The Conversation Canada’s award-winning podcast, “Don’t Call Me Resilient,” held a free live recording event at the University of British Columbia on March 5th, exploring the vital role universities play amid global crises and threats to academic freedom.
Approximately 60 attendees gathered at the Dodson Room in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, to engage with pressing issues facing higher education in the recent political climate.
Hosted by journalist and podcast producer Vinita Srivastava, the talk featured UBC education professors Annette Henry and Michelle Stack. The discussion tackled themes of systemic racism, political interference in academia, and the critical importance of public universities as spaces for dissent and innovation in a time when these institutions are increasingly under scrutiny, drawing a parallel to the various crackdowns on universities in the U.S. in recent months.
Henry emphasized that universities must actively safeguard spaces for free inquiry, highlighting their role as critical engines of social justice. She also talked about the different experiences of students of color and international students and the different struggles they face when coming to Global North universities.
Stack underscored the pressure on universities to balance financial survival with maintaining robust academic freedoms, urging institutions to resist external pressures to limit critical research.
The talk was followed by an open Q&A session that allowed audience members to voice their concerns and perspectives. Guests’ questions revolved around themes of collective anxiety about recent trends toward restricting academic freedom globally.
These discussions underscored universities’ potential as powerful catalysts for positive social change, emphasizing the need for solidarity in defending academic freedom. The event marked a crucial moment for reflection and action within the Canadian higher education community.
The episode will be live on the Don’t Call Me Resilient podcast next month.