Knowledge, power and natural resources: 
Reflections from Chile

Date: Friday October 12, 2018
Venue: Mackintosh-Corry Hall, Room D216
Time: 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Speaker: Dr. Javiera Barandiaran, Department of Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara

Abstract

Chile presents a seemingly peculiar case of a modern state that at the turn of the twenty-first century does not see a need to invest in science nor cultivate scientific advice as a strategic ally of the state. Chile has not invested in environmental science labs, state agencies with in-house capacities, or an ancillary network of trusted scientific advisers—despite the growing complexity of environmental problems and increasing popular demand for more active environmental stewardship. The first part of this talk will explain how this mode of governance works (as a market for science), reflecting neoliberal influences which favor market mechanisms over the actions of state agencies. The consequences for regulation and trust in state agencies will be illustrated with the case of salmon farming: in 2008 Chile’s salmon farms (the world’s second most productive) suffered a devastating epidemic that state agencies struggled to control. The second part of the talk will explore the history of this market-based mode of governance and its consequences for lithium mining and development imaginaries. Chile, along with Argentina and Bolivia, host 80% of global deposits of this material that may be crucial to reducing fossil fuel use. How to use lithium and lithium-science for development is highly contested. Understanding Chile’s knowledge politics sheds new light on environmental regulation, natural resource management and democratic governance.

Department of Global Development Studies, Queen’s University
Tenure-Track Position
The Political Ecology of Natural Resource Management in Latin America

The Department of Global Development Studies (DEVS) at Queen’s University invites applications for a Tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the field of The Political Ecology of Natural Resource Management in Latin America. We welcome applicants whose research examines the political ecology of natural resource management in areas such as agriculture, energy, mining, forestry or fisheries. Candidates would demonstrate a clear research focus on how resource management regimes are constructed, enacted and contested at local, regional and/or national levels. Candidates working on the relationship between indigenous peoples and the politics of resource management are particularly encouraged to apply. The successful applicant will demonstrate the necessary background to teach one or more of our foundational undergraduate courses such as The Political Economy of Development; Culture and Development; Global Environmental Transformations; Introduction to Indigenous Studies; Research Methods; Theories of Development, etc. The preferred start date is July 1, 2019.

Candidates must have a PhD or equivalent degree completed at the start date of the appointment.  The main criteria for selection are academic and teaching excellence. The successful candidate will provide evidence of strong potential for outstanding teaching contributions at the undergraduate and graduate levels. S/he will be expected to work collaboratively with other members in the department in the area of curriculum design. Methodological innovation and comfort with current and emergent teaching technologies will also be assets. The successful candidate will provide evidence of high quality scholarly output that demonstrates potential for independent research moving beyond the dissertation and leading to peer-assessed publications. Candidates must provide evidence of strong communicative and interpersonal skills combined with a flexible attitude and an ability to work in an interdisciplinary, collaborative environment. The successful candidate will also be expected to make substantive contributions through service to the department, to the Faculty, to the University, and/or to the broader community. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen's is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ persons. DEVS is enriched intellectually, socially and culturally by the presence and participation of people from diverse educational backgrounds, including from the Global South. 

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada will be given priority.

To comply with Federal laws, the University is obliged to gather statistical information about how many applicants for each job vacancy are Canadian citizens / permanent residents of Canada. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or citizenship; however, all applications must include one of the following statements: “I am a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada”; OR, “I am not a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada”. Applications that do not include this information will be deemed incomplete.

A complete application consists of:

• a cover letter (including one of the two statements regarding Canadian citizenship / permanent resident status specified in the previous paragraph);
• a current Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications);
• a sample of academic writing;
• a statement of research interests; and
• a teaching dossier or statement of teaching interests and experience (including teaching outlines and evaluations if available).
• Short-listed candidates will be further requested to provide three letters of reference.

The deadline for applications is September 13th, 2018.

Applications should be addressed to Dr. Marcus Taylor, Department Head, Global Development Studies.  We encourage applicants to send all documents in their application packages electronically (either as PDFs or MS Word files) to Barbra Brousseau bb13@queensu.ca, although hard copy applications may be submitted to:

Department of Global Development Studies
Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B401, Queen’s University
68 University Avenue
Kingston, Ontario CANADA K7L 3N6
Attn:  Barbra Brousseau, Department Manager
Email:  bb13@queensu.ca (preferred)

The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact Barbra Brousseau bb13@queensu.ca  or at 613-533-6000 x 77210.

Academic staff at Queen’s University are governed by a Collective Agreement between the University and the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA), which is posted at http://queensu.ca/facultyrelations/faculty-librarians-and-archivists/col... and at http://www.qufa.ca.

Click here to view the position posting in PDF format.

Decade-long Cuban partnership continues

The 2018 Cuba trip cohort pose together with a statue in Havana. (Photo: Chris Tianyu Yao)

Queen’s and the University of Havana have partnered  for the past 10 years to teach the Cuban Society and Culture course and host visiting scholars and artists. The study abroad course has seen over 300 Queen’s students study in Havana thus far, and will continue thanks to a new agreement signed in Havana during a celebration of the course and partnership in May.

For Susan Lord (Film and Media) and Karen Dubinsky (History/Global Development Studies), their ongoing professional relationship with their colleagues from the University of Havana has created opportunities that stretch farther than their annual course.

The course begins at Queen’s in the winter term. Students learn about the history of Cuba from 1959 to present day, studying social and cultural challenges, successes, and innovations. Students then travel to Havana for two weeks to experience what they learned over the semester. They visit historic monuments, take in the modern landscape of music, agriculture, and city living, participate in classes at the University of Havana, and enjoy the warm hospitality of their Cuban colleagues and fellow students.

“We have sessions throughout the trip for students to digest their experiences,” says Dr. Lord. “We talk about what they find on the street that contradicts or extends what they’ve learned in books. Some of the key takeaways for students from this past trip was the amount of music everywhere in Havana and the diversity of perspectives on Cuban reality presented by professors in the course. This is much more enriching than only learning in a textbook.”

A decade of collaboration has led to lasting relationships between the coordinators from both countries. University of Havana professor Sonia Enjamio was a core contact for Drs. Lord and Dubinsky before she died in 2010. To commemorate her dedication to the course and students, the coordinators of the course, including Drs. Lord and Dubinsky and University of Havana Vice-Dean (International) Lourdes Perez, decided to create the Sonia Enjamio Fund to help Queen’s students continue their studies and University of Havana students study at Queen’s.

“Relationships are a key ingredient to success for these kinds of programs, and the Cuban Society and Culture course is a great example of best practices,” says Jenny Corlett, Director of International Initiatives with the Faculty of Arts and Science. “The coursework is the trunk of the tree, but there are so many relationships that spread like roots to make it stable and keep it growing.”

This connection between Queen’s and the University of Havana has led to dozens of research projects by both universities’ researchers. Ten scholars and artists from Cuba have participated in exchanges to Queen’s. Freddy Monasterio Barso (Cultural Studies) is a Cuban PhD candidate and one of the course instructors for Cuban Society and Culture.

Recent research collaborations between Cuba and Queen’s include:

• An upcoming book of essays and interviews of Sara Gómez, an Afro-Cuban filmmaker of the sixties by Dr. Lord;
• A book on Canada-Cuban person-to-person relations by Dr. Dubinsky;
• A master’s thesis on staying current in an offline country by Xenia Reloba de la Cruz, a Cuban journalist who completed her master’s at Queen’s in Cultural Studies; and
• A 2014 anthology of renowned Cuban musician Carlos Varela’s work in English and Spanish curated by Dr. Dubinsky, Ms. Reloba de la Cruz, and former Cuban visiting scholar to Queen’s Maria Caridad Cumana. Mr. Varela received an honorary degree from Queen’s in the same year.

“The relationship between Queen’s and the University of Havana precedes the course by several decades,” says Dr. Dubinsky. “It began in the early seventies as part of a large project organized by Canadian University Service Overseas, a Canadian non-governmental organization. Fifty Canadian engineering professors taught over 300 Cuban students. That first project was judged a rousing success, and efforts such as our course continue that connection.”

Dr. Lord’s vision for the next five years of the course is a healthy mixture of growth and sustainability.

“We work hard to keep the costs low. This is one of the least expensive exchange courses to Cuba, so we have to be innovative about how we grow sustainably,” says Dr. Lord. “We would like to increase the Sonia Enjamio Fund to have more reciprocal exchange, and explore more initiatives to support the course. I’d also like to do more work with graduate students to help facilitate their participation.”

The end of the tenth trip was marked with a celebration involving students, staff, and faculty from both universities. Guests enjoyed local cuisine, music (including a concert by Cuban hip hop artist Telmary Diaz, visiting artist at Queen’s in 2017), and the signing of an agreement by Barbara Crow, Dean (Faculty of Arts and Science) and Kathy O’Brien, Associate Vice-Principal (International) to continue the partnership for another 5 years.

“Cuban Culture and Society is one of my favourite memories of my first year here at Queen’s,” says Chris Tianyu Yao (ArtSci’21), a Film and Media student. “From my perspective, the uniqueness of the course is the diverse and interdisciplinary content. It gave me an opportunity to engage in many new fields of study, such as politics, global development, and health studies. I could also easily find my own interests in this course. These experiences helped me to continue my study and research in film, art, and cultural studies.”

To find out more about the course, visit the Department of Global Development Studies website.