Dr. Edward Akuffo first encountered Canadian foreign policy in the late 1990s when he was completing his undergraduate education in Ghana. After seeing the work that the now defunct Canadian International Development Agency was doing under the leadership of John R. Schram (the retired diplomat and former Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana), his curiosity was…

For a self-described anxious kid growing up in Ottawa, Dr. Noah S. Schwartz dreaded the active shooter drills in elementary school. The teacher would lock the door and turn off the lights; the children would duck and cover. Silence ensued in the classroom. The fear would persist long after the drill ended. This was the…

The war in Ukraine. The passing of the Queen. Evolving G7 trade policies with China. While it may seem easy to feel detached from these global issues living in North America - specifically here in the Fraser Valley - we are all intertwined when it comes to International events. “The truth of the matter is…

The Fraser Valley experienced historic flooding in November 2021. As part of its Politalk Roundtable series, the Political Science department will host a virtual panel to address this historic flood, the ways that governments have contributed to the environmental crisis, and what people can do to affect environmental policy. Speakers: Kathryn Harrison, professor of Political…

Sheetal Deo (BA ’12)  was the kind of undergraduate student who would take electives in the summertime as a way to relax and hang out with friends. That’s a good thing, because it helped her discover her love for philosophy, political science, and social justice. Deo, who earned her Bachelor of Arts at the University…

The provincial election campaign is now over and all the votes have been cast. While final result will not be known in some ridings for a couple of weeks due to the need to count the large number of mail-in ballots, one thing is certain: several Fraser Valley candidates have a UFV connection. In Abbotsford-Mission,…

It is a commonplace assumption that the politics of many established democracies have become increasingly polarized. But what does polarization really mean, and what do we know about its sources and effects? Most importantly, can we get beyond polarized politics? UFV’s Politalk roundtable series will address this topic in a free public presentation on Thursday,…

There will be some high-achieving women on hand at the University of the Fraser Valley on March 8 for International Women’s Day. Award-winning journalist and 2018 UFV honorary doctorate recipient Dr. Kim Bolan, award-winning author Robyn Maynard, and Indigenous political science professor Dr. Gina Starblanket will share their perspectives and personal and professional experiences. This…

It has been 60 years since Boris Pasternak’s Dr. Zhivago won the Nobel Prize for Literature. UFV’s College of Arts will be marking the event with a multidisciplinary forum on the legacy of this work on Tues, Nov 13 from 11:30 am to 2:20 pm in the Abbotsford campus lecture theatre (Abby B101). Admission is…

UFV political science professor and frequent media commentator Hamish Telford wants people to be able to make an informed choice in the current provincial referendum on electoral reform. So he's presenting a talk titled Electoral Reform Referendum Demystified on Fri, Oct 26 at noon in Abbotsford A210. He has made similar presentation to community groups…

Interested in global politics and peace initiatives? Then you might want to check out three public events at the University of the Fraser Valley in October. Dr. Jimmy Juma will be speaking on Social Justice in a Time of War: Engaging the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, Oct 4, at 5:30 pm in room…

The guy just seems born for the part. From his balanced approach delivered in even timbre and a tan tweed jacket, to sharing a name with the former premier’s son, there’s no denying Hamish Telford has woven himself into the fabric of B.C. politics … even if that fabric sometimes feels like a ship’s tattered…

In recent months the Rohingya people of Myanmar have been targeted for widespread killing and mass expulsions by government forces and local Buddhist militias. Genocide scholar Adam Jones will explore the situation of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority population in western Myanmar, in guest lecture at UFV on Friday, Feb 23 at noon in room…

Will the European Union fall apart because of Brexit? Can the UK survive without the EU? What will the impact on Canada be? The United Kingdom (UK) is preparing to leave the European Union after the Brexit vote on June 23, 2016. What are the key factors that contributed to the turn of events in…

We’ve all seen the images. Refugees fleeing their homes with only what they can carry, crossing the ocean on crowded vessels, and walking urban highways looking for a safe haven. Children and old people struggling to keep up, and in some tragic cases, falling by the wayside. The current plight of Syrian refugees has gripped…