Arts and Social Sciences

At the United Nations, efforts to combat homophobic and transphobic discrimination have triggered clashes with states that challenge LGBT rights as a “legitimate” human right.

Canadian diplomat Dr. Douglas Victor Janoff examines these tensions and the reasons behind them in his book Queer Diplomacy: Homophobia, International Relations and LGBT Human Rights, which he will discuss at a talk at the University of Windsor on Thursday March 12.

By Lindsay Charlton

Which perspectives in academic publishing are amplified — and which are overlooked?

In its latest issue, the Journal of Critical Race, Indigeneity, and Decolonization (JCRID) highlights decolonization and marginalized voices while advancing what the editors call “knowledge globalization.”

“We tried to spread the geographic tentacles of this edition,” said chief editor Dr. Festus Moasun, a professor in the School of Social Work. “We included articles from Africa, South Asia, as well as North America.”

By Victor Romao

Not long after Soteara Kong began her undergraduate studies at the University of Windsor, she became part of a new chapter for the communications, media and film program.

She is among the program’s first students to move through the full co‑op education sequence — an opportunity she eagerly embraced as someone who enjoys stepping into new challenges and making the most of what her program offers.

“I’ve really enjoyed being able to apply my skills in real‑world settings,” said Kong.

By Kate Hargreaves 

With age comes a wealth of lived experience and a lifetime of growth and knowledge.  

Barriers created by a lack of accessibility, adaptability and connections in our homes and communities can, however, sometimes make the aging process unnecessarily challenging. 

By Kate Hargreaves 

Courtney Gilmour (BA ’12) is a two-time Juno-nominated stand-up comedian, a voice on PAW Patrol and a recent addition to the cast of Trailer Park Boys.  

She built that career the hard way — starting with zero comedy experience on a Windsor stage she had no business being on. 

Famed children’s book writer Christopher Paul Curtis will be taking on the role of writer in residence at the University of Windsor this month.

The Michigan-born author, whose work includes numerous magazine and journal articles along with eight books — including three he penned in Leddy Library — will return to campus Friday, March 6, where he will kick off his month-long residency with the writer in residence’s inaugural reading.

Curtis’s first novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, was released in 1995 and brought him immediate and well-deserved recognition.

By Kate Hargreaves 

With children’s literature becoming a flashpoint for controversy in both the United States and Canada, the question of who is represented in stories for kids and how those stories are told appears more urgent than ever. 

An upcoming colloquium hosted by the University of Windsor department of English will focus on precarity in children’s literature, examining the ways in which marginalized identities are represented in texts for children. 

By Kate Hargreaves 

Belonging has always been at the heart of everything University of Windsor alumna Joan Simpson (BSW ‘06, MSW ‘14) does. 

From supporting newcomers and those facing socioeconomic barriers to co-founding the Beauty is Me non-profit, Simpson’s work is all about empowerment and reminding people that they belong. 

It’s a drive that has been with Simpson since her youth.  

By Kate Hargreaves

For any musician, losing the ability to play their instrument sounds like a nightmare.

For Satoshi Yamaguchi, drummer for the Japanese rock band RADWIMPS, this became a reality while on a national concert tour in 2009.

Having developed musician’s dystonia, a rare neurological condition impacting his motor control, Yamaguchi continued to perform until 2015 when he made the decision to step away from drumming due to progressing symptoms.

The University of Windsor is leading a new initiative to improve the transferability of Francophone courses across Ontario universities.