Big Thinking

In this Big Thinking event, Dany Laferrière draws on the work of the Argentinean writer/scholar, Jorge Luis Borges, who has guided and inspired his work for decades. Like Borges, Laferrière defines himself as a reader who writes and shares the same passion for reading. Reading was so central to Borges' life that everything important that happened to him was reflected in books—his blindness did not stop him from managing the Buenos Aires library even though he sorrowfully noted the irony of his situation.

In addressing the links between reading, writing, fiction and life, Laferrière reflects on a period of his own history and writing sensibility. Join us as this noted author discusses his relationship with letters and the way in which his own books have opened new paths for him and...

More than 15 percent of the world’s population, or about 1 billion people, have a disability. Stigma has resulted in this highly diverse population being amongst the poorest of the poor, the least educated and most unemployed. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is providing great opportunities for disabled people to make advancements to achieve their rights. Judith Heumann’s Big Thinking presentation and discussion to follow will engage the audience in causes of inequality and explore what the broader society can do to help advance the full inclusion of disabled people in societies.

Judith Heumann is the Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State. She is an internationally recognized...

Children and youth are among the most vulnerable of society’s citizens, with those in government care having a further series of risks. In Canada, our Aboriginal children and youth are among the most at risk.  More Aboriginal children are in government care in comparison to other children. Fewer Aboriginal children graduate from high school than their non-Aboriginal counterparts.  And, too many Aboriginal children live in poverty, become involved with the youth justice system and suffer from intergenerational impacts of residential schools. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s goal is that all young people in British Columbia have the same opportunities for success. Her Big Thinking presentation will examine how Aboriginal children, youth and their families have become marginalized, and...

Researchers often feel that their work is overlooked in the “real” worlds of policy and practice, while policy makers and practitioners may have difficulty accessing timely research that is relevant to their work. In his Big Thinking lecture, Ben Levin draws on examples from the field of education that can be applied across disciplines to demonstrate ways in which the connections between research, policy and practice can be strengthened, and, thus, bring these worlds closer together.

Ben Levin is the Canada Research Chair in Education Leadership and Policy at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. He has authored several works on education issues and his research interests include large-scale change, poverty and inequity, and finding better ways to...