A&S scholars sharing their expertise in the media

From a suggestion that Canada is the most European of all non-European countries, to the nation’s housing crisis, experts from a range of disciplines across the Faculty of Arts & Science are sharing their expertise on a variety of issues in the media.

Here’s some of what they had to say this week.

May 9, 2025

• Department of History and Munk School of Global Affairs & Public associate professor Timothy Sayle, along with David Soberman of the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, comment in the National Post (paywall) on former foreign affairs minister Mélanie Joly’s suggestion that Canada is the most European of all non-European countries.
• Tyeshia Redden, an assistant professor in the Department of Geography & Planning, and Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and Department of Political Science University Professor Janice Stein discuss in The National American scholars leaving the United States for Canada.
• Department of Linguistics professor emeritus J. K. Chambers is cited in the National Post (paywall) for explaining that the use of “Leafs” instead of “Leaves” for the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team is not a grammatical mistake, but plural usage of a proper noun.
• Department of Anthropology PhD candidate Stephanie Mayell in the Toronto Star (paywall) shares insights from a new report on the lack of housing standards for migrant workers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Department of History and St. Michael’s College professor Mark McGowan comments in Global News on the recent papal conclave and the process of choosing a new Pope.
• Randy Boyagoda, a professor in the Department of English, analyses Pope Leo XIV’s choices since becoming Pope in The Atlantic (paywall).

May 10, 2025

• Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy professor Marci Shore comments in the Financial Times (paywall) on French-American historian and philosopher René Girard’s views on Marxism.
• Mark McGowan, along with Darren Dias at the Regis St. Michael's Faculty of Theology, answer questions from listeners on CBC Radio’s Just Asking about the papal conclave choosing an American pope.
• Micah Freedman, an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, explains in NOW Toronto that Toronto’s spring swarms of midges are harmless and actually signal healthy freshwater ecosystems.

May 11, 2025

• Department of Psychology professor Morgan Barense notes in a CTVNews story that the increased brain connectivity observed in parents is linked to the caregiving aspect of parenthood.

May 12, 2025

• Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus in the Department of Political Science, comments in Global News on a recount following the recent federal election that came down to a difference of one single vote.
• School of Cities urbanist-in-residence Lanrick Bennett Jr. advocates in Spacing for Toronto to follow the lead of other Canadian cities and have a focused strategy for open streets that doesn’t prioritize only cars.
• Department of Economics associate professor Peter Morrow comments in Global News on the pause on tariffs between the U.S. and China.
• Drew Fagan, a professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, discusses Canada-U.S. trade on BNN Bloomberg and the impact of tariffs on global policies.

May 13, 2025

• Nelson Wiseman comments in the Globe and Mail (paywall) on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s appointment of 28 cabinet ministers and 10 secretaries of state.
• School of Cities adjunct professor Carolyn Whitzman discusses the rental housing market in Ontario on CBC Radio’s Ontario Today.

May 14, 2025

• Rafael Gomez, a professor and director of the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, analyzes the pause in contract talks between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in the Toronto Star.
• Nelson Wiseman comments on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s selections for cabinet ministers in the National Post (paywall).

May 15, 2025

• Carolyn Whitzman comments in CBC News on the Liberal Party’s recent campaign promises to address Canada’s housing crisis.