Vanier College is pleased to announce that the 2022 Humanities Symposium will take place January 31 to February 4. This year, the theme is “Boredom” and the symposium promises to be anything but boring as internationally renowned guests explore the idea of boredom. To access the Zoom webinars click here: https://bit.ly/33liR2T
The Keynote speaker on February 2 at 12:00 is Kate Greene, author of Once Upon a Time I Lived on Mars. She is a former laser physicist whose poetry and prose have appeared in many leading magazines. She will give explore the elements of poetry that elicit an emotional response, from surprise and sorrow to mirth and awe, and briefly touch upon boredom in space exploration.
On February 4 at 1pm, in the Auditorium, the Symposium will welcome special guest speaker Tara McGowan-Ross, urban Mi'kmaq multidisciplinary artist and author of Nothing Will be Different. She is the host of Drawn & Quarterly's Indigenous Literatures book club, and a critic of independent and experimental theatre for Broadwayworld. Tara will analyze boredom from an “outsider’s” perspective, through the language of mental health, addiction, and the concept of Main Character Syndrome.
Other speakers include Dr James Danckert author of Out of my Skull: The Psychology of Boredom, who will kick off the week by talking about the brain on boredom. Jan. 31, 8:30-10:00.
Dr. Paul Gareau, a Métis citizen from Saskatchewan and assistant professor in the Faculty of Native Studies will frame a presentation from his work as academic lead of the Indigenous/Canada MOOC, focusing on how the I/C MOOC acts as a call to action against boredom, complacency or lack of awareness on Indigenous experiences and sovereignty. Jan. 31, 12:00 to 1:30
Andreas Elpidorou, author of Propelled: How Boredom, Frustration and Anticipation Lead us to the Good Life will talk about the ways in which our social standing transforms our experience of boredom. Jan. 31, 4:00 - 5:30
Psychologist, Sandi Mann, author of The Science of Boredom: Why Boredom is Good, will discuss the upside of downtime, or why boredom is good, and will advocate for a digital detox. Feb. 1, 8:30-10
Peter Toohey, author of Hold On: The Life, Science, and Art of Waiting, and Boredom: A Lively History will talk about waiting and boredom. Feb. 1, 4:00 – 5:30
Neuroscientist, Alicia Walf will present an interactive lecture on relationships between boredom, stress, and well-being. Feb. 2, 8:30-10
Andrea Mihalache, from the Clemson School of Architecture will explore boredom and architecture. Feb. 2, 1:30-3:00
Emily Weiss from the New School for Social Research, NY will talk about boredom, time perception and psychiatric disorders. Feb. 3, 10 – 11:30
John Eastwood, co-author of Out of my Skull: The Psychology of Boredom and professor in the Department of Psychology, York University, will talk about listening to your boredom and reclaiming your life. Feb. 3, 11:30 – 1:00