The Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences is an annual gathering of scholars, students, policymakers and practitioners to exchange ideas and nurture groundbreaking research. This year's Congress is being held at Concordia University in Montreal, with "connected understanding" as its overriding theme.

Jackie Duffin is History of Medicine Chair at Queen's University. Meryn Stuart is Director of Nursing History Research at the University of Ottawa. On May 29th at the Congress, they spoke about the challenges historically faced by women in the medical profession. Their lecture, "Feminization of Canadian Medicine: Voices from the Second Wave," looked at the achievements of individual women in the field, based on first-hand accounts.

This lecture was recorded by Yuxi Chen.

The Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences is an annual gathering of scholars, students, policymakers and practitioners to exchange ideas and nurture groundbreaking research. This year's Congress is being held at Concordia University in Montreal, with "connected understanding" as its overriding theme.

Alessandra Capperdoni is a professor of English at Simon Fraser University. Her research focuses on the relationships between literature, modernity, gender, and theories of spatiality. Her May 29th lecture on "Space, Culture and the Ecocritical Imagination" explored the complex relation to space that can be observed in post-colonial speaking and writing, with the life and work of assassinated Nigerian leader Ken Saro-Wiwa as an example.

This lecture was recorded by Sven Carlsson.

The Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences is an annual gathering of scholars, students, policymakers and practitioners to exchange ideas and nurture groundbreaking research. This year's Congress is being held at Concordia University in Montreal, with "connected understanding" as its overriding theme.

Tabitha Marshall is a military historian specializing in the areas of health and medicine. Her May 29th lecture, "Shrapnel and Sirocco: The No.15 Canadian General Hospital in Northern Africa," provides insight into the work done by the hospital during World War II. In particular, she references the diary and letters of Colonel J.R.D. Farmer, its Commanding Officer.

This lecture was recorded by Yuxi Chen.

Resistance Across Borders was held March 2nd in Toronto, as an opportunity to encourage understanding about Canada's involvement in war, as well as the implications of international conflict on security and borders. The event was organized by the Council of Canadians and CODEPINK, with rabble.ca as media sponsor. Its keynote speaker was Colonel Ann Wright, who was banned from entering Canada after leaving the US Army in 2003 because of her disagreement with the war in Iraq. The MC for Resistance Across Borders was Andrea Peloso, coordinator for CODEPINK in Toronto. Speakers: Stuart Trew, Trade Campaigner for the Council of Canadians Patrick Hart, Iraq War Resister Col. Ann Wright Questions: Col. Ann Wright hears audience comments Graciela Flores, No One Is Illegal

This edition of the podcast features the second part of the Diversity of Tactics panel held Feb. 20 at downtown Vancouver's W2 Community Media Arts Centre, to discuss and reflect on the effectiveness of varied protest methods in light of those used during the Olympics.

Put on by rabble.ca and Working TV, the event featured StopWar.ca activist and writer Derrick O'Keefe and No One Is Illegal activist and writer Harsha Walia. The panel was moderated by Charlie Smith, editor for The Georgia Straight, and was followed by a Q&A and audience discussion on the criticisms and benefits of a diversity of protest tactics.

Methods of protest vary, and there has been much discussion between Canadians lately about certain methods employed by demonstrators at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. After media denounced the destruction of property, including the smashing of a Hudson Bay Company window, some activists have suggested that such strategies could harm the greater cause. Others believe that by criticizing diversity of tactics, the movement's solidarity is undermined.

On Saturday, Feb. 20, at the W2 Community Media Arts Centre in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, rabble.ca and Working TV co-hosted a public discussion on the topic. StopWar.ca activist and writer, Derrick O'Keefe questioned a diversity of tactics. No One is Illegal activist and writer Harsha Walia expressed its benefits.

Please stay tuned for audio from the second half of the event, which consisted of a Q&A with O'Keefe and Walia, followed by audience discussion.

Click here for Part 2 of the discussion.

While the state of the economy has left a lot of people questioning the security of their pensions, the Canadian Labour Congress sees it to be an opportunity for progressive pension reform.

Its "Retirement Security for All" campaign is calling for increased public pensions and workplace pension protection. At CUPE's national pension trustee training session, the CLC's national representative, Joel Harden, described the agenda for action.