In the most talked-about film from the final year of the 20th century, “The Matrix,” a computer hacker named Neo finds that the world he lives and works in isn’t real. It’s a virtual reality, created by artificial intelligence. At the time, the idea seemed like science fiction. In the years since, however, that concept […] … learn more→

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to preserve the voices and stories of the dead. From text-based chatbots that mimic loved ones to voice avatars that let you “speak” with the deceased, a growing digital afterlife industry promises to make memory interactive, and, in some cases, eternal. In our research, recently published in Memory, Mind & […] … learn more→

The federal government has just released an expert review to try and prevent bullying in schools. One of the greatest areas of concern is cyberbullying, which is alarmingly common among young people. As federal Education Minister Jason Clare said over the weekend, […] now it’s just not happening in the playground, it’s not push and shove in the […] … learn more→

In Canadian society, the narrative of multiculturalism can lean toward a “colour-blind” ideology — a comforting idea that race doesn’t matter and everyone is treated the same — even though such narratives mask persistent inequalities. They may also undermine efforts to address structural racism. Yet race is always present, regardless of whether it’s consciously acknowledged. It surfaces in questions […] … learn more→

People’s lives are more enmeshed with digital systems than ever before, increasing users’ vulnerability and insecurity. From data leaks like the 2017 Equifax data breach to the more recent cyberattack on British retailer Marks & Spencer, business operations and data on the internet continue to be vulnerable. There are good reasons to believe that little will be done […] … learn more→

Parents struggle to help teens deal with online racism. Online racism is different from in-person racism because the people behaving that way usually hide behind fake names, making it hard to stop them. Studies found that teens of color see more untargeted racism – memes, jokes, comments – and racism targeting others online than racism targeted directly […] … learn more→

Mike Evans knew something had to change. As the lead instructor for American Government 1101 at Georgia State University in 2021, Evans had watched his students over the years show up with fewer facts and more conspiracy theories. Gone were the days when students arrived on campus with dim memories of high school civics. Now they came […] … learn more→

We often associate fashionable expressions or practices like verlan with youth. But isn’t it a misuse of language to evoke a “youthful” speech? Is there really a vocabulary or a use of syntax that would allow us to identify ways of expressing ourselves specific to young people? “Gadjo”, “despee”, “tchop”: these words are associated, in media […] … learn more→

Beyond the media hype, what do child-free tourism options really represent? Beyond the marketing rhetoric of some and the outrage of others, the situation and motivations are more complex than the fantasized image. While they call into question the place of children in our society, these new offerings also reveal fundamental social problems. We can […] … learn more→

According to Statistics Canada, police-reported hate crimes against Jews rose by 82 per cent in 2023. In the months following Oct. 7, 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza, university campuses across Canada became sites of tension, protest and divisions. Jewish students and faculty increasingly reported feeling alone, excluded and targeted. As our research has examined, despite these urgent realities, Jewish identity and antisemitism […] … learn more→