Meet Daphne Duruoha! Daphne is originally from Nigeria, but came to 杏吧原创 last fall from Berlin, Germany to pursue a Master of Arts in Legal Studies. Daphne is currently wrapping up the first year of her program and will be pursuing the Major Research Essay (MRE) stream going into the second year of her program.

Daphne is the recipient of this year’s Chet Mitchell Memorial Award in Law, which is given annually to a deserving student enrolled in the Master of Arts program in Legal Studies. Daphne was nominated by several faculty members who all had incredibly positive things to say about her academic skills, intellectual curiosity, and collegiality.

What led you to pursuing your MA in Legal Studies at 杏吧原创?
The interdisciplinary and interpretive nature of the MA here at 杏吧原创 is what drew me in. For my undergrad, I did an LL.B. and specialized in International Law. A lot of that was helpful for familiarizing with doctrinal legal provisions and their applications, but I knew that if I wanted to truly make an impact in the legal field, I needed to understand the law differently. How it works in everyday life, how it has come to be what it is, how it is interpreted (even resisted), and how it shapes our social and material realities. So far, the MA has really delivered on that. It has strengthened my research and writing skills, and I鈥檝e especially enjoyed the qualitative sidemof it. I love writing (creative non-fiction in particular) so learning how to translate that into academic research has been exciting. That鈥檚 not to say I鈥檓 not sometimes close to fainting in the process (haha), but it has definitely equipped me and nudged me out of my comfort zone.

Tell me more about your research, and what do you hope to gain out of it by the time you complete your degree?
My current research looks to capture marginalization from a more nuanced perspective. I鈥檓 working on developing a concept I鈥檝e called Legal Perpetuities. To put it simply, it looks at how the law can contribute to forms of marginalization that persist across generations, and how this affects certain groups, keeping them structurally dispossessed within social systems. Theorizing in the manner that I look to approach it can be very delicate, so
while I鈥檓 consulting on the possibilities of that idea, I鈥檓 also developing research on emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, and how optimism around these technologies shapes the law. By the time I complete my degree, I really hope to have stretched my intellectual capacity. How I interpret and apply law and policies, as well as how I write about it.

What advice would you give to incoming students?
If I had to give any advice, it would be not to underestimate the value of faith and consistency. I鈥檝e had quite a long journey getting here, and sometimes I wonder how different things would have been if I wasn鈥檛 consistent with my choices and didn鈥檛 trust them with God. I鈥檇 also say, speak up. In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie鈥檚 speech titled Never
Admire Quietly, she says to speak, speak freely, speak kindly. Because human beings are fragile and life is fleeting. I take this advice with me into academia and often encourage everyone not to be afraid to sound silly, too
knowledgeable, or even a bit awkward. We are here to explore and grow, and that only really happens when you
participate fully. Engaging in classes, sharing ideas and taking part in activities will help you make the most of your experience at 杏吧原创 (and possibly, really have fun while at it).

Are you interested in learning more about our graduate programs? You can find more details here!

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Meet Janakan Muthukumar! Janakan is pursuing a PhD in Legal Studies under the supervision of Professor Sean Richmond. Janakan is the recipient of this year鈥檚 Transformation Scholarship for Graduate Students.

1. What led you to pursue your PhD in Legal Studies at 杏吧原创?
杏吧原创’s Department of Law and Legal Studies stood out to me for its interdisciplinary ethos and commitment to tackling real-world legal and policy issues with intellectual depth. My academic and professional background sits at the intersection of international law, security, and human rights鈥攁reas that the department not only embraces but leads in. I was particularly drawn to 杏吧原创’s emphasis on critical legal scholarship, the faculty’s diverse expertise, and the department鈥檚 culture of mentorship and public engagement. After speaking with several faculty members and current students, I knew it was the right place to develop my ideas in a rigorous and supportive environment.

2. Tell us about your research, and what you hope to gain out of it by the time you complete your degree.
My research examines how, if at all, international law influenced Canada鈥檚 nuclear weapons policy between 1957 and 1984. While Canada鈥檚 nuclear history has often been studied through strategic or political lenses, I focus on the legal dimension鈥攁nalyzing how international legal norms were understood, debated, and invoked by Canadian policymakers during key moments of decision-making. This includes not only disarmament and non-proliferation treaties, but also broader principles such as sovereignty, collective self-defence, and humanitarian law. Drawing on archival materials, diplomatic correspondence, and theoretical frameworks like interactional international law, I explore how law shaped Canada鈥檚 nuclear trajectory鈥攏ot as a rigid constraint, but as a set of norms that helped define Canada鈥檚 identity, legitimate its policies, and navigate alliance obligations under NATO and NORAD.

By the time I complete my degree, I hope to produce not just a historical account, but a meaningful intervention in how we think about the role of law in shaping national security policy. My goal is to demonstrate that international legal norms鈥攅ven in areas as politically charged as nuclear weapons鈥攁re not peripheral, but central to how states like Canada define their choices, justify their actions, and project their identities. I also hope my work contributes to broader conversations about the future of disarmament, the credibility of international legal commitments, and the responsibilities of middle powers in upholding a rules-based international order. At a time when global arms control is under strain, I believe understanding the legal foundations of past restraint can help us imagine new paths forward.

3. What advice would you give to incoming students?
Graduate studies can be both rewarding and overwhelming, so my first piece of advice is to embrace the long view鈥攔ecognize that scholarship is a process, and it鈥檚 okay to not have everything figured out at the start. Build relationships with faculty and fellow students; 杏吧原创鈥檚 community is rich with people who are generous with their time and ideas. Also, carve out space to read widely and critically鈥攅ven beyond your discipline. Some of the most meaningful breakthroughs come from unexpected places. Lastly, don鈥檛 underestimate the value of self-care and setting boundaries鈥攖his work takes stamina, and so does taking care of yourself along the way.

Are you interested in learning more about our graduate programs? You can find more details here!

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We are pleased to share that PhD Student, Philippe Boucher has been awarded TWO prestigious scholarships: The Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholar, as well as the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship!

You can read more below about Philippe’s PhD journey and research.

What lead you to pursue your PhD in Legal Studies at 杏吧原创?

When I was completing my master鈥檚 degree in Criminology at Universit茅 de Montr茅al, I knew I wanted to pursue research with Indigenous communities. I became involved in research projects focusing on Indigenous people affected by incarceration and conjugal violence. During my graduate work, I met Innu and Naskapi men who had begun healing from trauma and were actively contributing to the revitalization of their cultures.

In parallel, I also wrote Gladue reports for criminal courts, helping ensure that the specific circumstances of Indigenous defendants were properly considered and that judges and lawyers were presented with culturally appropriate alternatives. I noticed a significant gap in research on the experiences of Indigenous people in judicial contexts. While their specific circumstances are supposed to be a key consideration, it is not clear how the courts are actually considering these factors and how they integrate Indigenous perspectives.

When I came across Jane Dickson鈥檚 research on Gladue reports and Indigenous justice, I reached out to her immediately. The interdisciplinary structure of the PhD program in Legal Studies at 杏吧原创 University aligned perfectly with my academic background in First Peoples Studies, Sociology, and Criminology.

Tell us about your research, and what you hope to gain out of it by the time you complete your degree?

My research focuses on documenting the experiences of Indigenous people in the court system and exploring Indigenous legal traditions to contribute to the transformation of criminal justice. The project aims to examine the dynamics at the itinerant court in northern Quebec. Typically, judges and lawyers travel to the community for a week at a time to hear cases, doing so a few times each year.

This research combines court observation with interviews involving accused persons, victims, and community members to understand their experiences within the Western justice system and with Indigenous justice practices. In parallel, I will engage with Elders, community members, and the local justice committee to document Indigenous legal traditions 鈥� such as traditional approaches to conflict resolution prior to settlement.

By bringing together these two perspectives, I aim to collaborate with the community in identifying pathways to improve the delivery of justice 鈥� ensuring that it is grounded in Indigenous values, practices, and worldviews.

What advice would you give to incoming students?

I encourage incoming students to study topics that genuinely interest them 鈥� something they鈥檙e passionate about and that drives them to go further. Academic life is challenging, which makes it all the more important to find something you truly enjoy studying. Beyond the classroom, I strongly encourage students to get involved 鈥� both within the university and in the broader community. Talk to your classmates and get to know each other. Most likely, they will become your future colleagues during your career. Learning mostly happens outside of formal education, through lived experience and meaningful engagement with diverse communities.

Don鈥檛 be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. The academic journey includes opportunities like presenting at conferences and publishing research. It鈥檚 easy to feel intimidated 鈥� especially  when impostor syndrome sets in 鈥� but don鈥檛 let it stand in your way. Get informed about scholarships, conferences, journals, and research groups. Seek advice and feedback, especially from those who have been there before you. Prepare in advance, apply and apply again. Remember: rejection is part of the process and it does not define you. We rarely talk about all the rejections behind the scenes, but they are just as much a part of success as the wins. Start small, take it one step at a time, and keep moving forward.

You can read more about Philippe’s Trudeau Award at the link below.

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Meet Gurleen Bhatti! Gurleen is heading into the second year of our MA Program and is completing a thesis under the supervision of Dale Spencer.

Gurleen is also the recipient of this year’s Chet Mitchell Memorial Award in Law! This award is given annually to a deserving student enrolled in the Master of Arts program in Legal Studies and is nominated by faculty members teaching in the graduate program. Gurleen was nominated by several faculty who all had incredibly positive things to say about her academic skills, intellectual curiosity, and collegiality.

Read more below on Gurleen’s experience in our department.

What lead you to pursuing your MA in Legal Studies at 杏吧原创?

I was drawn to the critical and interdisciplinary lens that many of the legal studies faculty at 杏吧原创 are committed to. This is something that was important to me personally, as well as my approach to the area of research I was interested in. And, after a year, I can safely say they did not disappoint! The emphasis on the complexities of the legal field and meaningful social transformation has been challenging and engaging. One of the other reasons I chose this program is because I feel like I found my place and purpose in academia, so I wanted to be a part of and learn from exceptional and progressive scholars.

Tell me more about your research, and what do you hope to gain out of it by the time you complete your degree?

My MA thesis focuses on policing. More specifically, I am examining police accountability and how the Ontario Special Investigations Unit conducts its investigations of complaints. Police oversight in Canada is an area that very little is known about, both academically and to the public. By the time I complete my degree, I am hoping to become a better learner, a well-rounded researcher, and take advantage of the opportunities that come with being a grad student in this space.

What advice would you give to incoming students?

My advice for incoming students sounds cheesy but it鈥檚 true: follow your passion. Lean into the conversations and topics that interest you 鈥� take the time to understand why they interest you and what kinds of research you would be excited to contribute to. I would also say that self-discovery goes hand in hand with community. Be part of the academic community you鈥檙e in 鈥� whether it be through departmental events, panel discussions, or getting involved in the larger 杏吧原创 student body. These will be a big source of inspiration, commitment, and joy, especially because academia can sometimes be a very isolating experience. But it does not have to be!

Are you interested in learning more about our MA program? Check out our website here for more details!

The post 2025 Chet Mitchell Memorial Award Winner: Gurleen Bhatti appeared first on Department of Law and Legal Studies.

Meet Erica Chen! Erica is a PhD student under the supervision of Evelyn Maeder and was also awarded SSHRC this year!

See what lead Erica to pursue her PhD in Legal Studies at 杏吧原创 and her experience in our program!

What lead you to pursue your PhD in Legal Studies at 杏吧原创?

I was really interested in how the Department of Law & Legal Studies takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of law; the overrepresentation of racialized people involved in the criminal legal system is a complex issue that one discipline cannot fully address. I was also extremely interested in working with my supervisor, Dr. Evelyn Maeder, who applies social psychological concepts to the criminal legal system. She is one of the few researchers who examines racial discrimination in the context of jury decision-making, and I was drawn to her work since I was an undergraduate student.

Tell us about your research, and what you hope to gain out of it by the time you complete your degree?

I am applying the experimental mock trial paradigm to an HIV non-disclosure case to better understand the psychological mechanisms behind jury decision-making. By the time I complete my degree, I hope to become a mixed-methods researcher who is well-versed in both legal and social psychological theory.

What advice would you give to incoming students?

My main two pieces for advice to incoming students would be to take rejection as an opportunity to learn, to take attend as many departmental events as possible. Rejection, unfortunately, is quite common in academia, which can be discouraging. However, with the help of my supervisor, I have learned to seek out opportunities for feedback and to further develop my skills. I have really enjoyed the departmental events that the Law and Legal Studies have, such as holiday parties and pizza and work-in-progress. Isolation and imposter syndrome are rampant in higher education, but events like these are central to building strong connections with your peers and forming a supportive learning environment.

Want to learn more about our PhD Program? Click here for more info!

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Meet Ellen Yarr! Ellen is a 2nd year MA student under the supervision of Megan Gaucher in the thesis stream. Ellen will be completing her thesis defence within the next few weeks and was also awarded SSHRC back in the fall of 2024!

Check out what lead Ellen to pursue her MA here in our department and what her experience in our program is like!

What lead you to pursue your MA in Legal Studies at 杏吧原创?

I really wanted to work with Megan Gaucher, my thesis supervisor, who is one of the only people in the country doing critical work in the field of citizenship, migration, and family formations in Canada. I read a lot of Megan’s work in my undergrad, and it really sparked an interest for me in the ways in which family, sexuality, gender, migration, and citizenship intersect in unique ways in political discourse.

Tell us about your research, and what you hope to gain out of it by the time you complete your degree?

My research investigates two cases of what I am calling “domestic imperialism,” that is, a ‘softer’ form of contemporary imperialism in which discourses of protection and paternalism are used as vehicles for expansionist and or/exclusionary policies. My first case study is the 2015 Canadian Zero 

Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act, where the guise of protecting white Canadian women was used as a tactic of enacting racist border policies. My second case study is the United States occupation of Afghanistan and the paternalization of Afghan women facing the oppression of the Taliban. It examines how the United States ultimately abandoned any semblance of a benevolent mission in Afghanistan by failing to engage substantially with the Afghan women in the country. I am particularly interested in the role of white women in furthering these instances of contemporary imperialism.

I don’t see this research or this degree as a means to an end, but rather see myself as being lucky enough to be able to continue my academic career beyond my undergrad. I think engaging in the activity of research and investigation of topics that interest you, in and of itself, is an extremely valuable exercise, and if you have the means to do it, then you should!

What advice would you give to incoming students?

Engage critically with the academic institutions that you are a part of. As students, it is easy to simply do your work and keep your head down, but academic institutions thrive when the voices of students are heard. Get involved and speak up for yourself and your fellow students, even when it’s not easy. Your learning experience will be strengthened if you actually apply the critical thinking skills that you are taught to the world around you.

Are you interested in learning more about our MA program? Check out our website here for more details!

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The Department of Law and Legal Studies is proud to celebrate the journeys and successes of this years鈥� cohort of students graduating with a MA in Legal Studies or PhD in Legal Studies. Please find research highlights for some of our recent graduates below. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors. Congratulations class of 2021!

Kimiya Missaghi

Missaghi received a Research Impact Canada’s 2021 Engaged Scholarship Award (April 2021) for her thesis research and earned her Master of Arts in Legal Studies in November 2021. Her thesis entitled “Redefining Resiliency, Resistance, and Oppression: A Case Study of the Underground University in Iran” involved interviewing alumni of the Baha’铆 underground university in Iran who attended such an institution due to the marginalization and violence they faced because of their religious identity. Her thesis research examined resiliency as a socially embedded process, an institutional model of resiliency, and resiliency in the context of intergenerational oppression and violence.

Missaghi looks forward to building on her research in advancing discourses on resiliency within intergenerational and intersectional processes, both theoretically and practically. She continues to work under the supervision of her thesis advisor Dr. Melanie Adrian, Department of Law and Legal Studies, examining religious freedom and specifically Islamophobia among youth in Canada.

Congratulations Kimiya!

Tessa Penich

Penich graduated with a Masters of Arts in Legal Studies in November 2021. During her degree, she received the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship 鈥� Master鈥檚, Ontario Graduate Scholarship, and the Chet Mitchell Memorial Award in Law. Her thesis research, titled 鈥�Dystopian Panic, Transphobic Hatred, and Annihilation Anxiety: Critiquing Radical Feminist Opposition to Sex Robots,鈥� examines the ideological assumptions that underpin anti-sex robot arguments. Focusing on the Campaign Against Sex Robots, she uses a feminist critical discourse analysis and theoretical frameworks including sex-positive feminism, queer theory, and posthumanism to examine how and why these radical feminists have latched on to sex robot technology as a site of danger and violence against women. Her analysis finds that while anti-sex robot feminists claim to oppose systemic violence, their arguments reveal a deep investment in violence, particularly against trans women, in the name of protecting a narrowly defined ideal of womanhood and intimacy.

Penich chose the MA Legal Studies program at 杏吧原创 specifically to work with her supervisor, Dr. Ummni Khan, Department of Law and Legal Studies. She is grateful for the mentorship and support she has received from her thesis committee.

After completing her degree, Penich returned to her home province of Alberta and is currently working for the Alberta Living Wage Network. She is pursuing a career in research and policy and is in the process of publishing her thesis findings. A PhD is likely in her future.

Congratulations Tessa!

Dr. Jay Ramasubramanyam

Dr. Ramasubramanyam is a global south migration researcher. He completed his doctoral dissertation under the guidance of Dr. Betina Appel Kuzmarov, Department of Law and Legal Studies, and earned a PhD in Legal Studies in November 2021. His project was a study of some of the gaps associated with the global refugee regime and the historical development of refugee protection India. The project identified India as an alternate location of practice with respect to refugee protection. His research also studied the notion of 鈥榬esistance鈥� with respect to India鈥檚 relationship to international refugee law mechanisms by pitting it against the existing global narrative of 鈥榙eviance鈥� that has often been attached to states that are non-signatories of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. With the help of this study, his project presented first steps towards a new place for discourse on forced migration research.

Dr. Ramasubramanyam is an Assistant Professor at York University鈥檚 Law and Society Program. He is currently working towards turning his doctoral dissertation into a monograph, and two journal articles in the Journal of Immigrant and Refugees Studies, and the Journal of Refugee Studies.

Dr. Ramasubramanyam noted that 鈥淢y time is 杏吧原创 was memorable for many reasons. I came to Canada as an international student. Beyond my academic work I took the opportunity to engage with campus life at large through student advocacy and community engagement.鈥�

Congratulations Dr. Ramasubramanyam!

Dr. Marcus Sibley

Dr. Sibley earned a PhD in Legal Studies in November 2021. His doctoral research historicizes and critically examines the idea and concept of 鈥渞ape culture,鈥� how it shapes and is shaped by knowledge practices related to sexual violence, and its role in political discourse and legal governance. He maps how the concept is constituted through epistemologies of radical feminist theory, social psychology, and criminology as an empirical measure of attitudes and orientations towards sexual violence. Considering this important historical context, his work also explores the implementation of Bill 132鈥攖he Ontario government鈥檚 response to addressing rape culture on university campuses鈥攖hrough efforts to reform post-secondary institutions into quasi-legal assemblages that intersect with broader systems of power, governance, and criminalization.

Dr. Sibley鈥檚 research was supported by the critical training offered by his supervisors, Dr. Dawn Moore and Dr. Dale Spencer of the Department of Law and Legal Studies, who ensured that his theoretical and substantive contributions were both engaging and rigorous.

Dr. Sibley currently holds a position as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University (Brantford). He is working on an important project titled 鈥�From NIMBY to neighbour: Brokering a dialogue about homelessness among people experiencing homelessness, law enforcement, and the community at large,鈥� which investigates perceptions of homelessness by community stakeholders, police, and those with lived experience of housing precarity. He is excited to continue researching the governance of sexual violence, policing, and the criminalization of vulnerable and marginalized communities.

Congratulations Dr. Sibley!

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The Department of Law and Legal Studies is proud of all of our graduate students. We would like to take this opportunity to highlight the research of some of our recent graduates as we wish them all the best in their future endeavors. Congratulations class of 2021!

Robyn O’Loughlin, PhD

Robyn O鈥橪oughlin is graduating this week with her PhD studies in Legal Studies. Her research analyzed teacher attitudes about bullying and whether the Ontario government’s anti-bullying framework may contribute to racism towards indigenous students in Northern Ontario. Supervisor, Professor Vincent Kazmierski, states: “Robyn’s research provides important insight into the ways in which main-stream conceptions of “bullying” that are reinforced through government anti-bullying frameworks may be reinforcing colonial education practices to the ongoing disadvantage of Indigenous students.”

Robyn will continue her research as a postdoctoral fellow at  at Lakehead University, funding by a MITACS Elevate PostDoctoral Fellowship.

Congratulations Dr. Robyn O鈥橪oughlin!

Monisha Logan, MA

Monisha Logan received a Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement along with her Master of Arts in Legal Studies degree. Her research is entitled “Digitally Witnessing Police Brutality: Examining the Relationship Between Police Violence, Race, and Affect in the Age of Social Media”. Her research focused on how a victim’s race influences how we as spectators view, listen, and react to their deaths online, and how that, in turn, may influence how we understand the larger issue of police violence. She approached her research by conducting a comparative analysis of social media comments that were left on two racially different cases of police brutality in the United States to see how these reactions were similar and/or differed.

Monisha will build on her MA research and continue to explore issues centered around racial justice and policing in her PhD in Legal Studies at 杏吧原创 this fall.

Congratulations Monisha! We look forward to seeing what you will achieve in your PhD research.

 Sylva Sheridan, MA

graduated with his Bachelor of Arts major in Law in 2019 and continued with his MA studies with us. His thesis is entitled “A Significant Negative Impact: Assessing the Link Between Historical Trauma, Indigenous Child Removal Policies, and the Disproportionate Number of Indigenous Children in the Child Welfare System”. His research area explored the intergenerational effects of the residential school system through assessing historical trauma theory in application to the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system. He considered necropolitical forms of governance to examine Indigenous child removal policies. Sylva selected our MA program to complete his graduate work due to the interdisciplinary nature of the Department of Law and Legal Studies. He is grateful to have had the opportunity to work under the supervision of Dr. Jane Dickson.

Sylva is actively pursuing a career in public policy. He plans to publish and continue his research, with plans to pursue a PhD in the future. In his spare time, he spends time at his family cottage in Blue Sea, QC and is also writing a novel.

Congratulations Sylva! Enjoy your break, you deserve it.

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Department of Law and Legal Studies MA candidate, Kimiya Missaghi, has been awarded 2021 Research Impact Canada Engaged Scholarship Award in the Master鈥檚 category. Congratulations!

Kimiya Missaghi is a MA candidate at the Department of Law and Legal Studies at 杏吧原创 University currently completing her thesis. Her research is a case study that interviews alumni from an underground university in Iran. This university was created as a response to Baha’is being unable to attend higher education because of their religious affiliation in Iran. This study explores themes of resiliency, oppression, resistance, and education, and seeks to advance discourse on overcoming oppression and systematic barriers among minority groups. Areas of interest include human rights, religious freedom, refugee resiliency, social change, and innovative pedagogical approaches.

The post Congratulations Kimiya Missaghi! appeared first on Department of Law and Legal Studies.

Congratulations to Dr. Safiyah Rochelle for being awarded a Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement!

Safiyah worked under the supervision of Professor Christiane Wilke and successfully defended her thesis 鈥淐apturing the Void(ed): Muslim Detainees, Practices of Violence, and the Politics of Seeing in Guantanamo Bay鈥� this past winter!

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