Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Research on Contemporary Social Issues

The rights of children to autonomy and self-determination: How the power of parenting can be leveraged to improve the legal and social agency of children

Supervisor: Dr. Monique Lanoix, School of Ethics and Public Affairs 

The focus of my research is on studying concepts around the recent rise of the “Parental Rights” movement, its impacts on the rights of children and focusing specifically on the policies being drafted and implemented that impact the autonomy and agency of children, both as current children and also as future adults.

Areas of focus include:

• the rights of children
• the ethics and responsibilities around parenthood/guardianship
• developmental psychology and the stages of needs children go through for appropriate maturation and development
• cultural differences between parental responsibilities
• the rights of states to prevent children from self-determination

Research questions include:

• What rights do children have to their own freedom of expression as individuals?
• What are the responsibilities parents hold to enable/support the development of their children’s self expression and self identity?
• What are the responsibilities of parents, the state, schools, businesses, social media companies, etc. hold to “protect” children?
• And how do these stand in comparison and intersect with the recent rise of the “parental rights” movement and its implications and impacts?

Wesleyan Social Action: A Constructive Immanent Critique of the Form of Life

Supervisor: Dr. Matthew Robert McLennan

My thesis combines theoretical resources from Public Ethics and Social Innovation to build a normative evaluation of contemporary Wesleyan social action as a form of life. I argue that this relatively deep-going and comprehensive bundle of practices integrates virtue ethics, values, ethical principles, and a range of practical approaches to complex global problem-solving, including ways for coherent collaborative governance between Wesleyan not-for-profit organizations and public policy actors.

Ethics of Memory, Sexual Violence, and the Making of Bangladesh

Supervisor: Dr. Matthew Robert McLennan, School of Ethics and Public Affairs 

My research investigates the ethical dimensions of public memory surrounding the mass rapes committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, a period when an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 women and girls were subjected to systematic sexual violence by the Pakistani military and its collaborators. Focusing on how these atrocities are remembered, commemorated, or silenced in Bangladesh’s national narrative, this project critically evaluates acts of public memory—such as the state’s recognition of survivors as Birangona (war heroines), the role of survivor testimonies, and the persistent social stigma faced by victims. By bridging Public Ethics and Conflict Studies, I analyze the moral implications of commemoration, silence, and politicization, interrogating how collective remembrance shapes justice, reconciliation, and national identity. This interdisciplinary approach seeks to illuminate the challenges of ethically representing sexual violence in post-conflict societies and to contribute to broader debates on memory, recognition, and the politics of trauma in the making of Bangladesh.

Étude analytique de la croissance post-traumatique comme objectif thérapeutique au sein des centres d’aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel (CALACS) de Montréal

Supervisor: Bianca Briciu, School of Leadership, Ecology and Equity

As a physician, my doctoral research project aims to analyze, using an interdisciplinary approach, how religious organizations and structures, sexual assault support and prevention centers, and Intermediate and Family-Type Residences (IFR-FTRs) understand and integrate the concept of post-traumatic growth (PTG) into their care and support protocols. This study seeks to identify the definitions of healing adopted, the preferred support methods, and the obstacles encountered when integrating PTG as a therapeutic objective.

This innovative model recognizes that, beyond symptom reduction, survivors can develop new psychological resources and a renewed sense of self following trauma (West et al., 2016). It posits that a negative event can lead to personal development marked by positive psychological changes affecting self-perception, philosophy of life, spirituality, and interpersonal relationships. Although the concept of post-traumatic growth is increasingly accepted in psychology, it remains relatively unexplored in the specific context of interventions with victims of sexual violence (Clark, 2024).

Post-traumatic growth represents a progression beyond previous levels of adaptation, characterized by lasting changes and a deeper understanding of life after trauma, differentiating this concept from resilience or other positive psychological qualities (Anderson et al., 2019). This process involves significant cognitive and emotional struggle, resulting in positive transformations in five major areas: appreciation of life, relationships with others, development of personal strengths, openness to new opportunities, and a deepening of existential or spiritual meaning (Chim & Lai, 2024; Gendre et al., 2024).

Meanings of Artmaking

Supervisor: Dr. Lauren Michelle Levesque, School of Leadership, Ecology and Equity

Qualitative and quantitative methods are leveraged to examine existential themes in the artistic creative process with an engaged, reflective stance. Cornerstones of depth psychology demonstrate fresh applications in cognitive models of creativity and studies of mythic semiosis. This research sets out with a social psychological paradigm, in dialogue with insights from the contemplative tradition, to advance our understanding of the experience of artmaking, also shedding light on meanings of the spiritual in our time.

Well-being at work: Exploring the impact of transformative organizational leadership capability-building on psychosocial risk factors and work-related stress

Supervisors: Dr. Bianca Briciu. Ph.D. et Dr. Laura Armstrong, Ph.D., C.Psych.

The reduction of psychosocial risk factors and work-related stress is the primary objective of Canadian and international standards for psychological health and safety in the workplace. I argue that these standards are intended to guide a social and organizational transformation of work from a perspective of organizational sustainability and social responsibility.

In contrast, workplace well-being involves creating the conditions that enable employees to thrive by developing transformational organizational leaders who are committed to co-creating inclusive, safe, and healthy work environments, and to fostering employee-driven innovation through a shared vision that generates connection and meaning.

My research explores the impact of developing transformational organizational leadership capacity on psychosocial risk factors, work-related stress, as well as subjective and psychological well-being in the workplace.

Développer le courage au travail : une recherche participative praxéologique auprès de leaders œuvrant pour la transformation sociale

Supervisor: Dr. Michaël Séguin, School of Leadership, Ecology and Equity

For this research, leaders working for transformation, development, or social justice in the Lower St. Lawrence region of Quebec will be brought together to participate in a collective process aimed at developing their own practice of courage in the workplace. The research aims to test a praxeological intervention model that fosters the development of courage in the workplace, to understand the personal transformation processes at work for those who engage in this process, and finally, to identify the conditions that can support the personal and professional development of the leaders involved.

Supervisor: Dr. Heather Eaton, école de leadership, écologie et équité

The climate crisis has been identified by the medical journal The Lancet as the greatest threat to human health in the 21st century. It affects all aspects of health, including physical, spiritual, and mental health, and will worsen as the crisis intensifies. Mental health services are increasingly being called upon by people affected by climate-related issues, whether due to natural disasters such as wildfires or to anxiety disorders, grief, or despair. Moreover, these problems disproportionately affect groups already facing health inequalities. Despite the growing demand for care, mental health professionals receive little or no training in climate-informed therapeutic approaches during their graduate education.

* Thesis title: Information to come

Community organizations provide frontline services by representing the interests and needs of the population. Yet, the Quebec government recently announced the withdrawal of funding for many of these organizations. Nevertheless, the residents of La Petite-Patrie can do their part by involving the Church in ensuring the continuity of these organizations. Upon reflection, we need to consider and establish a new societal framework regarding this precarious situation. This research will undoubtedly contribute to the advancement of knowledge on interdisciplinarity and therefore focuses on the research question: How can the citizens of La Petite-Patrie and a social alliance with the churches in this neighbourhood influence the sustainability of community organizations? The current economic crisis is affecting organizations that are required to address collectively identified challenges. My research aimed at ensuring the sustainability of community organizations is thus relevant. An interdisciplinary doctoral research program offers precisely this space for reflection to better understand contemporary social issues.

* Thesis title and thesis supervisor: Information to come

The ethical, moral, and political implications of irreligion in Canada

Supervisor :Dr. Matthew McLennan

I am a second-year doctoral student at Saint Paul University in the Interdisciplinary Research on Contemporary Social Issues program. I am using an interdisciplinary approach to understand the ethical, moral and political implications for the millions of Canadians whose form of life does not include a religious community of practice. I am trying to understand the irreligious person’s role in a democratic, pluralistic society when an individual no longer considers themself affiliated with religion. Outside of my research, I am a committed public servant with a passion for creative writing, sewing, and spending time with my husband, family and friends.

Social Integration of Muslims in Western Contexts: Hermeneutic Reflections on ‘Loyalty and Disavowal’ in Islam

Supervisor: Dr. Isaac Friesen, Assistant Professor of Conflict Studies

Research Focus and Objectives:

Morad Algrari’s doctoral research examines the concept of loyalty and disavowal (al-wala’ wal-bara’) as a theological concept and a practical social practice within Muslim communities in Canada. Moving beyond purely theological readings, the thesis explores how this concept functions as a symbolic boundary that hinders a sense of belonging and civic engagement in secular and multicultural societies. This project seeks to reconcile Islamic ethical logic with the realities of Canadian citizenship by reinterpreting classical concepts within contemporary social contexts.

Theoretical and Methodological Framework:

This research adopts a multidisciplinary framework integrating religious studies, anthropology, sociology, political theory, intercultural psychology, and ethnography. Drawing on hermeneutics (Paul Ricoeur), Qur’anic ethics and the objectives of Islamic law (al-Shatibi, Fazlur Rahman), and the anthropology of Islam through the concept of discursive tradition (Talal Asad), the study examines Islam as a dynamic ethical discourse rooted in its historical context. Ethnographic fieldwork in the Kitchener-Waterloo region provides in-depth insight into how Muslims engage with religious norms, identity, and social belonging in their daily lives.

Academic Contribution and Significance:

This thesis contributes to post-secular studies by challenging reductionist narratives that portray Muslim integration primarily as a religious or security issue. Instead, it highlights the ethical role of Muslims, their lived experience, and their moral agencies within pluralistic societies. By linking Islamic interpretation to issues of citizenship, multiculturalism, and social cohesion, the project aims to produce studies with a social dimension that enrich academic discussions and societal dialogue while simultaneously removing imagined ideological obstacles for a large segment of Muslims, especially new immigrants from conflict zones.

Clinical Trials and Tribulations: Repeat Healthy Volunteer Experiences as Liberation Theology Concerns in Canadian Public Health

Supervisor : Mark Slatter, Faculty of Theology

Healthy volunteers are crucial to successful drug development outcomes. Yet, repeat healthy volunteers (RHVs) face numerous issues in North American clinical trials. Prone to lower socioeconomic status, RHVs’ consequent health disparities also harm general public health. American RHVs have identified potential benefits to clinical trial participation beyond financial motivation/need (e.g., inter-volunteer friendship, medical research contribution), but Canadian perspectives are unknown. How can the latter’s views on Phase I drug trial participation better inform clinical research nationwide? The voices of the RHV crisis may be better understood through central themes of liberation theology, which highlights the lived experience of the oppressed as grounds for collective salvation through social transformation. Through this interdisciplinary mixed-methods project, I aim to lend a unified theological and bioethical perspective on RHV experiences as a matter of public health.

Supervisor: Dr. Michaël Séguin, School of Leadership, Ecology, and Equity

Originally from Melbourne (Australia), I have completed two masters’ degrees at Saint Paul’s as an international student (MA – Conflict Studies, and MA – Transformative leadership and Spirituality). I am particularly interested in issues relating to mobility, inclusion, and belonging.

My research explores systemic barriers facing international university and college students in Canada today. Canada is recognised for its multiculturalism, welcoming communities, and immigrant-friendly policies, and it continues to be a destination of choice for students from around the world. However, challenges relating to unfamiliar academic cultures, finances, language, employment, immigration, racism and isolation are commonly experienced, and poorly addressed.  My research aims to “unpack” these experiences with a particular focus on intersectionality and vulnerability.  By highlighting international student voices, I hope to further illuminates these barriers, while concurrently encouraging a shift from deficit-based approaches to agency, empowerment and appreciation.

* Thesis title: Information to come

Community organizations provide frontline services by representing the interests and needs of the population. Yet, the Quebec government recently announced the withdrawal of funding for many of these organizations. Nevertheless, the residents of La Petite-Patrie can do their part by involving the Church in ensuring the continuity of these organizations. Upon reflection, we need to consider and establish a new societal framework regarding this precarious situation. This research will undoubtedly contribute to the advancement of knowledge on interdisciplinarity and therefore focuses on the research question: How can the citizens of La Petite-Patrie and a social alliance with the churches in this neighbourhood influence the sustainability of community organizations? The current economic crisis is affecting organizations that are required to address collectively identified challenges. My research aimed at ensuring the sustainability of community organizations is thus relevant. An interdisciplinary doctoral research program offers precisely this space for reflection to better understand contemporary social issues.

* Thesis title and thesis supervisor: Information to come