Dr. Malinda S. Smith
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malindasmith.bsky.social
Dr. Malinda S. Smith
@malindasmith.bsky.social
Associate Vice President Research, Full Prof Political Science | Inclusive Research Excellence, Epistemic Pluralism | Coauthor, The Equity Myth (2017); CoEd, Critical Concepts:An Intro to Politics (2023); Nuances of Blackness in the Canadian Academy (2022)
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
Obama: They never miss a chance to scapegoat minorities and D.E.I. For every problem under the sun. You got a flat tire? D.E.I.. Wife mad at you? D.E.I..
November 1, 2025 at 7:46 PM
“La question de la diversité des points de vue dans les universités canadiennes:
Afin de favoriser réellement le libre examen, on doit rejeter les allégations non vérifiées de crise” Affaires universitaires, www.affairesuniversitaires.ca/opinion-fr/l...
La question de la diversité des points de vue dans les universités canadiennes - Affaires universitaires
Afin de favoriser réellement le libre examen, on doit rejeter les allégations non vérifiées de crise.
www.affairesuniversitaires.ca
October 31, 2025 at 12:40 AM
#DEI / #EDI
1)Excellence Dividend: How Diversity and Inclusion Strengthen Research Ecosystems,
universityaffairs.ca/opinion/the-...
2)Viewpoint diversity debate in Canadian universities: Taking free inquiry seriously means rejecting unverified crisis narratives, universityaffairs.ca/opinion/the-...
October 20, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
I had the privilege of spending some time with Seamus Heaney over the last week... www.thetimes.com/culture/book...
Seamus Heaney kept up a staggeringly high strike rate of good poems
The Poems of Seamus Heaney, collected together in one volume for the first time, is a record of nearly 60 years of excellence
www.thetimes.com
October 18, 2025 at 3:01 PM
How Democracies Fall Apart: interview w/Adam Przeworski @dissentmag.bsky.social

“political scientist Adam Przeworski, born in Poland and now professor emeritus at New York University,is one of the most influential thinkers about democracy of the last century” www.dissentmagazine.org/article/how-...
How Democracies Fall Apart - Dissent Magazine
An interview with Adam Przeworski.
www.dissentmagazine.org
October 18, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors
“With fewer visits to Wikipedia, fewer volunteers may grow and enrich the content, and fewer individual donors may support this work.”
www.404media.co
October 17, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
Canadians’ views on immigration see growing split along political lines: Survey

Environics Institute finds overall views on immigration levels remain negative.

www.thestar.com/news/canada/...

Thanks to the Environics Institute, @diversityinstitute.bsky.social & Century Initiative
Canadians’ views on immigration see growing split along political lines: Survey
Environics Institute finds overall views on immigration levels remain negative.
www.thestar.com
October 16, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Institutional autonomy and academic freedom are vital to universities in democratic societies.

“The viewpoint diversity debate in Canadian universities: Taking free inquiry seriously means rejecting unverified crisis narratives,” University Affairs (Oct 10, 25), universityaffairs.ca/opinion/the-...
The viewpoint diversity debate in Canadian universities - University Affairs
Taking free inquiry seriously means rejecting unverified crisis narratives.
universityaffairs.ca
October 16, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
How can inclusive innovation close the global women’s health gap?

The BMJ and @gatesfoundation.bsky.social are examining this question in a new Collection.

Join us online Tuesday 21 October at 14.00 BST for the official Launch Event
bit.ly/3WFaM1k
Launch of the BMJ Collection on Women's Health Innovation
bit.ly
October 15, 2025 at 3:21 PM
When social justice becomes abnormal: the rise of ‘anti-woke’ politics in Canada
As evidence-based reforms are consistently framed as politically contentious, institutions are constrained, democratic deliberation narrows, and public trust is eroded.” @hilltimes.com www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/1...
When social justice becomes abnormal: the rise of ‘anti-woke’ politics in Canada
As evidence-based reforms are consistently framed as politically contentious, institutions are constrained, democratic deliberation narrows, and public trust is eroded.
www.hilltimes.com
October 12, 2025 at 9:33 PM
“If Canada and higher education research systems wish to remain globally competitive…EDIA is indispensable for a sustainable path to innovation, impact…inclusive research excellence”

Excellence Dividend: How Diversity and Inclusion Strengthen Research Ecosystems universityaffairs.ca/opinion/the-...
The Excellence Dividend  - University Affairs
How Diversity and Inclusion Strengthen Research Ecosystems
universityaffairs.ca
October 12, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
The Harvard Crimson is very clear about what’s happening to their campus and student workers.

www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
October 11, 2025 at 4:08 PM
In this op-ed I examine the claims about a “view diversity crisis”:

“The viewpoint diversity debate in Canadian universities: Taking free inquiry seriously means rejecting unverified crisis narratives.” @universityaffairs.bsky.social (Oct 10, 2025), #cdnpse
universityaffairs.ca/opinion/the-...
The viewpoint diversity debate in Canadian universities - University Affairs
Taking free inquiry seriously means rejecting unverified crisis narratives.
universityaffairs.ca
October 10, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
Congratulations to Maria Corina Machado, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize - her incredible optimism has already changed her country. I spoke to her, and wrote about her, at the beginning of this year:
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
The ‘Anthropological Change’ Happening in Venezuela
Maduro is still in place, but a pro-democracy movement is transforming the beleaguered country.
www.theatlantic.com
October 10, 2025 at 9:59 AM
When social justice becomes abnormal: the rise of ‘anti-woke’ politics in Canada:

As evidence-based reforms are consistently framed as politically contentious, institutions are constrained, democratic deliberation narrows, and public trust is eroded. The Hill Times
www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/1...
When social justice becomes abnormal: the rise of ‘anti-woke’ politics in Canada
As evidence-based reforms are consistently framed as politically contentious, institutions are constrained, democratic deliberation narrows, and public trust is eroded.
www.hilltimes.com
October 8, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
In the Calgary area this week? I’ll be at @ucalgary.bsky.social giving two talks.

The first one with the Latin America Cities and Societies Group on the governance of homelessness.
October 1, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
My second talk is with the Department of Sociology and will focus on ethnographic studies of climate migration.

Thanks to Drs. @aducey.bsky.social and Laura Montes de Oca for the invitation.

(And to Dr. Amie Kiddle and Dr. Montes de Oca for the LACS invitation!)
October 1, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Join CBC to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Watch and listen to a day of special programming on Sept. 30. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Join CBC to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | CBC News
Marking its fifth year on Tuesday, Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (also known as Orange Shirt Day) is dedicated to reflecting and learning together about the enduring legacy o...
www.cbc.ca
September 30, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Timothy Snyder On Tyranny Playlist—selected chaps:
•Do not obey in advance
•Defend institutions
•Take responsibility for the face of the world
•Remember professional ethics
•Be kind to our language
•Believe in truth
•Listen for dangerous words
•Be as courageous as you can youtube.com/playlist?lis...
On Tyranny - YouTube
youtube.com
September 27, 2025 at 6:43 PM
0n living in a super-diverse and pluralistic democracy.

“Cultivating the pluralism dividend in Canada’s democracy

In an era of polarization, Canada must move beyond managing diversity and cultivate it for renewal” Policy Options (Sept19,25) #pluralismdividend policyoptions.irpp.org/2025/09/plur...
Cultivating the pluralism dividend in Canada’s democracy
Canada can create a pluralism dividend by cultivating diversity to strengthen democracy, trust and civic belonging.
policyoptions.irpp.org
September 26, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
“diversity is not cosmetic—it is a measurable predictor of impact. Inclusion is not ideological—it is a condition for excellence. Access is not a bureaucratic burden—it is a gateway to untapped potential and a diversity dividend”

@malindasmith.bsky.social

universityaffairs.ca/opinion/the-...
The Excellence Dividend  - University Affairs
How Diversity and Inclusion Strengthen Research Ecosystems
universityaffairs.ca
September 22, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
“In my experience, every kind of writing requires some kind of self-soothing Jedi mind trick, and, when it comes to essay composition, this rectangle is mine.” Zadie Smith shares the blueprint she uses to write impersonal essays.
The Art of the Impersonal Essay, by Zadie Smith
In my experience, every kind of writing requires some kind of self-soothing Jedi mind trick, and, when it comes to essay composition, the rectangle is mine.
www.newyorker.com
September 22, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
Josh Shapiro: "I was on a Spanish language radio program in the Allentown area and the host said something really chilling to me -- that he now has to think about what topics he's going to discuss because he's fearful he might offend federal regulators of the president."
September 21, 2025 at 2:15 PM
“Cultivating the pluralism dividend in Canada’s democracy:

In an era of polarization, Canada must move beyond managing diversity and cultivate it for renewal.” Policy Options @irpp.org (Sept. 19, 2025). policyoptions.irpp.org/2025/09/plur...
Cultivating the pluralism dividend in Canada’s democracy
Canada can create a pluralism dividend by cultivating diversity to strengthen democracy, trust and civic belonging.
policyoptions.irpp.org
September 20, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Reposted by Dr. Malinda S. Smith
The “Great Replacement” theory was once relegated to the far-Right fringe, motivating violence like the 2018 Tree of Life shooting and the 2022 supermarket shooting in Buffalo. Now, rhetoric about “replacement” & immigrant “invasions” has become mainstream in the GOP. #Velshi
From manifestos to mainstream: Understanding the far-Right ‘Great Replacement’ theory
The "Great Replacement" theory is a conspiracy theory that envisions a scheme to replace white, Christian populations in Western nations with nonwhite immigrants. It was once confined to the fringes of the far-Right. Now, the theory seems to have taken root in the mainstream of the GOP.
www.msnbc.com
September 20, 2025 at 6:58 PM