Research Library

Over the last three decades, the number of students pursuing higher education outside of their country of citizenship (i.e. international students) has increased five-fold (The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2022). In that same period Canada has become a popular attraction of international students, such that it is houses to the third largest concentration of this group globally. International student tuition and discretionary spending serve as an important source of revenue for higher education institutions. Furthermore, federal, and provincial governments identify international students as a valued source of skilled immigrants. In a bid to ensure a steady influx of students, Canada has recently turned to countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean – all regions where the population mostly identify as “Black” – as new source regions to target for intensified recruitment. Minimal research explores the integration experiences and daily lives of these students. Instead, studies employ monolithic categorizations, neglecting to analyze variations in racial/ethnic identification. To that end, the main research questions in this study are: (1) How do Black international students in Canada negotiate a sense of belonging amidst various forms of social inequality? and (2) In what ways are Black international students’ political proclivities shaping, or shaped by Canada’s political climate? I drew on an assorted mix of theoretical and methodological perspectives to answer these questions. The discussions in this study are based on semi-structured interviews with 40 research participants, all international students from sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean studying at a higher education institution across Alberta, Canada. In theorizing the study’s findings, I drew on an eclectic, interdisciplinary collection on scholarship such as international student mobility, Black politics, queer migration studies, and migration studies. What emerges from this approach is a detailed understanding of Black international students that accounts for the sociocultural reasons shaping their decision to study in Canada, relationship to Black-themed racial justice organizing/foregrounding, and navigation of queer identity making while managing the precarity of temporary legal status. Consequently, the project’s findings highlight the need to think of the respective populations “Black students” and “international students” as a heterogenous groups consisting of diverse viewpoints, experiences, and challenges. Over the last three decades, the number of students pursuing higher education outside of their country of citizenship (i.e. international students) has increased five-fold (The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2022). In that same period Canada has become a popular attraction of international students, such that it is houses to the third largest concentration of this group globally. International student tuition and discretionary spending serve as an important source of revenue for higher education institutions. Furthermore, federal, and provincial governments identify international students as a valued source of skilled immigrants. In a bid to ensure a steady influx of students, Canada has recently turned to countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean – all regions where the population mostly identify as “Black” – as new source regions to target for intensified recruitment. Minimal research explores the integration experiences and daily lives of these students. Instead, studies employ monolithic categorizations, neglecting to analyze variations in racial/ethnic identification. To that end, the main research questions in this study are: (1) How do Black international students in Canada negotiate a sense of belonging amidst various forms of social inequality? and (2) In what ways are Black international students’ political proclivities shaping, or shaped by Canada’s political climate? I drew on an assorted mix of theoretical and methodological perspectives to answer these questions. The discussions in this study are based on semi-structured interviews with 40 research participants, all international students from sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean studying at a higher education institution across Alberta, Canada. In theorizing the study’s findings, I drew on an eclectic, interdisciplinary collection on scholarship such as international student mobility, Black politics, queer migration studies, and migration studies. What emerges from this approach is a detailed understanding of Black international students that accounts for the sociocultural reasons shaping their decision to study in Canada, relationship to Black-themed racial justice organizing/foregrounding, and navigation of queer identity making while managing the precarity of temporary legal status. Consequently, the project’s findings highlight the need to think of the respective populations “Black students” and “international students” as a heterogenous groups consisting of diverse viewpoints, experiences, and challenges.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Maturity Model provides a 5 Level pathway to achieving an anti-racist Calgary. The 5 Levels are: 1) compliance, 2) complacency, 3) awareness, 4) integration, and 5) anti-racist. Since the 2022 assessment, Calgary is currently at Level 2: complacency. The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan 2023-2027 aims to reach Level 5: anti-racist. The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Maturity Model provides a 5 Level pathway to achieving an anti-racist Calgary. The 5 Levels are: 1) compliance, 2) complacency, 3) awareness, 4) integration, and 5) anti-racist. Since the 2022 assessment, Calgary is currently at Level 2: complacency. The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan 2023-2027 aims to reach Level 5: anti-racist.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The City of Calgary Public Safety Anti-Racism Action Strategy aims to prevent and mitigate systemic racism and racialization in public safety and City programs and services. The strategy highlights the need to examine policies, bylaws, and legislation that regulate behaviors, statements, or decisions that cause or sustain racism and racialization. It also emphasizes the importance of community engagement in supporting The City’s efforts to become anti-racist. This Action Strategy is instrumental in the development of The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan 2023-2027, which provides an overview of strategic actions to create equitable and fair protection, treatment, and outcomes for all Calgarians by enhancing public safety, dignity, order, and peace. The City of Calgary Public Safety Anti-Racism Action Strategy aims to prevent and mitigate systemic racism and racialization in public safety and City programs and services. The strategy highlights the need to examine policies, bylaws, and legislation that regulate behaviors, statements, or decisions that cause or sustain racism and racialization. It also emphasizes the importance of community engagement in supporting The City’s efforts to become anti-racist. This Action Strategy is instrumental in the development of The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan 2023-2027, which provides an overview of strategic actions to create equitable and fair protection, treatment, and outcomes for all Calgarians by enhancing public safety, dignity, order, and peace.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This strategy outlines the City of Calgary’s commitment to creating a racially-just community. It emphasizes the importance of collective anti-racism work, organizational stamina, anti-racist leadership, and intentional centering of the lived experiences of Indigenous, Black, and diverse Racialized employees. The strategy also highlights the need for a focused approach to address the root causes of systemic racism and oppression. It emphasizes accountability as a public service organization and aims to embed it into the change process. Overall, this strategy serves as a roadmap for the City of Calgary’s efforts towards creating an inclusive and equitable community for all its residents. This strategy outlines the City of Calgary’s commitment to creating a racially-just community. It emphasizes the importance of collective anti-racism work, organizational stamina, anti-racist leadership, and intentional centering of the lived experiences of Indigenous, Black, and diverse Racialized employees. The strategy also highlights the need for a focused approach to address the root causes of systemic racism and oppression. It emphasizes accountability as a public service organization and aims to embed it into the change process. Overall, this strategy serves as a roadmap for the City of Calgary’s efforts towards creating an inclusive and equitable community for all its residents.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This comprehensive overview of available services, gaps and needs of immigrants and refugees in Calgary offers insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by newcomers in accessing services. The report delves into the initial conditions, focusing on immigration trends, government involvement, and the role of private sector funders. It also explores the structure and governance of the immigrant-serving sector. The findings highlight the need for improved collaboration, increased funding, and enhanced accountability measures to ensure effective service delivery. This comprehensive overview of available services, gaps and needs of immigrants and refugees in Calgary offers insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by newcomers in accessing services. The report delves into the initial conditions, focusing on immigration trends, government involvement, and the role of private sector funders. It also explores the structure and governance of the immigrant-serving sector. The findings highlight the need for improved collaboration, increased funding, and enhanced accountability measures to ensure effective service delivery.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Underpinned by neoliberal rationalities, the contractual relationship between government funders and immigrant-serving organisations (ISOs) has led these agencies to promote neoliberal values of competition in the business market, prioritising quantity over quality in their services in order to secure government funding. Informed by Foucault’s concept of governmentality as its theoretical framework and institutional ethnography (IE) as its methodology, our study investigates the work experiences of 18 immigrant settlement workers (ISWs) at three ISOs in western Canada. This study identifies how following an outcomes-driven evaluation approach, as required by the federal government, produces a series of textually mediated accountabilities, constructing translocal textual social relations that further coordinate and govern ISWs’ conduct in their local ISO workplaces. This evaluation approach, as analyzed in our study, is exercised as the technologies of ruling power, which is strengthened by the ruling of systems, workplace knowledge, social relations, and the governed-self, producing ideal ISWs who are self-accountable, self-regulated, adaptable, and productive. This process of making ideal ISWs legitimises ISWs’ apparatus role in reinforcing technologies of ruling power from the individual, organisational and institutional perspectives to better serve the agenda of the state. Underpinned by neoliberal rationalities, the contractual relationship between government funders and immigrant-serving organisations (ISOs) has led these agencies to promote neoliberal values of competition in the business market, prioritising quantity over quality in their services in order to secure government funding. Informed by Foucault’s concept of governmentality as its theoretical framework and institutional ethnography (IE) as its methodology, our study investigates the work experiences of 18 immigrant settlement workers (ISWs) at three ISOs in western Canada. This study identifies how following an outcomes-driven evaluation approach, as required by the federal government, produces a series of textually mediated accountabilities, constructing translocal textual social relations that further coordinate and govern ISWs’ conduct in their local ISO workplaces. This evaluation approach, as analyzed in our study, is exercised as the technologies of ruling power, which is strengthened by the ruling of systems, workplace knowledge, social relations, and the governed-self, producing ideal ISWs who are self-accountable, self-regulated, adaptable, and productive. This process of making ideal ISWs legitimises ISWs’ apparatus role in reinforcing technologies of ruling power from the individual, organisational and institutional perspectives to better serve the agenda of the state.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This report presents the findings of research conducted for the Wood Buffalo Local Immigration Partnership (LIP). The research aimed to identify the settlement needs of immigrants in the Wood Buffalo region, assess how well services meet their needs and develop areas for action. Data was gathered through a review of census data, an immigrant survey, focus groups with immigrants and focus groups and interviews with service providers and ethnocultural organizations. Results describe settlement challenges across 9 different categories, as well as multiple barriers to accessing services. Recommendations are provided to help Wood Buffalo LIP improve the resettlement experiences of newcomers to the area. This report presents the findings of research conducted for the Wood Buffalo Local Immigration Partnership (LIP). The research aimed to identify the settlement needs of immigrants in the Wood Buffalo region, assess how well services meet their needs and develop areas for action. Data was gathered through a review of census data, an immigrant survey, focus groups with immigrants and focus groups and interviews with service providers and ethnocultural organizations. Results describe settlement challenges across 9 different categories, as well as multiple barriers to accessing services. Recommendations are provided to help Wood Buffalo LIP improve the resettlement experiences of newcomers to the area.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of depression among African immigrant men in Southern Alberta. The study adopted an exploratory descriptive qualitative research design using focused semi-structured interviews with ten African immigrant men. Thematic analysis showed that African men went through episodes of sadness and frustrations due to intersection of challenges post-migration, which negatively impacted both their physical and mental health. However, instead of seeking professional help, they employed a series of coping mechanisms to mitigate, tolerate, or overcome the mental distress. It was evident that African men’s cultural constructions around masculinity influenced how they perceived, interpreted, and expressed their mental distress. Culture and masculinity also shaped their strategies for coping with the mental distress and behaviour towards help-seeking. It is recommended that stakeholders and policy makers apply cultural safety approaches to support African immigrant men to enhance their mental well-being. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of depression among African immigrant men in Southern Alberta. The study adopted an exploratory descriptive qualitative research design using focused semi-structured interviews with ten African immigrant men. Thematic analysis showed that African men went through episodes of sadness and frustrations due to intersection of challenges post-migration, which negatively impacted both their physical and mental health. However, instead of seeking professional help, they employed a series of coping mechanisms to mitigate, tolerate, or overcome the mental distress. It was evident that African men’s cultural constructions around masculinity influenced how they perceived, interpreted, and expressed their mental distress. Culture and masculinity also shaped their strategies for coping with the mental distress and behaviour towards help-seeking. It is recommended that stakeholders and policy makers apply cultural safety approaches to support African immigrant men to enhance their mental well-being.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Interview with Jose (they/he), a queer, non-binary Mexican immigrant living in St. Albert, AB. Jose talks about how their supportive parents changed their entire coming out experience, especially as a Catholic immigrant. Interview with Jose (they/he), a queer, non-binary Mexican immigrant living in St. Albert, AB. Jose talks about how their supportive parents changed their entire coming out experience, especially as a Catholic immigrant.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

RaricaNow CEO, Adebayo Katiti, is a Ugandan refugee and a Black trans man. He speaks about the importance of Trans Day of Remembrance and the inequities that trans people, especially Black trans people, continue to face in Canada. RaricaNow is an organization in Edmonton, AB that provides settlement supports for 2SLGBTQIA+ refugees and newcomers. RaricaNow CEO, Adebayo Katiti, is a Ugandan refugee and a Black trans man. He speaks about the importance of Trans Day of Remembrance and the inequities that trans people, especially Black trans people, continue to face in Canada. RaricaNow is an organization in Edmonton, AB that provides settlement supports for 2SLGBTQIA+ refugees and newcomers.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly