Statement of solidarity with Muslim members of our community
Message from the Department Head:
Dear Members of the Political Studies department.
Our hearts go out to the Muslim members of our department and broader community. We respond with grief and horror to the news of the slaying of four family members in London, Ontario.
There is a long history of Islamophobia in Canada. Now is not only a time to mourn but also a time to reflect on hatred and injustice toward Muslim people. For those who wish to learn more, I recommend these two interviews on Islamophobia, both with Dr. Jasmine Zine of Wilfrid Laurier University:
- https://www.ryerson.ca/news-events/podcasts/2018/05/islamophobia-101-part-1/
- https://www.himalaya.com/episode/ep-8-the-canadian-islamophobia-industry-dr-jasmin-zine-and-the-antecedents-and-aftermaths-of-the-2017-quebec-mosque-shooting-129678063
I also want to draw your attention to a fundraising campaign to support the child who was the sole survivor of this attack:
For those of you who are struggling with the aftermath of this event, and with ongoing racism, Islamophobia, often in combination with other forms of discrimination, I urge you to reach out for support and care. Some of the resources that are available are counselling services through Queen's Student Wellness Services at 613-533-2506, or wellness.services@queensu.ca. Staff and faculty can access counselling through the Employee and Family Assistance Program.
I hope that we can work together, in the face of this and so many other events of hatred, prejudice, and discrimination, to build a community characterized by care, equity, diversity, and solidarity.
Sincerely,
Eleanor
E. MacDonald
Interim Head and Associate Professor
Department of Political Studies
Queen's University
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 3N6
613.533.6234 (office)
613.533.6230 (Political Studies office)