Blind Date with Knowledge

John McGarry

Canada Research Chair in Nationalism and Democracy and Professor, Department of Political Studies

Synopsis: Born in Belfast and educated at Trinity College Dublin, Dr. John McGarry is a highly decorated political scientist specializing in conflict resolution who received extensive international praise for his role in the Good Friday Agreement. He has acted as Senior Advisor on Governance to the United Nations-led negotiations in Cyprus, and he has advised on the conflict in Yemen as well. Dr. McGarry discusses the commonalities of injustice he has seen in ethnic conflicts and civil wars, as well as the forces behind a conflict’s instigation. One community often perceives itself as being repressed and discriminated against by the other community, leading them to be seen as “second-class citizens.” He also discusses the fair and balanced constitutional dispensation used Northern Ireland to successfully resolve the conflict between Catholic and Protestant communities. See John’s website for more information on his research

Laura Murray

Professor, Department of English Language and Literature

Synopsis: Dr. Laura Murray has published and taught extensively in Indigenous studies, US literature, copyright law, and cultural policy, and has been involved with community arts and political activism. She is also the Director of the Swamp Ward and Inner Harbour History Project, which is collecting stories through oral history and archival research to better understand the history of Kingston. In this episode, she discusses the benefits and challenges surrounding the use of oral history as an analytical tool, and how she is able to recruit community members for her project. Her project explores the history of the industrial Swamp Ward neighborhood and the diverse populations within it, and she describes how her research projects have come to fruition through community engagement and teaching. For more information, please visit Laura’s website or the SWIHHP website.