May 1, 2020 by
Jovana Jankovic - A&S News
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect our community and the world, scholars from a range of disciplines across the Faculty of Arts & Science are sharing their expertise on pressing issues in the media — from the mental and physical effects of social isolation to teaching students about the history of past pandemics.
Here’s some of what A&S scholars had to say this week.
April 30, 2020
- Lynette Ong, associate professor in the Department of Political Science and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, comments on the controversial actions of the World Health organization during China’s early reporting of the COVID-19 outbreak in a CBC News article. Ong remarks that the WHO aimed to foster a diplomatic relationship with China while not being “too deferential and too friendly.”
- Rafael Gomez, associate professor and director of the Centre for Industrial Relations & Human Resources, participates in a panel on TVO’s The Agenda about the pandemic’s effects on small- and medium-sized businesses. “Small businesses are very resilient,” says Gomez, remarking on the creativity of entrepreneurs. But under the current service lockdown, “they don’t have room to be creative.”
April 29, 2020
- Assistant Professor Sean Speer of the Munk School is featured in a National Post article about Canadian economic policy in light of the pandemic and a changing global context. Formerly an advisor to Stephen Harper during his time as prime minister, Speer has co-authored a new report that advocates for bold policy responses to challenging new geo-economic realities.
- Professor Janelle Taylor of the Department of Anthropology is featured in a KUOW Seattle radio segment about the mental and physical effects of social isolation. “Human beings are social creatures,” says Taylor. We are now realizing “how much we care about and rely on opportunities to connect with people. It’s pretty profound.”
April 27, 2020
- Alex Luscombe, a PhD student in the Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies, comments in a Global News article on fines issued to citizens disobeying public health guidelines in public places. Luscombe points out that “staying home is a luxury not everyone can afford.” Luscombe and his collaborators’ “Policing the Pandemic” project has received media coverage in multiple outlets over the last few weeks.
- Professor Nelson Wiseman of the Department of Political Science is quoted in a London Free Press article about what university classrooms might look like next fall. “There will definitely be classes; the question is: Will they be online? Nobody knows,” says Wiseman.
April 26, 2020
- Albert Berry, professor emeritus at the Munk School and in the Department of Economics, is quoted in a Toronto Star article on the economic recovery of tourism- and remittance-dependent countries like Jamaica, whose economies rely heavily on investment and travel from Canada and the U.S.
April 25, 2020
- Christopher Parsons, a senior researcher with the Citizen Lab at the Munk School, comments on CBC Radio’s The House on the possibility of people falsifying COVID-19 immunity status in order to re-enter society. “How do we build social policies to ensure that people aren't tempted to cheat the applications or generate false presentations of immunity certificates?” asks Parsons.
April 24, 2020
- Matti Siemiatycki, an associate professor in the Department of Geography & Planning and interim director of the School of Cities, comments on COVID-19’s impacts on Toronto in a CTV News article. From parks and recreation to work, transit, shopping and more, Siemiatycki says Toronto will change in both positive and negative ways.
- Paul Gooch, former president of Victoria College and professor emeritus in the Department of Philosophy, writes op-ed in the Globe and Mail (paywall) on various types of “masks” and why we wear them.
- Professor Miriam Diamond of the Department of Earth Sciences is quoted in the Toronto Star on why the COVID-19 pandemic is an opportune moment to reset our focus on battling climate change. “Climate change isn’t about saving the environment,” says Diamond. “It’s about saving society.”