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Zainab Monisola Olaitan

Zainab Monisola Olaitan

Zainab Olaitan

Postdoctoral Fellow

zainab.olaitan@queensu.ca

Robert Sutherland Hall, Rm 409

About

Dr. Zainab Monisola Olaitan is a Postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for International and Defence Policy (CIDP) at Queen’s University. She is a political scientist with expertise in gender and representation, peace and conflict studies, and African politics. Her research focuses on locating women across different sectors with a central question: how are women represented in Africa?  She is the author of Women’s Representation in African Politics: Beyond Numbers (Palgrave, 2024). She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Pretoria, where she also taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses on Foreign Policy Analysis, International Relations Theory, Democratisation in Africa, and Conflicts in Africa. She also holds an MA in Political Science from the University of Pretoria as a 2019 Mastercard Foundation Scholar, a Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) Honors from the University of Cape Town as a 2018 Mandela Rhodes Scholar, and a BSc (Hons) in Political Science with First Class from the University of Lagos. She has published widely in journals, book projects, and policy briefs on themes bordering on peace and conflict studies, gender and representation, and African politics. In 2022, she was awarded the Margaret McNamara Education Grant (MMEG) for impactful research on women.

Research Interests

  • Women, Peace and Security
  • Gender and Representation
  • African Politics

Recent Publications

  • F Viljoen, F Adegalu & ZM Olaitan. (2024). Special Focus: Implementation of decisions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. African Human Rights Law Journal, 24(2): 772-780.
  • Olaitan, Z.M (2024). A Gendered Analysis of the Wave of Coups and Terrorism in the Sahel. Journal of Central and Eastern European African Studies, 4(2), 88-112.
  • Olaitan, Z.M., & Isike, C.A. (2024). Gender Quotas as a Mechanism for Engendering Political Transformation in Africa. The African Review, 1-21.
  • Olaitan, Z.M. (2023). The Representation of Women in African-led Peace Support Operations. Journal of International Peacekeeping, 26(4): 393-410.
  • Olaitan, Z.M. 2023. Feminist Rethinking of the Representation of African Women in Peacebuilding: A Theoretical Analysis. African Journal of Gender, Society and Development, 12(1), 185-207.

Online

Pedagogies for Peace: How is Women, Peace & Security Taught?

Start Date

Wednesday February 5, 2025

End Date

Friday February 7, 2025

Time

6:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Location

Toronto Metropolitan University

Pedagogy Symposium

 

Training on women, peace, and security has been a key strategy for gender mainstreaming within international and national institutions since the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In higher education, feminist scholars in international relations and related fields began teaching about women and war, peace & security in the late 1980s & 1990s. Civil society organizations have long engaged in popular education for empowerment and capacity building to support women’s participation in peace negotiations and transform conflict. And in the security sector, capacity building has been a key strategy for advancing the implementation of UNSCR1325, among other instruments. 

Decades into this pedagogical undertaking, how is women, peace, and security being taught? What are the similarities and differences in WPS teaching and learning across sectors, and in diverse geographical locations? What works and why? What does not?  This workshop brings together teachers and trainers who are actively engaged in teaching WPS within three sectors: higher education, security sector, and civil society. The goals are to prompt reflection on how WPS is taught and exchange best practices and lessons learned in WPS pedagogy. 

The format of the workshop will be interactive, as presenters are invited to “teach how you teach.” The organizers invite presentations which showcase pedagogical best practices, reflections on what does and does not work, and/or which models and teaching techniques have set optimal learning conditions across sectors. The symposium will feature both traditional conference panels as well as “micro modules” where participants give a teaching demonstration. Presentations/demonstrations should be about 15 minutes in length.

visit the rnwps.ca website for more details

 

The conference schedule is as follows:
 

Wednesday, February 5:

  • Evening reception at Canadian Forces College

Thursday, February 6:

  • Full day of panels and interactive activities at Toronto Met. University and conference dinner.

Friday, February 7:

  • Half day of panels and interactive activities at Toronto Met. University. Optional dinner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out of the Shadows to Shine a Light: National Security in 2025 and Beyond

Date

Friday January 17, 2025
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Location

Robert Sutherland Hall Rm. 116

Nicole Giles - guest speaker

 

this event is being co-presented by the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, The Centre for International and Defence Policy, The Department of Political Studies and QIAA. For questions about this event please contact: iigr@queensu.ca

Nicole Giles was appointed to the position of Senior Assistant Deputy Minister and Deputy Director of Policy and Partnerships at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in October 2022. Her portfolio includes strategic policy, public and foreign relations, external review and compliance, litigation and disclosure, employee communication and engagement, and academic outreach and stakeholder engagement. 

Dr. Giles is a seasoned executive, joining CSIS from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) where she held the position of Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations Sector.  While there, she led the coordination of major initiatives, such as the government’s immigration response to the invasion of Ukraine and Taliban take-over of Afghanistan. Prior to this, Dr. Giles held the position of Director General, International Finance and Development at the Department of Finance, since 2017. During this time, she served as Canada’s Deputy to the World Bank’s International Development Association and as Canada’s Sherpa for the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action.

Previously, Dr. Giles was the Director General for International Assistance Management, and Evaluation and Results, at Global Affairs Canada. She also served as Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Ambassador to Suriname and as Representative Plenipotentiary to CARICOM 2013‒2015. Dr. Giles has worked as Director for Nuclear Security, Submarines and Policy, and served as Director for the Counter-Terrorism and Anti-Crime Capacity Building Programs Division at now Global Affairs Canada.  

Bianca Silva

Bianca Silva

Bianca Silva

Comms and Events Intern

Dept. of Political Studies

Queen's University

Robert Sutherland Hall, Rm 411

About

Bianca Silva is an undergraduate student at Queen’s University pursuing a Bachelor of Honours Arts with a Specialization in Political Studies and a minor in World Languages. Her research interests are in international relations and defence studies; More specifically, she is interested in violent extremism, international organizations, and the intersection of conflict and post-conflict issues regarding the peace and security of women. Bianca is one of the presidents of the Queen’s International Affairs Association (QIAA), where she is also a member of their Model United Nations team. As an intern at the CIDP, Bianca is excited to learn more from people in the field about the inner workings of security and gain knowledge about Canada's role in the international space.

Research Interests

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Recent Publications

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Online

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Deterrence Through WoS Resilience – Meeting the Challenge of Hybrid Threats in the Grey Zone

Date

Friday November 29, 2024
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Location

Queen’s University, Robert Sutherland Hall Rm. 334

IDPS with Mike Rostek and Peter Gizewski

Traditional approaches to deterrence remain in evidence today within the contemporary global security environment. However, what is less clear is how deterrence works in response to the emergent hybrid threats that exist primarily in the information environment. This evolving security challenge requires new thinking about deterrence. In particular, such challenges argue for strengthening societal resilience and deterrence through delegitimization – a process by which the chances of non-traditional opponents achieving political targets are diminished when the foundations of their political motivation - such as publicity, cohesion, or sympathy among the population - are delegitimized. In response to an increasing demand for a Whole-of Society (WoS) approach (multi-organizational, multi- disciplinary), how is societal resilience achieved and what capabilities are needed to develop WoS resilience.  This presentation will highlight Finnish and Australian efforts to develop and practice WoS resilience and offer comments on their potential implications for Canada.

 

Bios:

Peter Gizewski

PETER GIZEWSKI – is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Political Science and Economics, Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC). A recently retired Senior Defence Scientist with Defence Research and Development Canada’s Center for Operational Research and Analysis (DRDC-CORA), he served as Strategic Analyst to the Canadian Army Land Warfare Center (CALWC) for over 20 years.  He was educated at the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and Columbia University (Political Science/International Relations) where he was a MacArthur Fellow in Conflict, Peace and Security and a Department of National Defence Fellow in Military and Strategic Studies.

Over the years, Mr. Gizewski has provided insight and analysis on a wide range of subjects in the fields of international security and defence policy, including studies examining the prospects for the control and elimination of weapons of mass destruction, the impacts of population growth and environmental change on security and stability, the challenges and opportunities which artificial intelligence holds for Canada’s military and NATO, and various works examining the future security environment and its implications for Canada’s Army. His work has been featured in a variety of academic and policy fora including: International Journal, Canadian Foreign Policy, and the Canadian Military Journal; in edited volumes on key topics of defence and security and in a range of publications produced for DRDC CORA and Canada’s Army.

Mike RostekDr. Rostek is a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces. He retired from the Regular Force in 2011 and served as a Reservist until 2022. He obtained his Doctorate (War Studies), from the Royal Military College of Canada and he holds two master’s degrees - a Master of Management in Defence Studies, University of Canberra, Australia and a Master of Arts (Defence Management and Policy), Royal Military College of Canada.  He has held several academic and research positions in the defence, security and politics disciplines. He is currently employed as a Defence Scientist with Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis as a member of the Director Personnel Science-Policy Integration team.

 

 

Peter Gizewski

Peter Gizewski

Peter Gizewski

Adjunct Professor

Department of Political Science and Economics

Royal Military College of Canada

pgizewski@hotmail.com

About

Peter Gizewski is a Defence Fellow with the Center for International and Defence Policy at Queens University and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Political Science and Economics, Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC).  He was educated at the University of Toronto and Columbia University.  A retired Defence Scientist with Defence Research and Development Canada’s Center for Operational Research and Analysis (DRDC CORA), Mr. Gizewski has provided insight and analysis on a wide range of subjects in the fields of international security and defence policy, including studies examining the prospects for the control and elimination of weapons of mass destruction, the impacts of population growth and environmental change on security and stability, the challenges and opportunities which artificial intelligence holds for Canada’s military and NATO, and various works examining the future security environment and its implications for Canada’s Army. His work has been featured in a variety of academic and policy fora including: International Journal, Canadian Foreign Policy, and the Canadian Military Journal; in edited volumes on key topics of defence and security and in a range of publications produced for DRDC CORA and Canada’s Army.

Research Interests

  • Use of Force in International Relations
  • Futures Studies and Strategic Foresight
  • Deterrence, Arms Control and Disarmament

Recent Publications

  • Gizewski, P. and Katherine Rossy (eds.),  KCIS 2024 - War and Human Security in An Evolving World, Kingston Consortium on International Security Series,  Center for International and Defence Policy (CIDP), Queens University (Kingston: Center for International and Defence Policy, School of Policy Studies; In Progress 2025), (Note this has yet to be published - if unacceptable please use those below or alternatively if acceptable delete last citation on this list).

  • Rostek, Michael and Peter Gizewski, “Deterrence Through Whole of Society Resilience: Meeting the Challenge of Hybrid Threats in the Grey Zone,” Research Report, (Kingston: Centre for International and Defence Policy, Queens University; 2025)

  • Gizewski, P., Whole of Society Resilience in Support of Deterring Hybrid Threats in the Grey Zone: Case Studies, DRDC-RDDC-2024-C303. Unclassified.

  • Addinall, Robert, Ali Dizboni and Peter Gizewski, “Observations from Canadian Army Futures Work and the (Un)changing Character of War: Extremism and Maximalism 2016-2024,” chapter in Proceedings of Kingston Consortium on International Security: 2023, (Kingston: Center for International and Defence Policy, Queens: 2024), pp. 93-111.

  • Gizewski, P., and Nancy Teeple, “Close Engagement in the Gray Zone: Challenges and Opportunities,” in C. Maternowski and A. Malhotra (eds.), Cutting Through the Haze: Grey Zone Operations and Contemporary Threats, (Kingston: Canadian Army Journal and NATO Association of Canada; 2023), pp. 9-19.

  • Gizewski, P., Artificial Intelligence and Military Decision-Making:  Implications for Canada’s Army. DRDC-RDDC Scientific Letter, DRDC RDDC-2022-L272, January, 2023,

Online

Olivia Howells

Olivia Howells

Olivia Howells

Graduate Researcher

Department of Political Studies

Queen's University

18ojh@queensu.ca

Mackintosh- Corry Hall, Room C415

About

Olivia Howells is a master’s student in Political Studies at Queen’s University, specializing in International Relations. Olivia holds a B.A. (Hons.) in from Queen's, majoring in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE). She is also the recipient of the Joseph-Armand Bombardier (CGS-M) award. Olivia’s research is concerned with collective memory and ontological security, as well as the security implications of critical minerals. Her master’s research project (MRP) is focused on Russian strategic culture and the use of memory diplomacy as a legitimation strategy. Olivia is currently working as a Research Assistant for Dr J. Andrew Grant, namely in areas of natural resource governance and private security. She is the recipient of a Young MINDS Targeted Engagement Grant from the Department of National Defence (DND) for her research on the security implications of China’s Arctic ambitions. More recently, she is working on a DND Targeted Engagement Grant focused on the security implications of Africa’s mineral endowment. She has been invited to present her research at both national and international conferences, including those of the International Studies Association (ISA) and the CDA Institute.

Research Interests

  • International Relations
  • Ontological Security
  • Energy Security

Recent Publications

  • J. Andrew Grant, Olivia Howells, Abdiasis Issa, and Badriyya Yusuf. (Under review). “Shadow Interregionalisms in Africa: Insights from Maritime Regionalisms in the Gulf of Guinea.” African Security.

Online

Chelsea Dunn

Chelsea Dunn

Chelsea Dunn

Network Coordinator (RN-WPS)

Dept. of Political Studies

Queen's University

chelsea.dunn@queensu.ca

Mackintosh- Corry Hall, Room B307

About

Chelsea Dunn is a doctoral student in the Department of Political Studies at Queen's University where she specializes in International Relations and Comparative Politics. She holds an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Victoria and a B.A. (Hons.) in Political Studies from Queen's. Chelsea’s research considers the global political economy of environmental governance. Using a feminist historical materialist lens, she aims to examine the global relations of power that produce uneven ecological outcomes in the context of climate change. Specifically, her work interrogates efforts to contain escalating ecological disruptions in urban settings, which are simultaneously spaces of everyday survival—linking housing, employment, and social reproduction—and sites of production and circulation driving global capitalism.

Chelsea’s doctoral research focuses on the multi-scalar governance of flooding in Manila, Philippines. By exploring how flooding alters urban rhythms of survival and accumulation in a relational manner, she hopes to reveal who benefits from current configurations of flood governance and the power relations therein. She is also currently working on a project that examines the discourses, myths, and governance practices surrounding climate change-induced migration and displacement.

Research Interests

  • Global Political Economy
  • Environmental Politics
  • International Relations

Recent Publications

  • Dunn, C. and Sharma, S. E. (under review). ‘Governing climate-induced displacement: Resilience and rendering disposable in the global South.’ Review of International Political Economy.

Online

Philip T. Gebert

Philip T. Gebert

Philip Gebert

Political Advisor

Office of the Minister of Immigration

Refugees and Citizenship Canada

phil.gebert@hotmail.com

About

Philip T. Gebert is a political advisor in Canada’s federal government, specializing in policy analysis, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement, with a focus on complex policy issues and geopolitics. Known for his strong communication skills and ability to build high-level partnerships, he excels in fast-paced, politically sensitive environments.

A former Royal Canadian Air Force officer, he now serves as an officer in the Royal Westminster Regiment. He holds a MA in War Studies and a BA in Political Science (Hon.) from the Royal Military College of Canada, and has studied International Affairs at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. His writing reflects a deep interest in geopolitics, political philosophy, international economics, and civil-military relations.

Research Interests

  • Civil-Military Relations
  • Great Power Competition
  • American Foreign and Defence Policy

Recent Publications

Online

  1. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philiptgebert
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