includes;
• 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, if deemed appropriate
• Knowledge sharing through virtual events, website resources, and Conference sessions
- Research Advisory Subcommittee
2024-2025 Subcommittee members
Kara Brisson-Boivin, MediaSmarts (Chair)
Melanie Heath, McMaster University
Timothy Kang, University of Saskatchewan
This subcommittee has a minimum of three members and a maximum of six members as elected by the membership. Additional consultative members may be appointed by the Subcommittee, with the approval of the Executive Committee, to develop policy, participate in programs or initiatives, and take action in special areas or regions, as required.
The mandate of this subcommittee includes;
• Convey issues regarding research and data as relevant to the Association.
• Recommend an Association position on proposals for social science research priorities from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.• Assign members to other Association committees, if deemed appropriate
• Knowledge sharing through virtual events, website resources, and Conference sessions
- Student Concerns Subcommittee
2024-2025 Subcommittee members
J Overholser, University of Calgary (Chair)
Rezvaneh Erfani Hossein Pour, University of Alberta
Sara Hormozinejad, University of Toronto
Shayan Morshedi, Memorial University
Michelle Nadon Bélanger, University of Toronto
Alhan Yazdani, University of Calgary
Learn more about this Subcommittee and their activities
This subcommittee includes three elected members representing Canada’s regions: Western (BC, AB, SK, MB), Central (ON, QC), and Eastern (NB, NL, NS, PEI). Three additional elected members will hold cross-appointed positions on this subcommittee representing (and liaising between) the Black Caucus, Decolonization and Equity Subcommittees.
The members of the subcommittee choose the Chair (who sits on the Executive Committee). Additional consultative members may be appointed by the subcommittee, with the approval of the Executive Committee, to develop policy, participate in programs or initiatives, and take action in special areas or regions, as required.
The mandate of the subcommittee includes;
• Identify priorities with respect to issues affecting students
• Advise on student funding programs and assist with adjudication
• Stimulate and facilitate communication among students
• Membership on Association initiatives supporting students
• Membership on the Awards Committees
• Knowledge sharing through virtual events, website resources, and Conference sessions