Overall, my research interests lie in the area of social
justice and the use of arts in community and citizenship education, be it the
educational impact of women’s collective resistance, the Raging Grannies’ use
of songs and humour in the social and political education of the public, or the
use of documentary film festivals as a way to build community and share stories
of active communities from around the world with the goal that these stories of
struggles and small victories will inspire hope and action.
Since arriving at StFX in July 2007, I have been doing
research on community-based documentary film festivals as tools for citizenship
education and community building. In April 2008 I received a 3-year Standard
Research Grant (SSHRC) to continue this work and in 2009 I received a grant
from the Adult Learning Knowledge Centre/Canadian Council on Learning
(ALKC/CCL) to organize 2 documentary film festivals on
My initial research interest was in the area of women’s
contributions to social change which led to a doctoral thesis on the Raging
Grannies and their use of creativity, songs, and humour to educate the public.
During doctoral studies I received a 3-year Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship and in 2004 this work on
the Raging Grannies was published as a book, which was selected for the 2005
Amelia Bloomer Award by the Feminist Task Force of the American Library
Association. I continue to write and speak about the Raging Grannies. I
contributed to a documentary about the French-speaking Raging Grannies with
award-winning documentary filmmakers Magnus Isacsson and Martin Duckworth,
which was shown as the closing of the Human Rights Film Festival in Montreal
and was broadcasted on Canal Vie, a French television network. We are currently
working on a documentary on the English-speaking Raging Grannies, which will be
ready in 2012.
In 2004, I was the recipient of a 2-year Postdoctoral Fellowship
(SSHRC) and while developing and teaching new courses in Canadian
Studies/Women’s Studies at
NATIONAL RESEARCH FUNDING AGENCIES |
Adult Learning Knowledge Centre/Canadian Council on
Learning. ($2,635)
Developed & organized 2
one-day film festivals in
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Standard Research Grant. ($53,000)
Documentary film festivals: Adult learning, citizenship
education, and local/global community building. (2008-2011)
SSHRC Major Collaborative
Research Initiative, Hidden costs/Invisible contributions Postdoctoral
Fellowship. ($40,000)
Exploring research landscapes: Interdisciplinary collaboration. (2006-2007)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research
Council of Canada (SSHRC) Postdoctoral Fellowship. ($75,000)
Canadian
Studies Department, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada . Women on the edge of time: Stories of
activism from
elders to women fifty years younger.
(2004-2006)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
(SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship. ($53,100)
PhD Dissertation. The
Raging Grannies: Meddlesome crones, humour, daring, and education.
popular education, and
they disrupt stereotypes of aging women. A grassroots Canadian phenomena, there
are now groups abroad.
(2000-2003)
UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FUNDING |
St.
Francis Xavier University
University
Research/Publication/Teaching Awards (URPTA) 2011 ($2,200)
University
Research/Publication/Teaching Awards (URPTA) 2010 ($2,300)
University
Research/Publication/Teaching Awards (URPTA) 2009 ($2,200)
University
Research/Publication/Teaching Awards (URPTA) 2008 ($2,600)
University
Council for Research (UCR) 2007-2008 ($3,000)
University
Grant 2007 ($4,000)
Research Assistantship
2001. ($2,000)
Women, learning, and
violence. Department of Adult Education,
Community Development, and
Counselling Psychology, OISE/UT.
(With Dr. Shahrzad Mojab)
Research Assistantship
2000-2001. ($4,000)
Informal learning in later
life- New Approach to Lifelong Learning (NALL). OISE/UT. Community
outreach to identify
potential participants. Interviewed 25 participants between 60 and 94 years
old. Transcribed interviews. (With Dr.
Margaret
Brillinger)
Research Assistantship
2000-2001. ($2,000)
Theoretical debate in Adult
Education. Department of Adult
Education, Community Development, and Counselling Psychology, University
of Toronto. (With Dr.
Shahrzad Mojab)
Ethel Anderson Graduate
Award in Adult Education 2000-2001. ($1,800)
Department of Adult Education, Community Development, and
Counselling Psychology, University of Toronto.
University
of Toronto Entrance Scholarship 1999-2000. ($10,500)
Research Assistantship 1999. ($6, 000)
Women's Studies. York University. (Dr. Jane Couchman)
York University Entrance Scholarship & Research
Assistantship 1997-1998. ($11,000)
Women's Studies. York University. (Dr. Jane Couchman)
Fulbright Scholarship Nominee 1997-1998.
OTHER SOURCES
OF FUNDING |
Nova Scotia Ministry of Communities,
Culture and Heritage 2011-2012. ($5,000)
Grant to support the Antigonish International Film Festival Outreach Project which includes a film program at the Nova Federal Prison for Women in Truro, NS, as well as a monthly series of documentary films and discussions at the People’s Place, Antigonish.
Nova Scotia Ministry of Communities,
Culture and Heritage 2011-2012. ($5,000)
Grant to support the Antigonish International Film Festival Youth Outreach Project which includes a 1-day youth film festival during the regular AIFF, a 2-day film festival during spring break, and a filmmaking workshop for youth.
Documentary film production (grants in the
name of my collaborator) 2005-2009. ($150,000)
I was writer and consultant for the documentary film Super Mémés, with filmmakers Magnus Isacsson and Martin Duckworth. * Grants in Magnus’ name from Canal Vie, Cable Fund, Telefilm, SODEC (Société de développement des entreprises culturelles). I collaborated on the conceptualization of the project, identified relevant people, stories, songs, actions. Made contact with individual Grannies. Co-wrote grant application and proposals. I helped with on-location filming.
Documentary film production (private
funder, grant in my name) (2005). ($8,000)
(Same as above)
Ontario Work Program 2004 & 2005.
($3,600)
In 2004 and 2005, I applied to the Ontario Work program, which subsidizes employment for students by paying 75% of their salaries.
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