The July instalment of NORDIK Institute’s Spark Series will feature Dr. Rose Ann Torres, from Algoma University’s School of Social Work. The presentation will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, July 27th at 12 p.m. Click the link at the bottom of this page to register.

In Dr. Torres’ presentation, she argues that white supremacy is fundamental to the formation of the Canadian nation and the rise of the post-war welfare state. In other words, does the category of “Asians” even exist when Asians are considered the disordered other? This presentation looks outside the shaping of whiteness and to start asking ethical question of how Asians may look within and without communities in the diaspora. To do this, this presentation discusses and deliberates the history of anti-Asian racism. Including Dr. Torres’ initial research findings on the experience of Filipino health care workers in Northern Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic and the different ways in which we can re-imagine Asians from a place of disorder.

Dr. Rose Ann Torres is the Director and Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Algoma University. She is currently a Visiting Professor at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Prior to joining Algoma University, she was an Assistant Professor at University of New Brunswick. Dr. Torres is currently the principal investigator of “Examining Access to Mental Health Care Service: The Impact of Covid-19 on Filipino Health Care Workers in Northern Ontario” and a co- principal investigator (with Dr. Nyaga) for a SSHRC funded project entitled: “Effects of COVID-19 on Teaching, and Learning: Stories of Indigenous and Racialized Faculty Members and Students at Algoma University. She co-edited two books on “Asian Canada is Burning: Theories, Methods, Pedagogies, and Praxes” with Fernwood Publishing (Forthcoming) and “Critical Reflexive Research Methodologies with University of Calgary Press” (Forthcoming).

The Spark Series aims to break down communication silos and foster awareness between research and community activism that contribute to social, economic, environmental and cultural justice by profiling the work of community actors and researchers in Northern Ontario.

Register for this event here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/nordik-spark-series-anti-asian-racisms-with-dr-rose-ann-torres-tickets-379211912037