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Research Digest - 2026

Op-ed/essay

Invited Talk

Maral Karimi. Ministerial Policy Engagement with Hon. Anita Anand to provide policy input on Canada’s response to the U.S.–Israel war on Iran. Submitted policy recommendations addressing war, sanctions, and regional stability. 3/23/2026. Accepted.

Other

Sanjay Ruparelia. Moderator: "The Middle Powers’ Moment: Navigating a Fragmenting Global Order". Panelists: Brendan Simms and John Nilson-Wright, Centre for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge. Gardiner Museum, Toronto. 3/24/2026.

Maral Karimi. Iran Conflict: War, Regime Survival and Escalation Dynamics. Bloomberg Television. Published.

Maral Karimi. Grading Mark Carney on the war in the Middle East. CBC Cross Country Checkup w Ian Hanomansing. (external link)  4/8/2026. Published. 

Invited Talk

Michael McGregor. Understanding Attitudinal and Emotional Responses Towards Eliminating Paper Voting in Favour of Internet Voting. Michael McGregor (TMU), Scott Pruysers (Dal). Canadian Municipal Barometer Speaker Series. 3/11/2026. 

Appointment

Miriam Anderson has been elected to the executive committee of the Peace Studies Section, International Studies Association for the 2026-2028 term.

Other

Sanjay Ruparelia. Host and co-organizer, Howard French (Columbia University), "The Second Emancipation" (external link) , On the Frontlines of Democracy public lecture series, co-sponsored by the TMU Faculty of Arts and Toronto Public Library. 2/19/2026. 

Sanjay Ruparelia. Host and co-writer, "Dignity, Freedom and Memory with Lea Ypi" (external link)  (LSE), On the Frontlines of Democracy podcast. Produced by Angela Glover and Jack Cochrane, in partnership with the Faculty of Arts and School of Journalism, TMU. 2/27/2026. Published. 

Book chapters

Tom McDowell. From Precarity to Stability: The Impacts of the Ontario Basic Income Pilot as a Structural Intervention in Mental Health and Substance Use. (external link)  Tom McDowell & Mohammad Ferdosi. In Dionysio Nyaga & Masood Zangeneh (Eds.), Critical Ethics on Mental Health and Madness, Springer. Chapter Four; pp. 53-87. 2/13/2026. Published. 

Tom McDowell. Mental Health and Income Security: Insights from the Ontario Basic Income Pilot. (external link)  Tom McDowell & Mohammad Ferdosi. In Dionysio Nyaga & Masood Zangeneh (Eds.), Critical Ethics on Mental Health and Madness, Springer. Chapter Seven; pp. 117-123. 2/13/2026. Published. 

Peer reviewed articles

John Shields. Economic factors contributing to social isolation among immigrant older adults in the Greater Toronto Area. (external link)  Guruge, S., Saha, M., Shields, J., Chandrasekaran, K., Metersky, K., Catallo, C., Amanzai, H., Zhuang, Z., & Sidani, S (All TMU). Journal of Ageing and Longevity. Vol. 6, Issue 1. 12/24/2025. Published.

John Shields. Health, Social, and Settlement Service Providers’ Perspectives of Determinants of Social Isolation Among Older Immigrants in Canada. Guruge, S. (TMU); Sidani, S. (TMU); Hanley, J. (McGill University); Zhuang, Z. (TMU); St-Amant, O. (TMU); Agrawal, S. (University of Alberta); Walsh, C. (University of Calgary). Journal of Aging and Social Change. 1/27/2026. Accepted.

Op-ed/essays

Conference presentations

Sanjay Ruparelia.  (PDF file) Litigating positive rights: Critical reflections from the global South. (external link)  Re-Opening the Door: Litigating Positive Rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Asper Centre Symposium, Jackman Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. 1/16/2026. 

Grants

Rob Goodman. Demagoguery and Democracy: A Theoretical and Historical Reconstruction. Giuseppe Ballacci (PI, University of Minho). FCT Portugal. 1/22/2026. Accepted.

Miriam Anderson. Expanding and Publishing the Dataset on Women's Participation in Peace Negotiations, 1975-2025. Miriam Anderson, Brian Urlacher (U North Dakota). 

Other

Janet Lum. Integrated Care Across the Continuum For Older Adults In Ontario Canada. Dr. Paul Williams (Professor Emeritus), U of Toronto; Dr. Frances Morton-Chang Adjunct Faculty, U. of T; Dr. Karen Spalding, Professor Emerita,TMU; Dr. Janet Lum, Professor Emerita, TMU. Scholarship Program for Clinical Leaders of Hong Kong Hospital Authority. January 12 to 26, 2026. 1/12/2026. Published.

Sanjay Ruparelia. Host and co-organizer, Lea Ypi (LSE), Indignity, A Life Reimagined (external link) , On the Frontlines of Democracy public lecture series, co-sponsored by the TMU Faculty of Arts and Toronto Public Library. 1/29/2026.

Maral Karimi. Does Democracy Await Iran? (external link)  TVO TV Interview. 1/19/2026. Published.

Maral Karimi. Iran Protests: Who is Reza Pahlavi.  (external link) CBC The National. 2/13/2026. Published.

Maral Karimi. Global National. (external link)  1/12/2026. Published.