Search results for ""fernwood publishing""

Canada's next major challenge is not economic or political. It's ethical. On the issue of racism, Canadians tend to compare themselves favourably to Americans and to rely on a concession that Canadian racism, if it exists at all, is more "subtle." Is there a future time when newcomers and visible minorities will be enabled to feel like they belong in Canada? Or will they have to accept their experience as visitors to Canada no matter how long they have lived here? These are some of the questions Anthony Stewart tackles eloquently and with considerable wit.

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In The Disappearance of Criminal Law, Richard Jochelson and Kirsten Kramar examine the rationales underpinning Supreme Court of Canada cases that address the power of the police. These cases involve police power in relation to search, seizure and detention; an individual's right to silence, counsel and privacy; and the exclusion of evidence. Together these decisions can be understood as the rules by which good governments should act, and they serve to legitimate the actions of the police. Because there is no singular definition of "police powers," some argue that they do not exist, nor is there a specific theory about such powers, even though the term appears thousands of times in legal databases. Jochelson and Kramar illustrate the ways in which the Supreme Court, by allowing for increased surveillance and control by the state, is using the Charter to impose limitations on the rights of Canadians.

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The interconnections of natural resources, empire and labour run through the most central and conflict-ridden crises of our times: war, environmental degradation, impoverishment and plutocracy. Crucial to understanding and to changing the conditions that give rise to these crises is the critical study of resource development and, more broadly, the resources question, which is the subject of this volume. Intended for researchers, students and activists, the chapters in Resources, Empire and Labour illuminate key aspects of the resources question from a variety of angles through concrete analyses and histories focused on the extractive industries (mining, oil, gas). The chapters examine such issues as resource-dependency at the international, country and regional levels; the neglected role of metropolitanization; environmental impacts and limits; the colonial basis of and imperial patterns in today's globalized resource exploitation system; lessons of Indigenous and working-class resistance to corporate resource extraction; the importance of democratic control and public ownership; and new avenues in shifting the debate on resources and hinterlands.

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The Answer Is Still No is an important, urgent book that compiles interviews with people who live along the route of the proposed Enbridge pipeline in Northern British Columbia. The oil pipeline and supertankers - linking the tar sands of Alberta to the demand of the growing Asian market - are a key component of Canada's strategy of natural resource extraction. But for the people living along the proposed pipeline route, Enbridge poses a massive environmental risk, which threatens their way of life. This edited collection takes the passionate words and voices of twelve citizens and activists and results in one powerful position when it comes to blind economic development at the expense of our environment and communities: The answer is still "no." "The oil and gas industry has wanted into the west coast for decades. This is an ongoing struggle between the people who live here and have access to the marine resources now, the fish, and the industry, which wants in either for tanker traffic or offshore drilling. The government is on the oil industry side and they implement policies to weaken us." - Luanne Roth, Prince Rupert "[There is] is a great saying: 'If we don't speak for the animals, the fish and the birds, who will?' Simple, very simple, very to the point. And how could we give up something that our great-great-grandchildren will ask us one day 'Why don't we have this anymore? Why didn't you stop this then?' We don't have a right to let that happen." - John Ridsdale, Hereditary Chief Na'Moks, Office of the Wet'suwet'en

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Available for the first time in English, Ernesto Che introduces readers to this important figure's pedagogical thinking. One of Guevara's enduring contributions was his insistence that a new socialist society involved not only economic and political change, but also the creation of what he called "a new man." "Collectivism," says author Linda Turner Marti, "was considered by Che a very important part of the personality of the Cuban socialist man." Marti points out that in Che's vision "the education of every person is subjected not only to individual influences (teachers, parents, family and comrades) but above all to the influence of the collective, the social group, the environment, the media and others

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With the advent of Aboriginal street gangs such as Indian Posse, Manitoba Warriors, and Native Syndicate, Winnipeg garnered a reputation as the “gang capital of Canada.” Yet beyond the stereotypes of outsiders, little is known about these street gangs and the factors and conditions that have produced them. “Indians Wear Red” locates Aboriginal street gangs in the context of the racialized poverty that has become entrenched in the colonized space of Winnipeg’s North End. Drawing upon extensive interviews with Aboriginal street gang members as well as with Aboriginal women and elders, the authors develop an understanding from “inside” the inner city and through the voices of Aboriginal people – especially street gang members themselves.While economic restructuring and neo-liberal state responses can account for the global proliferation of street gangs, the authors argue that colonialism is a crucial factor in the Canadian context, particularly in western Canadian urban centres. Young Aboriginal people have resisted their social and economic exclusion by acting collectively as “Indians.” But just as colonialism is destructive, so too are street gang activities, including the illegal trade in drugs. Solutions lie not in “quick fixes” or “getting tough on crime” but in decolonization: re-connecting Aboriginal people with their cultures and building communities in which they can safely live and work.

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Inner City Renovation (ICR) is a much-heralded social enterprise in Winnipeg’s North End which has become an example of the potential for social enterprises to support people living on society’s margins and engage them in a productive livelihood. This book, written by former ICR general manager and board member Marty Donkervoort, documents the impacts this social enterprise has had on its employees and the community and reflects on the capacity of social enterprises as an alternative to corporate capitalist enterprises.

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Revitalizing the Classics is a lively introductory text that relates classical social theories to contemporary social events. This updated definition of “the classics” avoids the Eurocentrism and androcentrism of many textbooks of social theory by including both non-European and women social thinkers. Besides highlighting the work of Ibn Khaldun and first wave feminist scholars, this book utilizes interactive figures, original source sidebars and current illustrative examples to provide a critical alternative to the standard texts in the field. In the process, Tony Simmons shows just how relevant classical social theories are in our present world, offering us analysis and clarification of a range of issues, from war, poverty and environmental destruction, to the sensory overload experienced in the digital age and even our personal relationships and interactions. Social theories are helpful – even necessary – to help us understand and, most importantly, be critical of the issues, systems and institutions in our world today.Revitalizing the Classics introduces students to a wide range of classical theorists and applies their theories to present-day examples: thus Durkheim’s ideas are invoked to explore “anomie” in the digital world as well as the “altruistic” elements of suicide bombings in contemporary combat zones. Similarly, Ibn Khaldun’s concept of “asabiyya” is used to explain the tribal code of the Taliban; Marx is summoned to explain the ever-widening gap between the rich and poor in Canada and around the world; and Pareto is enlisted to describe the “circulation of elites” in post-communist and post-colonial societies. Other sections explore and analyze the global war on terrorism and the Arab Spring. The book also includes a glossary of key concepts, giving readers an instant explanation of major terms and ideas used in each chapter. The combination of accessible writing and contemporary analysis provides a text that will empower readers to theorize and analyze many current events for themselves.

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The Poetics of Land and Identity is about the meaning of land for the many diverse First Nations within British Columbia. The work offers a study of the folklore and symbolic traditions within many Aboriginal regions and illustrates how these traditions emphasize the importance of orality and poetics as the defining factor in the value of land. Christine J. Elsey offers a deft, scholarly discussion of these “storyscapes,” providing us with a point of access for understanding First Nations’ perspectives on the world and their land. She provides an important alternative to the monetary, exploitative, resource-driven view of nature and land ownership and highlights the conflicts between the colonial, Western perspective of nature and the holistic view of First Nations people.

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Through a series of interviews with workers in the automotive parts industry, Negotiating Risk argues that the restructuring of labour markets and welfare states, paired with firm-level work and management reorganization, has exposed working-class families to greater levels of job risk and insecurity. Focusing on workers in Canada and Mexico and using a gender and race analysis, this book paints a bleak portrait of the lives of working people, where workers and their families continually renegotiate the effects of neo-liberal economic and social change. These changes see individuals working harder, longer and travelling further from home to keep their jobs, while straining familial and community relations and eroding the basis for worker solidarity and collective action.

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When the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug’s traditional territory was threatened by mining exploration in 2006, they followed their traditional duty to protect the land and asked the mining exploration company, Platinex, to leave. Platinex left – and then sued the remote First Nation for $10 billion. The ensuing legal dispute lasted two years and eventually resulted in the jailing of community leaders. Ariss argues that though this jailing was extraordinarily punitive and is indicative of continuing colonialism within the legal system, some aspects of the case demonstrate the potential of Canadian law to understand, include and reflect Aboriginal perspectives. Connecting scholarship in Aboriginal rights and Canadian law, traditional Aboriginal law, social change and community activism, Keeping the Land explores the twists and turns of this legal dispute in order to gain a deeper understanding of the law’s contributions to and detractions from the process of reconciliation.

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High-performance sport, like other social and cultural formations, is a site of social, economic and racial inequalities emerging from larger histories of colonialism and capitalism. In this introductory text, the authors explore the nature of historical and contemporary social inequality in high-performance sport, both globally and locally - understanding high-performance sport as a model that is emulated on other sports fields. In addition, the authors examine the enduring appeal of high-performance sport and its role in the making of identity as well as high-performance sport as a site for resisting the forces of colonialism and capitalism.

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Focusing on how cities have been torn down and remade based on the needs of the automobile and wars are fought to keep fuel tanks filled, this consideration looks closely at the country's obsession with cars. The argument contends that the automobile's ascendance is inextricably linked to several factors-from capitalism and involved corporate malfeasance to political intrigue, backroom payoffs, and media manipulation. The discussion also cites the elements of racism, academic corruption, third world coups, secret armies, environmental destruction, and even war, stating that when the domination of cars is challenged, capitalism is as well. Comparing studies in more than a dozen U.S. cities, this gritty, anti-car, road-trip story provides a unique observation for all those who wish to escape the clutches of auto insanity.

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"The book is both timely and sorely needed. There is simply nothing like it. A brilliant and surprisingly clear analysis of the theory and practice of Canadian politics in the current conjuncture of capitalist development, the authors provide an exceptionally clear and most useful exposition of the forces at play, arising out of the propensity of capitalism towards crisis." Examining Canadian political and economic developments of the twenty-first century, Private Affluence, Public Austerity provides a systematic analysis of the dynamics of Canadian politics in the era of neoliberal globalization. Stephen McBride and Heather Whiteside conclude that, although the last three decades of neoliberal rule are characterized by recurrent crises, the system has proven to be resilient - even in the face of a severe recession. Canada's "business as usual" approach to the recent financial crisis, an approach that fails to challenge the policies that are fundamental to the system and culpable for the crisis, is striking. Through policies aimed at the dismantling of the welfare state, privatization and the reduction of the state's economic role - as well as an enthusiastic embrace of globalization and liberalized trade and investment regimes - the legacy of the Canadian political system is one of private affluence, public austerity and democratic decline.Private Affluence, Public Austerity asks us to consider the relationship between neoliberalism and crisis, and their role in democratic decline. What is the legacy of neoliberalism? It also asks the difficult questions: What is the future of neoliberalism? And what role will Canada play in charting the course of that future? This book offers an engaging and enlightening exploration of the theories of contemporary capitalism and reminds us that overcoming democratic malaise is a necessary first step on the path to change.

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Giving prominence to the voices of young people themselves, this study explores their attempts to exit street life-and looks at the supports and barriers that help or hinder them in this process. Youth between 16 and 24 are considered the fastest growing segment of the homeless population in Canada. While much has been written about street engagement and street culture, little attention has been paid to how youth move away from the street. From shelters and programs to mental health and drug use, this book examines the services that are available-and those that should be available-to help street youth find housing, income, and the strength needed to start a new life.

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An examination of poverty and homelessness in Halifax at the turn of 20th century, this book challenges the notion that the poor are deviants who are responsible for their own misfortune. Using public records and the stories of real people, the author breathes life into Halifax's most sordid neighborhoods-and reveals the humanity of people trying to make ends meet under difficult circumstances.

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Focusing on a 2001 Canadian news story that turned into a frantic rumor mill, this study analyses how media reporting on health issues often alarms the public, particularly when the race or immigration status of the sufferers is part of the coverage. In this case, a woman from the Congo was admitted to a hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, with a serious illness of unknown origin. Even though it was quickly determined that she did not carry the deadly Ebola virus, conjectures still spread through the Canadian media. Looking back at the event, this investigation conducts a content analysis of four major Canadian newspapers that carried the Hamilton story-as well as interviews with medical and other experts-and concludes that there was never any danger to the public.

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PPPs/P3s have become all the rage amongst every level of government in Canada in recent years. Proponents claim P3s reduce the costs of building and operating public projects and services,that projects and services are delivered more efficiently through the P3 model, so that in the end taxpayers are better off economically and as consumers of public goods. This book tests all of these claims, and more, finding them mostly empty, ideological assertions. Through an exhaustive series of case studies of P3s in Canada - from schools, bridges and water treatment plants to social services and hospital food - this book finds that most P3s are more costly to build and finance, provide poorer quality services and are less accessible than if they were built and operated by public servants. Moreover, many essential services are less accountable to citizens when private corporations are involved.

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Introducing a Muslim group in Canada that works to change attitudes toward Islam in their community, this study goes behind the scenes to look at the conflicts and dilemmas within the group itself, which is diverse in its view of the hijab and other practices. The conclusion shows that this team of Muslins has been very successful in developing several educational initiatives because of their own experience in negotiating internal differences in ways that did not fragment the group.

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Examining immigration within an international context, this discussion explores the complex issues surrounding immigrant workers. Based on the collaboration between a group of university-affiliated researchers and community organizations, this detailed study explores the policies regarding immigrants and presents an account of an advocacy group constantly striving to improve their rights. Documenting actual experiences in a variety of workplaces, this is a valuable guide to fighting against injustice without jeopardizing the status of international employees.

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Manufacturing Guilt, 2nd edition, updates the cases presented in the first edition and includes two new chapters: one concerning the case of James Driskell and another regarding Dr. Charles Smith, whose role in forensic pathology evidence led to several wrongful convictions. In this new edition, the authors demonstrate that the same factors at play in the criminalization of the powerless and marginalized are found in cases of wrongful conviction. Contrary to popular belief, wrongful convictions are not due simply to "unintended errors," but rather are too often the result of the deliberate actions of those working in the criminal justice system. Using Canadian cases of miscarriages of justice, the authors argue that understanding wrongful convictions and how to prevent them is incomplete outside the broader societal context in which they occur, particularly regarding racial and social inequality.

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Founded on 20 years of experience in women's shelters and sexual assault centers, this striking overview addresses the oppressive hierarchies and abuses of authority witnessed in these settings. From the separation between clients and management to an executive director misusing power, this study shows how the most egalitarian, community-based, healthy, and peaceful group of women can be destroyed by an agency managed according to male, corporate principles. Searching for answers to these issues, this shocking survey is a heartbreaking reminder of the burden many women still carry, even within the walls of established sanctuaries.

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The criminalization and penalization of poverty through increased surveillance and control of welfare recipients in recent years has led many poverty advocates to claim that "a war against the poor" is currently in progress. The authors argue that people of colour are most often the casualties in the governments' desire to roll back the welfare state. Relying on myths and stereotypes about racial difference, the enforcement and policing of welfare fraud policies constructs people of colour as potential "cheaters" and "abusers" of the system. This has allowed for the stigmatizing and discriminatory treatment of people of colour to persist unchallenged within the welfare system.

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Bridglal (Bridge) Pachai, a life long advocate of social justice, was born in a thatched roof cottage in Umbulwana, South Africa. His journey has taken him from South Africa to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Along the way he has taught history at universities in South Africa, Malawi, The Gambia and Halifax. He has also served as director of the Black Cultural Centre in Nova Scotia and as director of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.In the words of Tom McInnis, his senior when Bridge was director of the Human Rights Commission, he could "dance with the lords and be with the paupers." "Bridge does not divine a purpose in the accidental opportunities he has encountered. Rather he accepts the mystery of their almost haphazardness and stresses the importance of seizing the opportunities that the opening doors present. Certainly his ideals and convictions shine through like a beacon and firmly hold him on his journey. But there is also an anchor of pragmatism and this probably accounts for the successes of his remarkable career." - J. Colin Dodds, President, Saint Mary's University (from the Preface)

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When social workers arrived on the scene after the Halifax explosion it marked the beginning of the transition from a charity model of social welfare to a profession of trained and paid social workers. The newly arrived social workers had to practise their skills in the context of Halifax's prevailing class structures, where, traditionally, well-off volunteers passed judgment on their poorer neighbours and great care was taken not to improve the conditions of people beyond their station in society. This work reflects on the lessons the profession of social work took from its work in rebuilding the lives of Haligonians and the lessons still to be learned from this experience.

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The sense of white entitlement is seen through discourses of "what about us" when issues of race and equity are raised in the classrooms of the dominant. Even when race issues are grudgingly acknowledged there is the politics of moral distancing apparent in the dominant body "playing the race card" through evocations of "merit," "excellence" and "meritocracy". This book deals with linguistic racism and the centrality of language in the discourse of anti-racism. The contributors discuss how language is used and how, especially in that usage, race and racism are expressed in everyday practice. The authors invite us to join the journey of real, meaningful change through the poetics of words and action, thereby giving voice to the possibilities of change.

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Examining several contemporary environmental controversies-including water consumption, food safety, and air pollution-this guide illustrates how a critical perspective can aid in understanding such complex social, economic, and political issues. Key concepts in environmental social science are introduced to clarify controversies and address broader questions such as How do our consumption decisions affect ecosystems? Can we rely on governments to maintain environmental well being? Do those living in rural areas see the environment differently from urban dwellers? and Is sustainability possible? The discussion both examines the disputes and demonstrates that ecological problems and their solutions are as much social and political as they are scientific. Activism resources at the end of each chapter are included as are suggestions on ways to reduce individual ecological footprints.

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Intended to help readers become better informed about logic, this guide considers the relationships between reason, thought, and the external world. Hoping to recruit more independent thinkers, the authors discuss how logic and belief relate to one another and offer a non-traditional perspective on traditional fallacies. With a consideration of famous and lesser-known logical systems, including those of Aristotle, Hegel, and John Dewey-as well as modern logic based on mathematics-this discussion illustrates how the ways that people reason about the world presuppose much about that world.

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In this collection of essays copublished with RESOLVE (Research and Education for Solutions to Violence and Abuse), service providers and academic researchers offer expert perspectives on lifespan issues associated with violence and abuse and on programs, practices, and policies to address these issues . Discussions highlight the effect of violence associated with age groups from early childhood to late adulthood, including the physical punishment of children, sibling violence, bullying, dating violence, violence against the elderly, and intimate violence against specific populations such as immigrant women. Detailed descriptions of antiviolence programs offer essential information for prevention.

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The tension between traditionalist legal theories that maintain that the law dispenses justice in an impartial fashion and critical theories that maintain that the law reproduces gender, race, and class inequalities provides a context for this investigation into law`s complicity in perpetuating disparities. Police reports, prosecuting lawyer reports, memos, interviews with defense lawyers, sentencing reports, and other primary sources from Canadian violent crime cases illustrate the prejudicial strategies used in litigation. Linguistic nuances that describe a neighborhood celebration as a "birthday party" or a "drinking binge" are among the ways stereotypes are perpetuated. This analysis raises questions about how the law can be applied to realize a more just society.

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These days almost anyone is bound to be depressed by the litany of economic woes we are told are besieging Canada. At the same time, mainstream economists, politicians and business leaders claim that workers' wages must fall, the social safety net must be stripped away, taxes must be cut and environmental regulations must be relaxed. "There Is No Alternative" if Canada is to be competitive.But is this the case? If we are to even begin to respond to this new economic mantra we have to know what makes our economy tick. In Inside Capitalism, Paul Phillips introduces us to political economic analysis-why firms behave as they do, why we have such a high level of economic monopoly, who benefits from the economic structure of capitalism. In so doing, he not only shows that traditional economic analysis is mainly ideology, but we can clearly see that the dismal prospects that average Canadians face are not the result of immutable economic laws but of the political and economic power that business has amassed with the aid of successive governments and the Bank of Canada.

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This engaging look at the Second People`s Summit of the Americas depicts a different experience than what was presented in news coverage. Contributors seek answers to explain the treatment of protesters, marvel at the strength of character of those they encountered, and celebrate the successes. Reflecting the thoughts of those who felt compelled to go to the protestors and talk about how they chose to participate, this book encourages forward thinking and community activity.

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In this current environment, it is urgent to understand how oppression and health are closely connected. Oppression: A Social Determinant of Health offers a thorough and accessible overview of the root or structural causes of ill health, such as capitalism, globalization, colonialism, medicalization and neoliberalism. The contributors to this volume insist that the key to tackling these structural forces is understanding and changing oppressive practices that cause ill health, thus reframing growing health inequities within the scope of moral responsibility and social change. This thoroughly updated second edition contains contributions from internationally recognized experts in the field of critical social science analyses in health systems and health sciences studies. New chapters provide timely discussions about oppression, Treaty Rights, Big Pharma, the Anthropocene and the COVID-19 pandemic. This book provides a comprehensive overview of core ideas for investigating how oppression "gets under the skin" to perpetuate health inequities.

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Indigenous methodologies have been silenced and obscured by the Western scientific means of knowledge production. In a challenge to this colonialist rejection of Indigenous knowledge, Anishinaabe re-searcher Kathleen Absolon describes how Indigenous re-searchers re-theorize and re-create methodologies. Indigenous knowledge resurgence is being informed by taking a second look at how re-search is grounded. Absolon consciously adds an emphasis on re with a hyphen as a process of recovery of Kaandossiwin and Indigenous re-search. Understanding Indigenous methodologies as guided by Indigenous paradigms, worldviews, principles, processes and contexts, Absolon argues that they are wholistic, relational, inter-relational and interdependent with Indigenous philosophies, beliefs and ways of life. In exploring the ways Indigenous re-searchers use Indigenous methodologies within mainstream academia, Kaandossiwin renders these methods visible and helps to guard other ways of knowing from colonial repression. This second edition features the author’s reflections on her decade of re-search and teaching experience since the last edition, celebrating the most common student questions, concerns, and revelations.

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Ikwe is a new colouring book by Anishinaabe artist Jackie Traverse. Featuring brand new works, the stunning images in IKWE celebrate the spiritual and ceremonial aspects of women and their important role as water protectors."I had the privilege of going to Standing Rock twice. The strength and power that came from the women there inspired this book. To be a woman is to be a life giver and water protector. Even if you never have children, you have that sense, and the duty to honour and protect the water is within you," writes Traverse.Jackie Traverse is the mother of three daughters and a grandmother to Lily. She is an Anishinaabe multi-disciplined artist working in video, sculpture, mixed media and paint.

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In Decolonizing Trauma Work, Renee Linklater explores healing and wellness in Indigenous communities on Turtle Island. Drawing on a decolonizing approach, Linklater engages ten Indigenous health care practitioners in a dialogue regarding Indigenous worldviews, notions of wellness and wholistic health, critiques of psychiatry and psychiatric diagnoses, and Indigenous approaches to helping people through trauma, depression and experiences of parallel and multiple realities. Linklater offers purposeful and practical methods to help individuals and communities that have experienced trauma, through stories and strategies that are grounded in Indigenous worldviews and embedded with cultural knowledge. Decolonizing Trauma Work, one of the first books of its kind, is a resource for education and training programs, health care practitioners, healing centres, clinical services and policy initiatives.

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A new direction for policy and action is outlined in this reconsideration of the theoretical framework and application of social work. A holistic, inclusive vision of social work is presented to usher in a change from a self-centered, anticollectivist paradigm to a mutually beneficial, community-focused worldview. Criticized are the assumptions, values, and beliefs that have guided the dominant worldview`s support of environmental devastation. Concerns for sustainability, social justice, and global consciousness guide this revision of social work.

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Arguments about the environment in the history of Western thought accompany a guide to developing an approach to environmental thought based on ecological attunement in this analysis of the fundamental concepts that ground environmental policy. Sustainability, sustainable development, and conservation are three concepts that illustrate the relationship between humans and the environment. A synthesis of Western, Eastern, and Aboriginal approaches to the environment offers a radically new way of thinking about how environmental ethics develop and evolve.

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