News

The Balsillie School community extends warm congratulations to Carla Johnston, who successfully defended her dissertation, “Relationships Across Scale: Indigenous Peoples in Global Food Governance and Community-Led Action for Climate-Adapted Food Systems with Sambaa K’e First Nation and Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation” on September 11, 2026. We extend thanks to Carla’s supervisor Dr. Alison Blay-Palmer, committee

The Balsillie School community extends warm congratulations to Justin Barnes, who successfully defended his dissertation, “Pathways of Influence: Indigenous Peoples’ Agency and Leadership in Arctic Governance” on September 8, 2026. We extend thanks to Justin’s supervisor Dr. Alex Latta, committee members Dr. Debora VanNijnatten, Dr. Derek Armitage and Dr. Jennifer Spence, internal/external examiner Dr. Patricia

The Balsillie School of International Affairs and the University of Waterloo’s School of Social, Political and Historical Research invite submissions for its Canada Defence 2035 Symposium, which will take place January 19–20, 2027. As Canada enters a period of significant defence transformation, the symposium will bring together scholars, policymakers, industry leaders, defence practitioners, and allied

The Balsillie School community extends warm congratulations to Yazgulu Sezgin, who successfully defended her dissertation, “Between Policy and Practice: Gendered Precarity and the Experiences of Syrian Refugees in Türkiye” on August 20, 2026. We extend thanks to Lana’s supervisor Dr. Kim Rygiel, committee members Dr. Secil Dagtas and Dr. Suzan Ilcan, internal/external examiner Dr. Bree

The Balsillie School community extends warm congratulations to Lana Gonzalez Balyk, who successfully defended her dissertation, “Everyday Infrastructures of Negotiation: Borders, Xenophobia, and Belonging among Latin American Migrant Women in Portugal” on August 14, 2026. We extend thanks to Lana’s supervisor Dr. Suzan Ilcan, committee members Dr. Secil Dagtas and Dr. Kim Rygiel, internal/external examiner

The Balsillie School community extends warm congratulations to Sarah Murray, who successfully defended her dissertation, “Constructing Access: Canada and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” on August 7, 2026. We extend thanks to Sarah’s advisor Dr. Alistair Edgar, committee members Dr. Bree Akesson and Dr. Andrew Thompson, internal/external examiner Dr. Stacey Wilson

The Balsillie School is proud to congratulate Master of International Public Policy student Matthew Sunil, who has been named one of the winners of the International Policy Ideas Challenge 2026. Managed by Global Affairs Canada in collaboration with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, this annual initiative celebrates Canada’s emerging policy leaders by inviting

Notice of Dissertation Defence: Yazgulu Sezgin August 20, 2026 Abstract This dissertation examines the gendered experiences of Syrian refugees living under temporary protection in Türkiye, highlighting how legal frameworks, institutional policies, and humanitarian systems produce forms of precarity and inequality. Drawing on feminist, critical migration, and humanitarian scholarship, it emphasizes the importance of centering refugee

The School community was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Malcolm McCulloch, one of its valued BSIA Fellows associated with the STEM for Global Resilience Research Cluster. Professor McCulloch was a pioneering engineer, entrepreneur, teacher and advocate for sustainable energy. He believed that climate change and social inequity were the big challenges facing