The Parkland Institute’s annual fall conference is just days away! It’s taking place at the Engineering Teaching & Learning Complex (ETLC) at the University of Alberta from November 16–18. We’ll be there with stacks of books to continue the conversations started in the sessions. In anticipation of an enlightening and energizing weekend, we’re sharing some recommended reads!
Defying Expectations: The Case of UFCW Local 401 by Jason Foster
In this study of UFCW 401, Foster investigates a union that has had remarkable success organizing a group of workers that North American unions often struggle to reach: immigrants, women, and youth. By examining not only the actions and behaviour of the local’s leadership and its members but also the narrative that accompanied the renewal of the union, Foster shows that both were essential components to legitimizing the leadership’s exercise of power and its unconventional organizing forces.
Without Apology: Writings on Abortion in Canada edited by Shannon Stettner
“Finally, there’s a resource that comprehensively and thoroughly explores the history and evolution of reproductive rights in Canada. […] a great resource for anyone looking for information about the evolution of abortion rights, regulations, and laws in Canada, but also a great read for anyone interested in the role of abortion rights in the history of the feminist movement.” —Herizons
From Turtle Island to Gaza by David Groulx
Groulx’s brief, yet powerful poems ground the abstract issues of colonization into heartfelt human terms and remind readers that colonialism is not a historic concept, it is a current reality. Touching on cultural appropriation, police prejudice, and the loss of Indigenous languages, Groulx offers his experiences to the people of Palestine as a bridge between oppressed cultures. Willing to unsettle his reader, Groulx draws a moving comparison that forces us to question our complacency and urges settlers in Canada to rethink their ideas of decolonization and reconciliation.
Public Deliberation on Climate Change: Lessons from Alberta Climate Dialogue edited by Lorelei L. Hanson
“As governments at all levels struggle with how to address the impacts of climate change while at the same time seeking to build popular support for policies addressing its causes, Public Deliberation on Climate Change provides valuable lessons on how governments can and should be engaging the public in new and more meaningful ways.” —Ricardo Acuña, Executive Director, Parkland Institute
Small Cities, Big Issues: Reconceiving Community in a Neoliberal Era edited by Christopher Walmsley and Terry Kading
The contributors to this volume investigate the responses of social planners and city officials to big issues such as homelessness, the sex trade, street addictions, poverty reduction, Indigenous–non-Indigenous relations, the integration of new immigrants, and the safety of the LGBTQ community. Their responses reveal the distinctive attributes of the small city struggling to confront increasingly complex social issues. The contributors argue that small cities can succeed in reconceiving community based on the ideals of acceptance, accommodation, and inclusion.
