Ph.D Students
Ethnonationalism and Violence: Understanding Insurgency and Claims in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Moda Dieng
Building a viable national identity has been an ongoing quest for many African countries since decolonization. For the Democratic Republic of Congo, this ambition has been regularly hampered by several phases of ethnic violence. In his doctoral research, Yvon Muya examines the role played by ethno-nationalist movements in this difficult process. As part of the universe of nationalism studies, the thesis explores the discourse of Congolese ethno-nationalist leaders engaged in recent conflicts and attempts to measure their effects on non-insurgent ethnic communities. A comparative study of two cases will aim to generate a framework for reflection, necessary to better understand the relationship of ethnic groups to national belonging.
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Bridging Two Solitudes:Secularism and Religion in Development Assistance
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Heather Eaton
Linda’s doctoral research is examining the role of religion, religiosity, and secularism in international development assistance to conflict-affected countries. She comes to the School of Conflict Studies at Saint Paul University after 20 years of professional experience in international development and humanitarian assistance working for the Government of Canada and various development agencies.
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The “Islamic State” and the “Iraqi Islamic Party:” An Ethnic Challenge
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Peter Pandimakil
My main areas of focus are the new ideologies shaping the Middle East and their political consequences. My thesis pertains to the different rationalizations of fundamentalists. I am aiming to see to what extent is the Iraqi branch of the Muslim Brotherhood able and willing to combat the policies of the “Islamic State” organization regarding Iraq’s Christian minority.
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Exploring Gender and Terrorism: The Need for Feminist Analysis in Terror and Counterterror Research
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Heather Eaton
Shannon’s research explores the challenges with dominant North American approaches and responses to terrorism. She examines the potential contributions of feminist theories of international relations and geopolitics in providing more comprehensive and successful research and policy in counterterrorism. This research focuses on how feminist theories use intersectionality to disentangle narratives and ideologies saturated with sexism, racism, and neo-orientalism to produce a more holistic and accurate understanding of the phenomena of terrorism and political violence.
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Amplifying voices: Ensuring young women are recognized in peacebuilding
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Heather Eaton
Katrina’s research focuses on the intersections between the United Nations’ Women, Peace and Security, and Youth, Peace and Security agendas. Specifically, she studies the synergies between both agendas in the context of local peacebuilding and everyday peace theories in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. This research looks at local young women peacebuilders as critical actors in applying and monitoring international peace and security policy frameworks.
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Thesis Title: TBD
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Jean-François Rioux
My research interest is in the role of culture and communications technologies in the dynamics of conflict at the international level, against the backdrop of changing political dynamics, post-secularism, and multiple modernities.
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Multiculturalism and identity conflicts in Cameroon and Canada: A comparative approach
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Moda Dieng
My research area covers ideologies of exclusion, marginalization, and violence against otherness. My dissertation explores, from a comparative perspective, the dynamics of identity conflicts in Cameroon and Canada as multicultural countries, as well as the identity politics that are employed to promote living together in diversity. My intellectual project in this thesis is to identify the best practices of living together in these two countries, as well as the regularities that unite them in the same framework of identity conflicts, while underlining the singularities that link each case to its political and socio-historical context.
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Examining women’s agency in post-conflict peacebuilding: Case Study of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Philip Onguny
My research seeks to examine the role and participation of women in peacebuilding. I am particularly interested in understanding how women’s formal and informal roles help nurture a culture of peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo. My work draws primarily from African Feminism, Ubuntu philosophy, and Virginia Held’s ethics of care to probe the links between women’s agency and post-conflict peacebuilding. Overall, my research explores how these perspectives interact to create meaning around women’s active roles as peacebuilders, including the challenges encountered during the process.
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International rivalry as a source of political instability: the case of the Congolese civil war
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Moda Dieng
This work raises the question of how international politics influences models of civil war and internal conflict. While recent studies of civil wars have paid much attention to how international politics affects their dynamic, duration, and termination, there is as yet no general theory of a connection that many find intuitive. We therefore lack a systematic account of how conflicts in the international sphere shape the strategies and incentives of actors in civil conflicts, and the conditions under which interstate conflicts make escalation of civil conflicts more or less likely. The main contribution of this work will therefore be to show, via a case study, that international politics does not only matter in explaining the dynamics and duration of civil wars once they are in progress; it also helps explain why these wars happen in the first place.
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State governance at the beginning of armed terrorist groups (ATG) emergence and their rise in the countries of Sahel region: the case of Burkina Faso
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Moda Dieng
The countries in the Sahel region facing an insurgency by jihadist groups which cause numerous military and civilian victims as well as numerous abuses on the rural populations forcing them to flee their villages causing serious humanitarian, economic and social disorders due to these displacements of populations. While the attacks began in northern and central Mali in 2012, they have spread in recent years to Niger and Burkina Faso. Our research project aims to find in the weaknesses of the state governance the root causes of terrorism in Burkina Faso, and to assess the relevance of the response strategy.
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The nation-state in the face of terrorism in Burkina Faso
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Jean-François Rioux
Debates around the sustainability of the nation-state as a strong institution are legion in the sense that although it faces several political, economic, and social realities, it remains. However, the nation-state as a structure built on the collective feeling and based on the conviction of belonging to the same nation challenges us to question the impact of terrorism on the nation-state and its future in Burkina Faso. The objective of our research is to demonstrate under what conditions we can finally hold a discourse based on a weak and therefore declining nation-state.
Clinical Supervision Practices of the Late-Career Psychotherapist: An Examination of an Integrated Developmental Approach to Clinical Supervision
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Cynthia Bilodeau
My research is focused on exploring the experience of clinical supervision for late-career psychotherapists. My research aims to fill the gap in the clinical supervision field to gain greater knowledge of the actual content and perceived effectiveness of the experience of clinical supervision at this point in the psychotherapist’s career. Considering that research with this population is underrepresented in the field as of late, this study is important to inform future practices in clinical supervision and to provide empirical support for the theoretical literature presented.
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Meaning Exploration and Well-Being for People Experiencing Homelessness: Program Development, Implementation, and Evaluation with and for Clients of The Ottawa Mission
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Laura Armstrong
In Canada there are an estimated 35,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night and 235,000 people experiencing homelessness each year. In addition to a variety of physical ailments, between 23% and 74% of homeless people report having some type of mental illness or problem. Meaning, important for the experience of mental well-being, has also been found to be linked to resilience, itself a contributor to positive mental health. To date, community-based meaning exploration programs have not engaged people experiencing homelessness in the development of such programs, which can be detrimental to program use and effectiveness. By using a stakeholder-informed knowledge translation-integrated (KTI) model, my doctoral research, building on my Master’s research, will integrate learnings from research on mental health interventions with people experiencing homelessness, community-based, participatory action principles, and the importance of meaning to well-being with the recommendations of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. A consensual qualitative research methodology will be used to develop, implement, and evaluate the meaning exploration sessions in relation to clients’ perceived well-being.
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A comparison of the mystical experiences facilitated by psychedelics in religious and atheist participants, and their impacts on the existential concerns.
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Judith Malette
My doctoral thesis is a mixed methods study comparing the psychedelic-induced mystical experiences of religious and atheist participants, as well as their subjective impacts on participant’s existential concerns. Many studies are currently studying the therapeutic effects of psychedelic substances. Studies exploring the role of psychedelics in reducing depression and anxiety related to existential concerns in end-of-life underline the important role of mystical experiences in the therapeutic mechanisms of these substances, thus making explicit the role of spirituality in the healing process. What are the similarities and differences in the understanding of these chemically and voluntarily induced mystical experiences depending on religious belief or disbelief? Furthermore, what are the subjective impacts of these experiences on the existential questions of participants who are not in end-of-life?
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How do people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder experience chronic feelings of emptiness and why do they experience it?
Thesis Supervisor : Dr Stephanie Wiebe
A sense of emptiness is a multidimensional concept and a common human experience that has been studied from different angles in theology, philosophy and psychology (Cushman, 1990; Hazell, 2003; Lancer, 2019; Peteet, 2011). However, psychological emptiness is a highly predominant and serious mental health issue as its significant risk factors contribute to suicidality, hospitalization, self-harm, and social dysfunction (Blasco-Fontecilla, 2013; Delgado-Gomez et al., 2012; Ellison et al., 2016; Klonsky, 2008; Levi et al., 2018; Lindner & Briggs, 2010; Peteet, 2011). Despite emptiness’ clinical relevance, as the most persistent symptom in people diagnosed with BPD, there is a lack of a coherent approach to understanding the subjective experience of emptiness in people with BPD. Therefore, my study will add to the existing literature by developing a theory on emptiness based on exploring the constituents of a chronic feeling of emptiness in people diagnosed with BPD. This way, my hope is to deepen the understanding of emptiness to help conceptualize this phenomenon for more effective treatment planning for counsellors and psychotherapists.
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Somatic experiences in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy
Thesis Supervisor : Dr Stephanie Wiebe
Recent phase 3 clinical trials for 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy show promising results for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where two-thirds of participants no longer meet diagnostic criteria following treatment. To date, little has been written on the often-cited somatic interventions used—breathwork, body mindfulness, touch and movement—or on the subjective account of the body of those who have experienced MDMA-assisted therapy during and following therapy. As federal regulatory agencies appear to be moving toward rescheduling MDMA from its ‘breakthrough therapy’ status to accessible for clinical use as early as 2023, more research is needed to explore the subjective somatic experiences of individuals who have experienced this form of therapy in an effort to expand possible therapeutic settings and approaches and adapt to different clinical populations. My research will explore the self-reported somatic shifts of individuals with PTSD receiving MDMA-assisted therapy; the kind of somatic interventions used and their contribution to healing; and the role of the body and somatic work in therapeutic integration and post-traumatic growth. I will situate these findings within existing literature on attachment and neurobiological development, somatic approaches to trauma and healing, and the efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy.
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The Effect of Enneagram Workshops on Conscious and Unconscious Interpersonal Complexity
Thesis Supervisor : Dr Christian Bellehumeur
I am studying whether Enneagram workshops, that use multidimensional learning, have a significant effect on conscious and unconscious experiential complexity in one’s relationships.
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Developing Reflective Practice in Clinical Supervision
Thesis Supervisor : Dr Cynthia Bilodeau
My research investigated how reflective practice is developed in clinical supervision. Semi-structured and interpersonal process recall interviews were completed with 5 supervision dyads. This research will contribute to an understanding of which events in supervision contribute to the development of reflective practice. Knowing how to optimally encourage reflective practice in supervision will create better-informed training for supervisors and training institutions, which will create safer, and more effective practitioners.
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A Knowledge Translation-Integrated Approach to Develop Workshops to Help Blended Families Flourish
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Laura Armstrong
The number of blended families in North America is growing and children in blended families are at risk for behavioural concerns and mental illness. The goal of this research is to build resilience for blended families through workshops conducted live virtually applying a Knowledge Translation-Integrated Approach (KTI – Armstrong, 2017), and based on five specific needs for blended families: 1-ensuring a solid couple bond and parent coalition; 2-struggling with losses, loyalties and change; 3-dividing parenting/stepparenting tasks; 4-building a new family culture and addressing stigma; 5-acknowledging other parents and relatives as (still) part of the family. Three family therapy models will be adapted for these workshops: Satir’s Family Therapy model; EFFT- Emotionally-Focused Family Therapy; and R.E.A.L. Therapy – Rational Emotive Attachment Logotherapy for Families (Armstrong, 2016). The research goal is to compare the effectiveness of these workshops regarding meaning, well-being, attachment, and couple adjustment (resilience).
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A patient-centered framework for counselling and psychotherapy for persons with a non-visible illness/disability: Cystic Fibrosis.
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Judith Malette
My aim is to develop a patient-centered framework for counselling and psychotherapy for Cystic Fibrosis that has been created by and for persons with Cystic Fibrosis, utilizing a participatory action methodology, so that we as a clinic (The Ottawa Hospital Adult Cystic Fibrosis clinic, General Campus) can better address their mental health needs. This is a rare study in the field of Cystic Fibrosis and mental health in that patient participants have been involved in every aspect, from question construction to co-facilitating focus groups to co-constructing the framework and dissemination of results. We are currently in the process of finalizing the framework and then will send this out to the rest of our Ottawa Cystic Fibrosis patient group for their feedback, which we will incorporate. We hope that our study will inform our clinic’s mental health practices but also perhaps that it will be relevant to other clinics across Canada.
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Driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC): Examining risk perceptions of cannabis-impaired driving among adult Canadian drivers post-cannabis legalization
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Stephanie Yamin
The purpose of this study is to examine Canadian adult drivers’ risk perceptions towards driving cannabis-impaired. This cross-sectional mixed-method study will examine perceptions across various age groups such as, young, middle-aged, and older adults in efforts of determine perceptions of risk across age groups, sex/gender, and cannabis consumption frequency. With uncovering perceptions of driving under the influence of cannabis, we hope to help improve impaired driving policy and decrease instances of impaired driving in Canada.
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Parenting practices and child social connectedness after COVID-19 lockdowns (tentative)
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Yuanyuan Jiang
Prior research has highlighted the importance of positive early social experiences, which are primarily shaped by children’s caregivers (Merkaš et al., 2021). The COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruptions in the day-to-day routines of families all over the world (Carroll et al., 2020). As a result of the pandemic, children have been presented with fewer opportunities for socialization. The following study would aim to understand the consequences of the lockdowns and the lived experiences of parents in terms of obstacles and facilitators in their attempt to foster social connectedness for their children. This is a cross-sectional study employing a mixed-methods research design, with a quantitative and qualitative component. The quantitative component would include various questionnaires while the qualitative component involves interviewing focus groups. The study has the potential to contribute to the literature on parenting and child social outcomes by allowing for a better understanding of parenting behaviours and child social connectedness after COVID-19 lockdowns. This would help develop targeted intervention programs to help parents and children improve their relatedness and sense of belonging in their communities.
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An Exploration of the Experience of Therapists in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Understanding the Cognitive, Emotional, Psychological and Spiritual Effects of Chronic Collective Stress, Trauma, and Uncertainty
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Judith Malette et Dr. Christian Bellehumeur
Within the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, my research aims to explore the impact of collective trauma and ongoing stress on the therapist and their ability to be present with their clients, even when their own lives are in upheaval. More particularly, my work aims to understand how therapists have worked to care for their own mental, emotional, spiritual and physical well-being while facing a myriad of uncertainties – both in their practices and their personal lives – while continuing to hold space for others’ suffering. Grounded in existentialism and second wave positive psychology, the goal of my research is not only to gain an understanding of how therapists have experienced the COVID-19 pandemic (both personally and professionally), but also to understand how meaning can be made, and found, even in the midst of uncertainty, collective trauma and grief, and personal challenge on a chronic level. My hope is that my research will shine a light on possible gaps in the research, resources, and support for those in the helping and health professions in times of collective or personal challenge, which may prove fruitful as areas for future research, development, and application.
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Sociocultural attunement in Emotionally Focused Therapy: Exploring the process of third-order change
Thesis Supervisor : Dr Stephanie Wiebe
My research is interested in the connection between attunement in Emotionally Focused Therapy and the therapist’s ability to be socioculturally attuned to the context of clients’ lives. Sociocultural attunement requires us to be vigilant in our awareness and consideration of the impacts of intersecting social, historical, economic, religious, political, and cultural systems as we intervene in the “here and now” context of people’s lives. What impact does the use of a recursive process of reflection have on the self-of-the-therapist personally and in the clinical and supervisory relationships? My hope is to situate my research within the evolving sociocultural climate in Canada.
Please see my project poster to learn more.
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Perceptions and Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Climate Change on Older Adults’ Mental Health
Thesis Supervisor : Dr Christian Bellehumeur
The aging of the Canadian population is accelerating. However, older adults are often perceived as more vulnerable to various changes, especially in the context of a pandemic. In my doctoral research, I am interested in better understanding the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the longer term, of climate change, on older adults. In the context of COVID-19 and the climate crisis, what are the perceptions of older adults in the face of the pandemic and the climate crisis? What are their needs and vulnerabilities regarding their mental health? The data collected in this doctoral research will make it possible to better understand people of advanced age in order to better intervene by proposing resources in order to support them more adequately. My research activities are in line with the research of my thesis supervisor (Dr. Christian Bellehumeur) on the perceptions and adaptive responses of Canadian adults to climate change.
Please see my project poster to learn more.
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The Presence of, and Search for, Meaning in Life among Women in Remission and Recovery from Anorexia Nervosa
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Judith Malette
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in understanding the role of meaning in people’s efforts to deal with serious negative life events. In the realm of eating disorders (EDs), however, research on the presence of, and search for, meaning in life for women with anorexia nervosa (AN) is scarce. The objectives of the proposed study, therefore, are fourfold and seek to explore how women in remission and recovery from AN experience: (1) the presence of meaning; (2) the search for meaning; (3) meaning in life, and; (4) the existential significance of recovery and remission. The study will employ the three-interview series of semi-structured interviews with 5 to 6 participants, who are in remission and/or recovery from AN. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) will be used as the methodology of choice to describe and interpret the data. The results will have implications for furthering our current knowledge and understanding of AN, as well as remission and recovery, which in turn can have an impact on the focus of treatment and the strategies used.
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The relationship between the subjective perception of beauty, the imaginary, and resilience: Implications for counselling and spirituality
Thesis Supervisor : Dr Christian Bellehumeur
Beauty, they say, is found in the eye of the beholder. However, could we also consider that the experience of beauty is a constitutive and operational element of the development of resilience? This question is at the heart of my research which aims to shed new light on our need to experience beauty. A particular attention will be paid to the role of the imaginary understood in terms of the symbolic capacity potentially associated with the experiences and perceptions of beauty in adulthood. To do this, I will examine sources derived from philosophy and spiritual traditions, as well as scientific literature in psychology. The results of this theoretical and empirical research will thus allow us to deepen our knowledge of this complex phenomenon as well as provide avenues of intervention serving to optimize people’s resilience.
Please see my project poster to learn more. (Available in French only.)
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Hypersexuality of adult female survivors of childhood abused aged 25 to 50: a study on the perception of the body and sexual organs
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Buuma M. Maisha
How do women survivors of childhood sexual abuse who claim to be hypersexual experience their sexuality; what meaning do they attribute to their sexual experiences today? This research project has five main objectives: to demonstrate how survivors of sexual abuse make sense of their hypersexual behavior; understand the influence of internal operative models that relate to the sexual self in survivors in taming their bodies, sexual organs and sexuality; sensitize health professionals on the consequences of sexual violence suffered in childhood on the sexual self and sexuality of women; to help these women better understand their sexual self and the connection it would have to their sexuality and, finally, to develop and propose a tool for intervention in relation to the hypersexual behavior of adult survivors of childhood abuse.
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Place of Religion in Psychotherapy of Muslim Immigrants – Case of First-Generation Afghan Immigrants in Canada
Thesis Supervisor : Dr. Buuma Maisha et Dr. Aliaa Dakroury
The thesis is focused on understanding the place of religion in the therapeutic process of immigrants with a specific focus on Afghan Immigrants and the religion of Islam. Through a qualitative analysis of the role of religion in Afghan immigrants’ lives, the study intends to provide mental health professionals with a culturally responsive and holistic therapeutic approach to work with the mental health of immigrants.
Evaluating Climate Finance’s Role in Supporting the Transition to the Net-Zero Economy
Thesis Supervisor : dr. Simon Tremblay-Pepin
The risks posed by climate change are profound as is the extent of transformation required to address it. My research centers on climate finance and its role in facilitating and accelerating the transformation to the net-zero economy. I am interested in examining the different forms that financing the transformation can take including: public, private, and concessional types of finance and the policy mix required for climate and social innovation to flourish. My research sits at the cross-roads of climate change, international political economy, policy frameworks, accountability, and governance.
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Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Integration of Small Community Enterprises in the International Context
Thesis Supervisor : dr. Jamel Stambouli
The research will explore the capacity of small community enterprises, including the cooperatives, to undertake an inclusive and sustainable digital transformation. This could open the door to changes and improvements in national policies connected with the development of community enterprises. By becoming transformational, small community enterprises will be able to integrate in the international value chain and help their communities to prosper in a context dominated by Industry 4.0, or the 4th Industrial Revolution. The proximity of these enterprises to the local community provides an opportunity to foster local wellbeing and assist in the transition towards a smart knowledge economy, but on the condition that they become more efficient and strategic, and the community becomes proactive.
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Strategic thinking for transformative social innovation
Thesis Supervisor : dr. Jonathan Durand Folco
Social innovations that aim to transform power structures are exposed to blind spots, tensions and organizational paradoxes that limit their transformative potential. This research project explores (in co-creation with the field) strategic practices that could help organizations better navigate these elements, with the aim of building and/or preserving their transformative potential.