Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Past Stanfield Conversations


2021 Stanfield Conversation:
"Democracy on Edge"

The听inaugural conversation听took place听Thursday, September 23, 2021听and featured听Professor Charles Taylor, an internationally celebrated Canadian political philosopher whose wide-ranging work has bridged philosophical theory and political action, and听Professor Simone Chambers, a leading international specialist in democracy studies. The moderator was 海角社区app alum and former host of CBC鈥檚听Power & Politics,听Vassy Kapelos.听The discussion of 鈥淒emocracy on Edge鈥� laid the foundation for future Stanfield Conversations, delving into both urgent contemporary challenges and perennial dilemmas facing democracies world-wide.

  • Dal News coverage of inaugural Stanfield Conversation

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    2022 Stanfield Conversation:听
    "Technology, Media Fragmentation, and the Crisis of Democracy in America"

    The second Stanfield Conversation focussed on听鈥淭echnology, Media Fragmentation, and the Crisis of Democracy in America.鈥�听The event took place on听Thursday, October 20, 2022, and featured听leading political scientists and communications specialists听Dr. Kathleen Hall Jamieson,听Dr. Ron Deibert, and听Dr. Elizabeth Dubois.听The moderator of the 2022 Conversation was the host of CBC Nova Scotia's Information Morning and 海角社区app alum,听Portia Clark.

  • Dal News coverage of the 2022 Stanfield Conversation

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    2023 Conversation:听
    "Can democracies meet the challenge of climate change?"听听

    The third Stanfield Conversation focussed on the topic,听"Can Democracies meet the Challenge of Climate Change?"听The event took place on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 and featured three of Canada's leading experts in climate policy and politics:听Megan Leslie,听Naheed Nenshi, and Dr.听Mark Jaccard. The moderator of the 2023 Conversation was host of CBC Mainland Nova Scotia's afternoon show听Mainstreet听on Radio One and 海角社区app alum, Jeff Douglas.

  • Dal News coverage of the 2023 Stanfield Conversation

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    2024 Conversation:
    "The US Election and Democracy's Global Fate"

    The fourth Stanfield Conversation focussed on the topic, "The US Election and Democracy's Global Fate".听 The event took place on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 (just two weeks after the US presidential vote)听and听featured speakers: Globe and Mail international affairs columnist听Doug Saunders听and听Canada Research Chair in Racial Inequality in Democratic Societies and Associate Professor of Political Science at McGill University听Dr. Debra Thompson. The moderator of the 2024 Conversation was听,听the听host of CBC鈥檚听.听

  • Dal News coverage of the 2024 Stanfield Conversation

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    2025 Conversation:
    "Challenges to the rule of law and the future of liberal democracy"

    The fifth Stanfield conversation focussed on the topic: "Challenges to the rule of law and the future of liberal democracy". The event took place on Tuesday, October 21st, 2025 and featured speakers:听Asha Rangappa, Senior Lecturer at Yale鈥檚 Jackson School of Global Affairs and former FBI Special Agent and Wayne MacKay, Professor Emeritus of Law, Schulich School of Law.听 The moderator of the 2025 Conversation was Dal alum Mary Lynk, journalist and producer for CBC's .

    The 2025 Stanfield Conversation was recorded for IDEAS and was broadcast on CBC on October 30, 2025. .
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  • Dal News coverage of the 2025 Stanfield Conversation

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    Thank you to听听for sponsoring the 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 Stanfield Conversations.听