We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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FSSH Collaborating with Oshawa Library to Deliver Virtual Lecture Series

June 3, 2020

As the quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third month, researchers at the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities at Ontario Tech University are hoping a new project will help create new opportunities for discussion and fill the void left by the lack of interactive events.

Beyond the Walls: Virtual Conversations on the Liberal Arts, a virtual public lecture series, will launch on June 11 and will give participants the chance to engage with others through live, interactive discussions on local and global topics, guided by a short expert talk.

In collaboration with the Oshawa Public Libraries, this series will feature lectures from experts within the Faculty of Social Science & Humanities, who will be creating the experience of a live event online by engaging with audiences and generating a sense of presence.

Dr. Natalie Oman, Associate Professor at Ontario Tech University, is spearheading this initiative.

“Social distancing has made it difficult for many public institutions to engage in the community outreach efforts that help to define them,” says Dr. Oman. “We're excited to be developing this partnership that aims to tackle this shared challenge in a new way.”

According to Dr. Oman, many community members who regularly frequented the library before quarantine measures were put in place have been cut off from meaningful interaction with limited resources available to them from home. This series is intended to help people from the community to access knowledge in an engaging way. In addition, a representative from the library will be available to provide curated book lists relevant to the subject matter of each lecture, allowing for the conversation to continue well past the end of the formal discussion.

“These short talks will highlight academic research with social impact, in a series of live, virtual events that emphasize community involvement and opportunities for discussion,” says Dr. Oman.

Upcoming lectures include "Gardening with Crime Prevention in Mind", "Hollywood Movie Magic & Military PR", "Why Everybody Can't Get Stoned?", and "Advertising in the Age of Industrialization".

Check out Beyond the Walls and find out how you can register for an upcoming lecture.

Updated: Monday, June 8, 2020

Please note the following message from the event organizers:

The global solidarity movement against racism that's emerged in the past 10 days demands that institutions involved in community outreach reflect on their priorities and practices. We've concluded that we need to take a pause before launching the "Beyond the Walls: Conversations on the Liberal Arts" series, to ensure that the programming we deliver reflects the learning and the unlearning that's going on now.

We are looking forward to joining you at our inaugural event, now scheduled for June 18 at 7 p.m.