“Something strange is happening at America's colleges and universities.” So began the provocative cover story of The Atlantic's September 2015 issue. The piece, “The Coddling of the American Mind,” by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, dove head-on into a relatively recent, yet highly contentious, debate gripping American campuses—that of campus[Read More…]
Author: David Watson
Marijuana legalization poses significant risks for youth
One of Justin Trudeau’s flashiest policies has been his promise to legalize marijuana. Taking advantage of 4/20 this past April, his government announced that it will be instated in the spring of 2017—only one year later. We’re halfway through that time, and his policy remains vague and shallow. Trudeau is[Read More…]
McGill researcher finds lying becomes more complex with age
Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology Professor Dr. Victoria Talwar remembers that when she was a child, her mother mistakenly replaced salt with sugar in a blueberry pie. Her friend, who had stayed for dinner, was the first to eat the pie. She ate the entire slice, bite by bite,[Read More…]
SSMU and PGSS respond to McGill Draft Policy against Sexual Violence
On Oct. 12, the Student’s Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) released a collaborative consultation report outlining the results of focus groups conducted to collect comments and recommendations on the university’s Draft Policy against Sexual Violence. The focus groups were conducted between Sept. 23 and[Read More…]
Recipe: Fall treats made with leftover parts of any pumpkin
One glance at the trees on Mount Royal is enough to know that fall is here. The most cozy season of the year has arrived, signaling students to unpack their sweaters, pull out their toques, and enjoy the beautiful colours of fall before winter sets in. One key autumnal staple[Read More…]
New trends in United Nations Peacekeeping: Canadian and Global Perspectives Conference at McGill
On Oct. 21, the Centre for International Peace and Security Studies (CIPSS), a joint academic body of McGill and the Université de Montreal, hosted a conference titled, “New trends in United Nations Peacekeeping: Canadian and Global Perspectives” to discuss the future of Canadian peacekeeping. The talks primarily focused on how[Read More…]
SSMU continues to sit in at AVEQ despite failure of affiliation referendum
From Oct. 21 to 23, the Association for the Voice of Education in Quebec (AVEQ), a new provincial student federation, held its first mobilization camp at Camp Val Notre Dame in Hérouxville, a town two hours northeast of Montreal. Students from various universities in Quebec, including representatives from the Students’[Read More…]
Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship hosts public forum on electoral reform at McGill
On Oct. 20, the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship (CSDC) held a forum on federal electoral reform at McGill's New Residence Hall with the goal of engaging the public in a discussion on possible alternative electoral systems for Canada. Four distinguished academics, Political Science Associate Professor Sven-Oliver Proksch[Read More…]
2016 Lorne Trottier Symposium on Science and the Media discusses the challenge of pseudoscience in reporting
Today it might be bacon, but tomorrow it could be avocados; the public has a macabre obsession with searching for things that may kill us. In the Age of Anxiety, it’s easy to get lost in all the opinions thrown around as fact in the media. The Lorne Trottier Symposium[Read More…]
The ineffective weekly conference: Getting past 10% participation marks
"And be sure to say your name before speaking, so I can put you down for participation marks," a teaching assistant instructs a room of blank-faced undergraduate students. An attendance sheet circulates. A pen taps against a desk. To break the silence, someone offers a summary of the week's course[Read More…]
